Biotechnology

1. The University: Experience and Qualifications

Since its founding in 1855 as the first land grant university in the U.S., Michigan State University has adhered to its original mission: to “strive to discover practical uses for theoretical knowledge, and to speed the diffusion of information to residents of the state, the nation, and the world.” In operational terms, MSU has concentrated on building its strengths in educating and training succeeding generations of researchers both from the U.S. and the world at large. It has sought to establish collaborative links with people and institutions worldwide, broadening its research, academic and service outreach.

MSU is recognized as a center of excellence in international development. The academic and professional community at Michigan State is highly diverse and responsive and augments the University’s international goals with a broad array of globally relevant skills and expertise. People from every county in Michigan, every state in the U.S. and 134 countries around the world contribute to the University’s success. Annually, more than 3500 international students and scholars enroll in MSU’s graduate and undergraduate and certificate programs. MSU plays host to hundreds of international visitors every year who come to view campus research facilities, participate in campus life as visiting scholars and specialists, or to meet with MSU colleagues. Hundreds of MSU faculty members are engaged in critical outreach programs in many countries throughout the world, teaching, conducting research or providing technical assistance.

For more than 50 years, Michigan State University has been a leader among U.S. universities in international development programs. MSU has had a broad and deepening involvement in conducting technical assistance and research in developing countries, assisting the development of new institutions, and providing training for development tasks. MSU, through its Departments and Institutes and Centers, has also managed projects throughout the world, providing short- and long-term in-country technical assistance, degree and non-degree training programs, and extensive backstopping support from the main campus. The Office of the Dean of International Studies and Programs has overall responsibility for the university’s international initiatives. While historically a majority of MSU’s international development and technical assistance projects have been conducted by faculty in various departments of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, international expertise is increasingly incorporated into all aspects of university life marking MSU as a global university.

The Office of Contract and Grant Administration (CGA) holds fiscal audit authority and responsibility for the MSU contractual portfolio with both domestic and international external donors. In fiscal 2006-2007 awards for sponsored projects reached $308 million. To ensure that MSU is aware of, and can comply with the various agency regulations, CGA is organized by funding agency. CGA has a separate group dedicated to administration of international projects.

MSU Expertise in Agricultural Biotechnology R&D and Technology Transfer Issues

Michigan State University is internationally recognized as a center of excellence in agricultural biotechnology research and development and in the complex socioeconomic issues that surround this diverse field. More than 150 full-time faculty are engaged in plant science research and teaching, and programs have access to excellent laboratory research facilities, greenhouse and growth chambers, in addition to facilities for field research on campus and on 15 outlying experimental research stations.

MSU has several world leading research programs in agricultural and plant biotechnology. For example:

Genome mapping: MSU scientists are part of the Arabidopsis Functional Genomics Consortium, a National Science Foundation-funded project. The overall goal of this project is to provide plant biologists with a set of powerful tools that can be used in their efforts to understand the function and interrelationships of the 20,000 or more genes in this and other plants.

Nutritional Genomics: MSU has an innovative research program, led by Dr. Dean DellaPenna, to understand and manipulate plant metabolism in order to improve the levels of essential micronutrients in important world crops.

Tolerance to cold and drought in crop plants: Prof. Mike Thomashow’s work focuses on genetically engineering crops so they can better tolerate cold and drought, two environmental stresses that significantly reduce agricultural productivity in many regions of the world.

Pest and disease resistance in crops: Several research programs are working towards the development of crop plants resistant to important pests and disease problems e.g. virus resistant cucurbits, insect and virus resistant potatoes. Basic research is also being carried out in many programs to determine the genetic mechanisms behind these processes.

Biosafety risk assessment research: Several research programs focus on the assessment and management of risks associated with the field release of genetically modified organisms.


Food Safety: MSU houses the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center the aim of which is to conduct research that will help to develop a safer food supply, well-founded public policy, and a greater public understanding of food safety issues. The Center also has several experts on international food and agricultural standards and the sociological and cultural issues that affect how technologies are created and received.

Livestock biotechnology: MSU researchers are studying the molecular genetics of pigs and beef cattle with emphasis on genetic improvement of performance traits and meat quality. MSU also houses the Center for Animal Functional Genomics.

Sociology: MSU sociologists work closely with communities in Michigan and around the world and can offer a perspective on how conflicting claims can be perceived in a wide variety of communities, from the Midwest to villages in developing countries.

Agricultural economics: MSU economists evaluate the economic impact of plant biotechnology on the U.S. market and in the international agribusiness arena, and study the impact of biotechnology on the economies of developing countries.

