Reaping the fruits of her labour
Reading Time: 3 minutesLeaving the safe confines of a stable job in the finance industry, Elizabeth Lee tells DR MAHALETCHUMY ARUJANAN she found her Eldorado – growing pineapples in Pahang. IN THE TURBULENT TIMES of the COVID-19 crisis, where job opportunities were scarce and uncertainty loomed, one spirited graduate embarked on a journey that defied conventions – paving the way […]
Agritech startup Qarbotech lands USD 700,000 to bring productivity to farmers worldwide
Reading Time: 2 minutesKUALA LUMPUR: Qarbotech, a leading Malaysia-based agritech startup, announced today that it has raised USD 700,000 in seed funding and grants. The round was led by multi-stage venture capital firm, 500 Global, and includes innovation grants from the Temasek Foundation for winning the Climate Impact Innovations Challenge 2023, and Khazanah Nasional’s Dana Impak for winning […]
Local scientist seeds innovation in GM research
Reading Time: 2 minutesAS the world’s population continues to grow and arable land becomes increasingly scarce, there is a pressing need to enhance the efficiency of food production. At the same time, climate change is wreaking havoc on our planet’s ecosystems, making it increasingly difficult to grow crops in many regions. But Selangor-born scientist, Dr Najiah Mohd Sadali is […]
GM Purple Tomato Gets Approval in the United States
Reading Time: < 1 minuteThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a Regulatory Status Review (RSR) on September 7, 2022, stating that the new genetically modified (GM) purple tomato from Norfolk Plant Sciences may be safely grown and used in breeding in the United States. The purple tomato was modified to alter its color and […]
Priming crops to face impact of climate change
Reading Time: 3 minutesCONFRONTED with the need of increasing global food production – farmers are constantly challenged with altering conditions and emergent soil-borne pathogens brought on by human-induced climate change. Recent data estimate that 40 percent of food crops are lost to plant pests and diseases every year, largely impacting both global food security and the livelihood of smallholder […]
Researchers identify genes to help fruit adapt to droughts
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRESEARCHERS from the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and Cornell University have completed the first study that provides a comprehensive picture of changes in gene expression in response to water stress in tomatoes and identified genes that could help plant breeders develop fruit that can cope with drought conditions. Led by BTI Assistant Professor Carmen Catalá, who is also a […]
Asian agbio players convene under ISAAA/MABIC platform
Reading Time: 4 minutesBY Ts. DR MAHALETCHUMY ARUJANAN & SAARANI VENGADESEN WILL working tirelessly in the laboratories result in GM crops being released into the hands of farmers, subsequently relieving their world from grappling with food insecurity? It is time for scientists to understand the invisible hands that move the needles when it comes to the approval and […]
Can editing help to resolve food security issues?
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY DR SADEQUR RAHMAN AT the centre of all our lives is the necessity of getting enough food, which is more imperative than ever. Our population is almost eight billion and space on our planet is limited. How will we manage to avoid famines and social chaos? It may seem a hopeless task, given all the […]
Novel Way to detect microbial contamination in cell cultures
Reading Time: 2 minutesRESEARCHERS from the Critical Analytics For Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, have developed a new method of detecting adventitious microbial contamination in mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) cultures, ensuring the rapid and accurate testing of cell therapy products (CTP) intended for use in patients. Utilizing machine […]
Homegrown red rice making waves in local stores
Reading Time: 4 minutesINDULGING in research and unleashing innovative ideas is the ultimate goal of any scientist. What develops in the petri dish must translate into products that can be retailed in the market for the benefit of society. For this to be a reality, scientists need business skills and a natural mindset to move their research outcomes […]