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T. MEDLEY, Vice President, Biotechnology, Regulatory & External Affairs, Dupont Nutrition and Health, Barley Mill Plaza, P38-1280, P.O. Box 80038, Wilmington, DE 19880-0038

The significant contribution of biotechnology in the development of new pharmaceutical and diagnostic tools for treating and diagnosing human health and disease conditions is well documented. The technology’s application to pharmaceutical and diagnostics is also welcomed by the medical community as well as the general public. For agriculture, biotechnology is also demonstrating its potential to increase productivity, enhance the environment, and improve food safety, quality and nutritional health. Similar to the Medical Community, agricultural producers, especially in North America, have embraced the tools of biotechnology. However, within the general public questions are being raised about transgenic crop plants and potential risks versus benefits. This is understandable. Biotechnology is an enabling technology and an emerging science. As such, its application to agriculture has raised questions. The full potential of the technology can only be realized when the general public is assured that the technology is being used safely, ethically and responsibly.

As biotechnology companies developing new drugs, food and agriculture biotechnology providers are using the same toolbox of functional genomics, bioinformatics, combinatorial chemistry and high-throughput screening to develop better crops and better products. This includes an understanding of the structure of the genome, the expression of genes, and the function(s) of the proteins genes produce. In the area of nutritional genomics and what we’ll call functional genomics, DuPont research scientists have been actively engaged in research aimed at the modification of oils, proteins and carbohydrates in seeds of corn, soybean and other crops to produce grains with enhanced value.

The utilization of these new tools can continue to create direct benefits for consumers and the environment. These benefits currently include better tasting vegetables, oils with reduced saturated fat and rice with increased beta-carotene and iron. Research on numerous other crops is aimed at achieving higher levels of important nutrients that may help the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Further, the use of “plants as plants” has as an end goal the use of corn, soybeans, canola and other crops as raw materials for producing plastics, materials, fibers, chemicals and other industrial products.

This talk will discuss the biotechnology pipeline with regard to products with a direct consumer benefit and the biotechnology industry Public Information Outreach Effort. Lastly, the talk will offer some thoughts on actions necessary to ensure continued public confidence in the benefits and safety of biotechnology food and agriculture products – this includes both first generation “input trait” and second generation “output traits”.