Agricultural technology company Syngenta Group will provide rights to selected genome-editing and breeding technologies for academic research globally, as part of its commitment to foster innovation and drive sustainability in agriculture. These rights are accessible through its innovation collaboration platform Shoots by Syngenta.
The rights to certain intellectual property are related to optimized CRISPR-Cas12a as well as to gene-editing enabled breeding tools. Through CRISPR gene-editing, it is possible to deliver an improved plant that does not include DNA from a different species – more quickly and efficiently than otherwise possible in nature or through conventional breeding methods.
“The power of CRISPR technology has incredible potential to enable crop innovation to deliver value to farmers,” says Gusui Wu, Head of Global Seeds Research at Syngenta. “The increased use of CRISPR in agriculture can transform the way we approach plant breeding, accelerating the discovery and deployment of innovations that provide growers more productive and resilient crops. We are inviting universities and academic institutions from around the world to help us drive innovation to improve the sustainability of agriculture.”
Sharing technology
Syngenta has long been open to sharing technology with public and private entities, enabling straightforward, quick, and easy access to its proprietary technologies for academic and non-profit research use. One example is Syngenta’s vegetable licensing platform, which allows breeding companies and academic institutes to access and breed with Syngenta germplasm.
The Shoots by Syngenta global innovation collaboration platform was created in 2023 with a goal to create partnerships aimed at finding solutions to some of the most complex challenges in food and agriculture. It brings together the external innovation ecosystem – comprising academics, research institutes, and other entities – together with Syngenta’s global network of more than 6,000 scientists, to develop solutions that mitigate climate change, enhance biodiversity, and better serve smallholder as well as large-scale farmers.
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