Plant Biology 2018 Major Symposium I
In this series, we profile the exciting major symposia slated for Plant Biology 2018. Check the Plant Biology 2018 website for updates on times and locations– and register now so you don’t miss any of these great talks!
Major Symposium I: ASPB President’s Symposium, Translational Science, will be held Saturday, July 14, 2018, 1:00–3:30PM
Organized by ASPB president Harry Klee, this symposium will provide examples of science that has been translated from basic research discoveries into real-world applications. Harry states “I have chosen a set of speakers that exemplify translational science. There are so many areas of plant biology that can have real world impacts. These speakers are all outstanding scientists who have taken fundamental discoveries out of the lab and shown how they can be turned into products that have changed peoples’ lives.”
The selected talks are:
- Unlocking the Secrets of Medicinal Crops: From Artemisinin to Morphine, Why are Plants Still Better than Bugs at Making these Drugs?, by Ian Graham, University of York
- From Arabidopsis to Canola: Solving the Pod Shattering Problem, by Martin Yanofsky, University of California – San Diego
- Flood-Tolerant Rice as an Example of the Potential impact of Plant Biology Research, by David Mackill, University of California, Davis
- The Long Road to Commercialization of Insect Protected Crops, by Sherri Brown, The Yield Lab
Harry continues “There are two messages I want to convey to the attendees. First, science can make a real and positive impact on agriculture and society as a whole. Second, doing great science is only the beginning of a long road. The development is just as hard or even harder than the fundamental discovery. The work that our industry members perform is both challenging and incredibly rewarding.“
Plant Biology 2018 will be held July 14–18, 2018 in Montréal. For Plant Biology 2018 updates, join the Plantae Network for ASPB conferences, follow #plantbio18 on Twitter, and keep an eye on the program at https://plantbiology.aspb.org/.