The CRISPR/Cas9 system has transformed medicine and biotechnology. This Nobel Prize-winning technique enables the targeted study and precise modification of genomes. Despite its wide-ranging applications, the public and political discussions about its potential in agricultural breeding spark controversy. 

A symposium at BOKU University, organized in collaboration with the Gregor Mendel Institute, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and the Gregor Mendel Society Vienna,  will explore new genomic technologies and their economic and political implications. The half-day event, titled “New Genomic Technologies – A Versatile Toolbox for the Improvement of Crops and Livestock,” is designed for students and educators, professionals in the food or agricultural sectors, and anyone interested in biology, food safety and biodiversity. 

Steven Runo, a professor at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya, will deliver the keynote address on “Leveraging Genome Editing to Enhance Food Security in Africa.” Runo studies the hemiparasitic plant Striga hermonthica, which threatens the food security and livelihoods of small-scale farmers in various African regions. He has identified Striga-resistant genes in wild millet and uses this knowledge to develop Striga resistance in cultivated millet varieties. Runo applies new genomic technologies, such as gene editing, to achieve this goal. 

For more information and registration (free), visit BOKU. 

Date 
February 10, 2025, 14:00 to 18:00 

Location 
Universität für Bodenkultur (BOKU) 
Ilse-Wallentin-Haus, Seminarraum 29 
Peter Jordan Straße 82 
1190 Wien 

This event is also being livestreamed.