What’s at stake: Synthetic biology is taking off globally and New Zealand has the opportunity to become world leader in niche areas once our GM laws become less restrictive. But players warn scientists need to be ambitious once the new legislation comes into effect.
Background: Precision fermentation is an area Crown research institute Scion is leading in utilising bacteria and yeast to convert agri-industrial waste streams into high-value products. BioSouth is building the infrastructure needed to scale up from the lab.
Main players: Scion, University of Victoria, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Professor Emily Parker, Alec Foster, Daisy Lab, Jooules, Fonterra, Jeremy Hill, GE-Free New Zealand, BioSouth, Professor Travis Glare.
Quick explainer:
Genetic modification organisms (GMO): any organism that has been genetically modified through any genetic engineering technique, including transgenic organisms.
Genetic modification (GM): the act of utilising genetic technology to modify the genome of an organism, also referred to as genetic engineering. This doesn’t include traditional breeding techniques.
Gene editing (GE): gene editing is a precise form of genetic modification/genetic engineering that enables targeted changes to the DNA sequence.
New genomic techniques (NGT): New genome techniques cover a diverse collection of techniques all of which have different levels of specificity or precision. All NGTs are techniques used to modify the genome of an organism.
Source: Aotearoa Circle report on modern genetic technology.
Professor Emily Parker is hopeful the planned loosening of New Zealand’s laws on genetically modified organisms (GMO) will raise people’s ambitions around the work that can be done in this space.
Parker is a professor of chemistry at the Victoria University of Wellington, Ferrier Research
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What’s at stake: Synthetic biology is taking off globally and New Zealand has the opportunity to become world leader in niche areas once our GM laws become less restrictive. But players warn scientists need to be ambitious once the new legislation comes into effect.
Background: Precision fermentation is an area Crown research institute Scion is leading in utilising bacteria and yeast to convert agri-industrial waste streams into high-value products. BioSouth is building the infrastructure needed to scale up from the lab.
Main players: Scion, University of Victoria, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Professor Emily Parker, Alec Foster, Daisy Lab, Jooules, Fonterra, Jeremy Hill, GE-Free New Zealand, BioSouth, Professor Travis Glare.
Quick explainer:
Genetic modification organisms (GMO): any organism that has been genetically modified through any genetic engineering technique, including transgenic organisms.
Genetic modification (GM): the act of utilising genetic technology to modify the genome of an organism, also referred to as genetic engineering. This doesn’t include traditional breeding techniques.
Gene editing (GE): gene editing is a precise form of genetic modification/genetic engineering that enables targeted changes to the DNA sequence.
New genomic techniques (NGT): New genome techniques cover a diverse collection of techniques all of which have different levels of specificity or precision. All NGTs are techniques used to modify the genome of an organism.
Source: Aotearoa Circle report on modern genetic technology.
