NSF Award
2210962
Worldwide crop production needs to increase at least 50% to meet the demands for food, feed, and fiber of a growing population. The need for increased production coincides with a time of changing climate that makes crop production more challenging. Hence, it has become more important than ever to understand how plants work, and specifically to identify genes that allow plants to have high yields and adapt to adverse growing conditions. The most powerful tool available to identify gene function, which plays an important role in improving plants, is gene editing. However, gene editing can be prohibitively expensive and can only be efficiently used in a handful of crops. The goal of this Research Coordination Network is to make it easier for researchers from across the U.S. and beyond to exchange information and ideas to develop new approaches to improve gene editing efficiency in plants. It will also act as a central repository of information and organize training opportunities to ensure that a new and diverse generation of scientists will be available to take on gene discovery research needed to advance agricultural productivity and the U.S. bioeconomy.<br/><br/>Plant genetic engineering (transformation) and gene editing are critical tools for the advancement of plant functional genomics research, and genomics-based crop improvement. Current transformation systems are significantly limited by inefficient, complicated methods, and a lack of training and expertise in the art and science of transformation biology and techniques. There is a critical need for increasing plant transformation capacity worldwide. Improving capacity will require 1) research advances across transformation technologies; and 2) enhanced knowledge exchange and training in transformation biology and techniques. With NSF support, the Plant Genetic Engineering Network Research Coordination Network (PlantGENE) has been established to facilitate research and to ensure sharing of technology, knowledge, and expertise. The goal of PlantGENE is to ensure that existing knowledge and new information gained from research and development on transformation are rapidly and inclusively shared across the research community. To meet this goal, PlantGENE will 1) establish a global network of researchers from public and private organizations to collectively address the current challenges; 2) facilitate collaboration and training opportunities; 3) exploit established relationships with international research institutes to enable transfer of knowledge, technologies, and methodologies to laboratories in underserved regions; 4) share proven and state-of-the-art methods, develop training modules, and offer virtual and in-person workshops designed and led by experts in plant transformation; and 5) engage with plant biotechnology organizations such as the Society for In Vitro Biology (SIVB) and the International Association of Plant Biotechnologists (IAPB). All project information and outcomes will be made available to the broader plant research community.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
