Capturing the potential of Gene editing for a sustainable BioEconomy

Informazioni relative al progetto

GeneBEcon

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: 101061015

DOI

10.3030/101061015

Progetto chiuso

Data della firma CE 2 Giugno 2022

Data di avvio 1 Settembre 2022

Data di completamento 31 Agosto 2025

Finanziato da

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Costo totale

€ 5 032 777,02

Contributo UE

€ 5 032 777,00

Coordinato da

SVERIGES LANTBRUKSUNIVERSITET
Sweden

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GeneBEcon (Capturing the potential of Gene editing for a sustainable BioEconomy)

Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-09-01 al 2024-02-29

Sintesi del contesto e degli obiettivi generali del progetto

GeneBEcon: Shaping Europe's Sustainable Future
Imagine a future where our food is more nutritious and grown in a way that is sustainable and does not harm the environment. Imagine industrial processes running on biomaterials that do not pollute.GeneBEcon is working towards this goal by using innovative genetic techniques to revolutionize agricultural production and promote sustainability.

What is GeneBEcon? GeneBEcon is a research project focused on how New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) can build a sustainable bioeconomy in Europe. The three-year project, led by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, involves 18 European organizations. It targets two main innovations:
1. Perfect Potatoes: By enhancing virus resistance and starch quality, GeneBEcon aims to reduce pesticide use and chemical starch processing, making it more sustainable.
2. Microalgae Magic: The project explores how microalgae can produce valuable compounds for industries like cosmetics, boosting the blue economy, while using the residues as poultry feed to promote a zero-waste production.

Why is GeneBEcon Important? GeneBEcon is key to shaping sustainable agriculture in Europe:
1. Informed Decisions: The project provides scientific, legal, economic and societal insights to policymakers, guiding new NGT regulations.
2. Healthier Crops: GeneBEcon is developing disease-resistant potatoes, reducing pesticide use and promoting sustainable farming.
3. Cleaner Food Production: By improving potato starch, the project will eliminate harmful chemicals in food processing.
4. Blue Economy Breakthroughs: GeneBEcon explores using microalgae to create valuable products for industries like cosmetics.
5. Environmental Stewardship: The project promotes microalgae as a sustainable protein source, reducing reliance on traditional feed while conserving resources.
6. Smart Regulations: GeneBEcon evaluates regulatory options to ensure NGTs are safe and compliant, paving the way for market entry.
7. Economic Impact: An economic analysis demonstrates the impact of different regulatory options for NGT products.
8. Building Trust: By understanding public and business stakeholder opinion, GeneBEcon ensures its innovations meet societal needs and gain acceptance

How Will GeneBEcon Achieve Its Goals? GeneBEcon’s comprehensive approach includes:
1. Precision Genetics: Using CRISPR/Cas, the project makes precise genetic changes to develop disease-resistant crops of high quality.
2. Real-World Testing: GeneBEcon tests its innovations in real-life settings, ensuring they work in agriculture and industry.
3. Knowledge Sharing: The project creates a Gene Editing Toolbox to share with scientists and developers.
4. Navigating Regulations: GeneBEcon works with policymakers to ensure legal compliance.
5. Public Engagement: A survey of 5,000 people across five countries enables the project to take public opinion into account.
6. Mapping Success: A holistic system mapping approach identifies potential roadblocks in bringing new technologies to market.
7. Responsible Innovation: GeneBEcon’s commitment to ethical and socially responsible research builds trust and ensures its work benefits society, including an NGT action plan.
The Future: GeneBEcon is laying the groundwork for a sustainable, efficient, and socially responsible bioeconomy in Europe, combining scientific innovation with environmental stewardship.

Lavoro eseguito dall’inizio del progetto fino alla fine del periodo coperto dalla relazione e principali risultati finora ottenuti

In WP1, GeneBEcon explores EU regulatory options for NGT-derived plants, detailed in a peer-reviewed article (Purnhagen et al., 2023), covering safety, adoption, and socio-economic impacts. Stakeholder engagement through Systems Mapping (SMA) and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) workshops is vital for understanding different perspectives. These efforts, combined with cross-project research, enhance safety data and economic analysis, leading to a decision-tree model for regulatory approvals. A real option model assesses how R&D, approval, and market phases affect breeding companies' investment decisions, and the "NGT Policy Directions" report is publicly available for policymakers.
In WP2, GeneBEcon develops a user-friendly gene editing toolbox, focusing on CRISPR/Cas applications in potato and microalgae. Research includes prime editing and homology-directed repair (HDR), with progress in plasmid and ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex transfections to improve editing efficiency, PVY resistance, and starch quality in potato. For microalgae, advancements in screening, transfection methods, and high-value compound production are supported by bioinformatics tools to identify target genes.
In WP3, GeneBEcon applies research from WP2 to commercial potato varieties, implementing transgene-free virus resistance and improved starch quality. Greenhouse-grown potato lines with enhanced starch were harvested in Sweden, with field planting planned for 2024. The project also phenotypes potatoes for PVY resistance. For microalgae, a biosafety lab supports upscaled cultivation, and the project actively extracts high-value compounds. Trials using residual biomass as chicken feed have concluded, with ongoing meat quality assessments.

Progressi oltre lo stato dell’arte e potenziale impatto previsto (incluso l’impatto socioeconomico e le implicazioni sociali più ampie del progetto fino ad ora)

SMA and RRI:
GeneBEcon integrates stakeholder views using Systems Mapping (SMA) and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) to create an NGT Transition Action Plan for widespread adoption. This plan, refined by ongoing feedback, will be finalized in the project's second half. To our knowledge, it is the first time SMA and RRI are combined for this purpose.
Regulatory Innovation and Welfare:
GeneBEcon examines six NGT regulatory options, analyzing risk, economic impact, and cost-benefit, to inform potential EU regulatory reforms.
CRISPR/Cas Refinement:
GeneBEcon improves the CRISPR/Cas system, focusing on prime editing and HDR to enhance accuracy and effectiveness within existing pipelines.
Gene Editing Toolbox:
GeneBEcon partners are developing protocols and vectors for a publicly available gene editing toolbox, facilitating prime editing and HDR advancements across species in the research community.
Microalgae Gene Editing:
Though still emerging, GeneBEcon is validating gene editing in microalgae, preparing for upscaling and broader applications.
Metabolic Engineering of Microalgae:
GeneBEcon explores metabolic engineering to boost microalgae production of high-value compounds, aiming for safe and profitable applications in sectors like cosmetics and industry.