MSU Office of Intellectual Property
The Office of Intellectual Property (OIP) at Michigan State University (MSU) facilitates the commercial development and public use of technology developed by MSU researchers. Established in 1992, the office handles intellectual properties and inventions developed or created by MSU faculty, staff and students. The OIP provides assistance and support to international projects such as ABSP . A two-week internship program in intellectual property rights (IPR) and technology transfer organized at MSU in 1996 by ABSP in cooperation with the OIP was so successful that it has grown in to an annual short course at MSU run in collaboration with the Institute of International Agriculture.

IIA Involvement in International Biotechnology

ABSP (Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project) A BSP was a USAID-funded program based at Michigan State University and managed by the Institute of International Agriculture from 1991-2003. ABSP represented a novel, integrated approach to agricultural biotechnology research and development programs. It focused on establishing linkages between public and private sectors in developing countries and their counterparts in the US.

Establishment of Technology Transfer Offices -- MSU assisted the establishment of offices of intellectual property in the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (AARD) and the Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), Egypt.

Biotechnology Policy Assistance -- MSU trained individuals and assisted in drafting new PVP legislation in Indonesia, Morocco, and the Philippines.

▫Regional Biosafety workshops in Egypt and Jamaica

▫Biosafety internships

▫Construction of containment greenhouse facilities in Egypt

▫Biosafety guideline support in Indonesia, Morocco, Egypt and Kenya which led to the adoption of national biosafety guidelines in participating countries.

▫Development of biotechnology initiative with the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) was involved in the integration of biotechnology through the existing regional networks and for the expansion of regional biosafety regulatory policy development.

▫Southern Africa Regional Biosafety (SARB) Program which promotes science-based regulatory implementation and market access for biotechnology applications form both the public and private sectors. This included numerous workshops and training courses in Southern Africa.

Public-Private Sector Linkages -- With ABSP, the MSU team established effective linkages at an early stage between developing country public and private sectors and the US private sector as well as the US public sector.

Development of transgenic crops resistant to pests and diseases:

Virus resistant cucurbits developed using a combination of molecular genetics and conventional breeding approaches. This collaboration between MSU and AGERI, resulted in successful transformation of Egyptian melon genotypes. Multiple virus-resistant cucumber, melon and squash materials resulting from many years of breeding have since been exchanged between the breeding programs at Cornell University and AGERI.

Tuber moth resistant potatoes were developed by MSU researchers and collaborators in Egypt and Indonesia. The goal was to identify promising transgenic potato lines with resistance to the potato tuber moth (PTM), a serious pest of potato worldwide.

ABSP II is a consortium of public and private sector institutions and is currently led by Cornell University.

Current Biotechnology Programs at the Institute of International Agriculture

Commercialization of Bt Potato in South Africa The tuber moth-resistant Bt- potato will increase food security by reducing input costs (less insecticide use), improving quality, and reducing post-harvest losses. The commercialization process of Bt potatoes in South Africa includes six components: product development, regulatory file development, obtaining freedom to operate and establishing licensing relationships, marketing and technology delivery, documentations of socio-economic benefits, and public communication.

Southern Africa Biotechnology Program (SABP) was established t o develop cassava genotypes resistant to the specific strains of the Cassava Mosaic Disease found in Southern Africa through utilization of a bio-engineering strategy in order to increase food security in that region.

Raise-Plus STTA Biotechnology provides short-term technical assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The scope of activities reflect the need for rapid and targeted technical assistance that addresses the requests of developing country governments, as well as providing a mechanism to provide technical leadership and support to other USAID units and US government agencies.

Uganda Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Program (APEP) The Institute of International Agriculture is a partner in this USAID-supported program managed by Chemonics International, Inc. APEP in Uganda aims to expand rural economic opportunities and increase household income in the agricultural sector by increasing food and cash crop productivity and marketing.

The World Technology Access Program (WorldTAP)
Since 1995, WorldTAP at the Institute of International Agriculture provides a broad mix of annual short courses, focused seminars, and advisory services aimed at assisting the global community in the transfer and management of cutting-edge agricultural technologies. MSU has expanded its training opportunities to include an on-line course in Biotechnology Transfer and Management. The WorldTAP is currently offering educational and capacity building programs in the following areas:

▫Internship program in intellectual property rights (IPR) and technology transfer

▫Distance learning in IPR and technology transfer

▫Long-term internships in IPR and technology transfer

▫Professional Master’s degree program in IPR and technology transfer

▫Food safety short course

▫Advisory services and consultation in food safety guidelines and policy development

▫Biosafety capacity building in collaboration with the Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS), a USAID-funded project which includes internship programs; advisory services and consultation in biosafety guidelines and policy development; assistance in risk assessment and field testing of biotechnology products.