Advanced Genetic Sciences

From Powerbase
Jump to: navigation, search

Advanced Genetic Sciences (AGS) was a biotechnology company which made the world's first officially approved environmental release of a GMO in a field test of the "ice-minus" bacterium, designed to protect crops from frost. It was a GM version of a common agricultural pest, Pseudonomas syringae.[1] The release was approved by the EPA in 1983[2] but was delayed for some years by environmental protests, finally taking place in 1987.[3]

AGS was acquired by DNA Plant Technology in 1988 and was then subsequently acquired by Savia in 1996.

People

  • Neal Gutterson, as of July 2010 the president and CEO of biotech company Mendel Biotechnology, began his biotechnology career at AGS in 1983. After AGS was acquired by DNA Plant Technology in 1988, Gutterson led the DNAP research group for several years before joining Mendel Biotechnology in 2002 as vice president of research and development.[4]

Notes

  1. Christopher Joyce, Strawberry field will test man-made bacterium, New Scientist, 14 Nov 1985, acc 8 Jul 2010
  2. Christopher Joyce, Strawberry field will test man-made bacterium, New Scientist, 14 Nov 1985, acc 8 Jul 2010
  3. Marcia Barinaga, Field test of ice-minus bacteria goes ahead despite vandals, Nature, vol 326, 30 Apr 1987
  4. Neal Gutterson PhD, Informed Horizons website, acc 8 Jul 2010