Biotech Updates

VIB Publishes New GM Background Report

March 12, 2014

Genetically modified (GM) papaya developed by Cornell University, USA and the University of Hawaii has been cultivated since 1998 in Hawaii and saved the local papaya cultivation. The story of the GM papaya demonstrates that GM crops are not often associated with multinationals because the Hawaiian GM papaya was developed by the public sector and the intellectual property rights were transferred to the local papaya industry. To recalibrate the GM debate by supplying scientific founded information, VIB releases the www.vib.be/plantbiotechnews, which provides detailed background information, case-by-case style and up-to-date answers on current GM topics. The background report  'virus resistant papapya in Hawaii is now freely available.

For details, contact Wim Grunewald, expert scientist plantbiotechnology VIB - wim.grunewald@vib.be