ISAAA Webinar Explores the Science and Application of Gene Drives

ISAAA Inc., in collaboration with the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Biotechnology Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA Biotech Program Office), held a webinar titled Leading Breakthroughs: Gene Drives for a Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation on December 9, 2024, via Zoom, to provide information and recent developments on the new and emerging applications of gene drives.

The webinar was attended by 181 participants representing the general public and various DA Biotech Program R&D constituents and centers, including the Department of Agriculture (DA) Crop Biotechnology Center (CBC), DA Livestock Biotechnology Center (LBC), DA Fisheries Biotechnology Center (FBC), Philippine Carabao Center, Philippine Coconut Authority, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH), and UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB).

The participants were welcomed by Dr. Rhodora Romero-Aldemita, Executive Director of ISAAA Inc. Dr. Aldemita said that gene drives are among the various innovations that help sustain the environment and ensure food security. Gene drive is one of the innovative strategies designed to spread specific traits in a population of organisms. “This technology offers transformative applications for food, agriculture, health, and biodiversity,” Dr. Aldemita said.

Dr. Maria Genaleen Q. Diaz, a full Professor and currently the Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), provided an overview of the science and applications of gene drives. Dr. Diaz said that gene drive is a very targeted approach that can provide significant benefits in reducing reliance on pesticides and herbicides and controlling undesirable species, such as insects and weeds.

Prof. Paul Thomas, a Professor in the School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide and the Director of the Genome Editing Program and the SA Genome Editing Facility at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), talked about the importance of gene drives in addressing invasive species. He stated that gene drive technology, previously used in disease control for insects and mice, is now being applied to plants. Prof. Thomas emphasized the need for stakeholder engagement to make the public aware of the emergence of gene drives.

The Q and A session was facilitated by Mr. Panfilo de Guzman, Senior Associate Scientist at ISAAA Inc., covering discussions on ethical considerations, commercialization, and public acceptance. Mr. Neill Armand Padlan read the message of Dr. Paul C. Limson, the Director of the DA Biotech Program Office, for the closing remarks. The event was moderated by Janine Cyren Escasura, Project Technical Assistant at ISAAA Inc.

Watch the recorded webinar on ISAAA webinars page and YouTube. For inquiries, email knowledgecenter@isaaa.org.