June 2022
Global Biotech Potato Partnership
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The Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership utilizes cutting-edge research to promote a robust potato value chain through the commercialization of the 3 R-gene late blight disease resistant potato. The goal of this project is to sustainably reduce global poverty, hunger, and malnutrition, helping emerging economies in Asia and Africa accelerate their progress towards self-reliance. Our approach focuses on local leadership and local ownership of development objectives through our implementation and partnership strategies.
The Global Biotech Potato Partnership is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Feed the Future, the U.S. Government's global hunger and food security initiative. |
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Welcome to our quarterly newsletter
Each edition will highlight key project activities, milestones, and accomplishments, provide updates on biotechnology research and share some of our favorite potato recipes and facts.
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Technical advisory board named to support Global Biotech Potato Partnership |
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The Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership is pleased to announce members of the project's technical advisory board (TAB). The TAB is comprised of seven independent members who have expertise in biotechnology, plant pathology, biotech regulations, intellectual property, and international development. The eighth member of the TAB represents USAID project management.
The TAB reviews the quality and pertinence of the science and technologies used in the project and provides strategic guidance on multiple topics, including advocacy, communication, fundraising, risk mitigation, and ethical issues. The TAB will also offer overall guidance and oversight for the project and provide topic-related expert advice.
The eight TAB members include:
- Jim Gaffney - USAID
- Dennis Halterman - USDA/ARS
- Diana Horvath - 2BLADES Foundation
- Jonathan Jones - The Sainsbury Laboratory
- Lawrence Kent - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Muffy Koch - Simplot Plant Sciences
- Craig Richael - Simplot Plant Sciences
- Peter VanderZaag - Sunrise Potato
We would like to thank these talented experts for volunteering their time and vast knowledge.
Over the next few newsletter issues we will highlight a few of our TAB members. This issue we feature Diana Horvath and Craig Richael.
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Diana Horvath - 2BLADES Foundation
Diana Horvath co-founded 2Blades, a non-profit agbiotech company working to protect food crops from disease and pests -- challenges which are growing due to climate change.
Trained in biochemistry and molecular biology, she has focused on understanding plant immunity and deploying science for impact in agriculture. Early in her career, she conducted research on agriculture crops in southern Africa, studying crop interactions with damaging witchweeds and, separately, with mycorrhizal fungi at the Sebele Agricultural Station in Botswana.
After completing her Ph.D. at Northwestern University, she carried out postdoctoral research on plant signaling and defenses to pathogens at The Rockefeller University. At Agricultural Technology Partners, Diana helped to vet and establish start-up companies advancing innovative agricultural biotechnologies.
In 2004, Diana helped to launch 2Blades to drive innovation in plant science to benefit agriculture, both for large-scale agriculture and for smallholder farmers. She has worked with her 2Blades colleagues to build programs that advance innovative research into application to confer protection against the major unmanaged pests and diseases of major crops. Through its activities, 2Blades has improved the sourcing, deployment, and efficiency of the production of varieties of soy, potato, wheat, and other crops that are now more resilient to biotic threats that are expanding in a changing climate.
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Craig Richael - Simplot Plant Sciences
Craig Richael is a Director of R&D at Simplot Plant Sciences where he guides the development of Innate® genetically modified and gene-edited potato products.
He and his research team have created potato products having improved quality traits, higher yields and robust disease resistance. Pioneering advances in genome editing and marker-assisted breeding to complement genetic modification of potato and other crops remains a priority of his work.
Craig Richael obtained a B.S. degree in Plant Sciences from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from UC Davis.
In 2001, he joined the Simplot Plant Sciences team as a scientist and invented a genetic transformation system for potato and other crops. Until his appointment as Director in 2013, he also managed pathology and agronomy proof-of-concept tests. Craig enjoys putting into practice the J. R. Simplot Company’s motto, “Bringing Earth’s Resources to Life”.
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Global Biotech Potato Partnership semi-annual project report now available |
The semi-annual project report is now available for download at the USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) or to view on our website.
The report is a short summary of the first six months of the project from October 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022.
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Dr. Phillip Wharton, project pathologist, attends international potato conferences |
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Dr. Phillip Wharton serves as the Disease Resistant Management Global Resource Lead for the Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership. He recently attended Euroblight workshop 2022 held in Switzerland May 9-12. The main objective of the workshop is to discuss research on late blight and early blight disease in potato.
Phill also attended World Potato Congress 2022 in Ireland. The theme of the congress was, The Changing World of the Potato. Dr. Wharton presented his latest late blight research findings with conference posters at both events.
In addition to his role with the Global Biotech Potato Partnership, Wharton is an associate professor of potato pathology at University of Idaho.
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Featured Potato Recipe - Baked Potato Pizza |
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Potato on pizza?? You bet! For a twist on the traditional pizza, try this unique recipe from the Michigan Potato Industry Commission.
Add sliced baked potatoes to pizza crust with a sour cream "sauce" topped with bacon, green onions, and cheddar cheese. It's like a fully loaded baked potato - pizza pie style!
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The Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership is a five-year, multi-institution cooperative agreement with USAID to introduce bio-engineered potato products in farmer-preferred varieties into Africa and Asia. The biotech potato offers broad-spectrum stacked gene resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans), the most devastating potato disease in the world. Focal countries include Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, and Nigeria.
Feed the Future is America's initiative to combat global hunger and poverty. It brings partners together to help some of the world's poorest countries harness the power of agriculture and entrepreneurship to jumpstart their economies and create new opportunities. For more information, visit www.feedthefuture.gov.
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This publication is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Michigan State University and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. |
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