Researchers of genetically modified crops (GMO) talk about "Why do you believe the possibility of GMO but quit research?"

byMilan Popovic

Over the past 4 years at Zurich Technical UniversityGenetically modified crops(GMO) was conductedDevang MehtaHe said he decided to leave the GMO study. Mehta who thinks GMO research is necessary to solve the food problem is spelling on why he decided to leave the GMO study and the current situation of GMO research.

Why I 'm quitting GMO research
https://massivesci.com/articles/gmo-gm-plants-safe/

Mehta says, "Doing GMO research trying to make plants resistant to viruses means dealing with negative reactions that people come across." This negative reaction ranges from what is included in everyday conversation to Twitter troll, but in some cases it may be considered that research may be crushed by protestors.

Mehta first encountered intense anti-GMO activities at a panel discussion of GMOs and patent plants carried out by colleagues. The protesters cried out that the responsibility of American children's autism is in the GMO, disturbing the panel, and the panelists said, "There is no causal relationship between autism and GMO, Even though it explains that it is safe to eat, it seems he did not have ears to believe strongly about the conspiracy theory. Regarding this incident, Mr. Mehta wrote that "Researchers were expressing how useful it is to try scientific communication."

As far as GMOs and vaccines are concerned, such events are occurring frequently all over the world both at the individual level and in social media, and it is said that "no matter what you make your choice," your research hurts people " It is painful to me and I feel unfair, "Mehta says. Mehta's friend is doing research on skin diseases, but this friend received a question "Are you planning to take a patent on your research?" Or accused of Big-Ag (agricultural capitalism) It is said that Mehta feels "unfair" because it is not done.

byEaters Collective

Also, it is cited as a problem that many scientists in different fields ignore GMOs or treat them as "no problem even if they do not exist". GMO is considered to be "a valuable tool to eradicate safe and global starvation" to several European institutions and scientific associations, but the probability of obtaining GMO research public funds is said to be very low .

What happened with GMO being regarded as "evil one" is "change of label".CisgenicUnlike Transgenic (gene transfer), which inserts different genetic species, it refers to inserting genes of plants of the same or related species, but it is still in the process of engineering genes. Also,Genetic editing technology "CRISPR", Scientists are also trying to push products made by CRISPR as "non-GMOs".

Anti-GMO activities have forced GMO research into a dangerous position in the past decades. Mr. Mehta belongs to the Zurich Polytechnic Institute in the past that can solve vitamin A deficiency in developing countriesGolden riceIt is the place where was created. Scientist Ingo Potrykus started his research in 1991 and succeeded in manufacturing Golden Rice in 1999. Potrykus decorated the cover of the magazine "Time" as it was "a great achievement" at the time. However, as of 2018 when about 20 years passed since the birth of golden rice, despite passing the safety test many times, Golden rice has not reached the children who need it most. Here, "Anti-GMO activists in wealthy countries" and "North-South problemMehta also points out that there is a big gap between farmers and consumers who need science by "

byIRRI Photos

Mr. Potrykus who retired at the age of announcing the Golden rice announced "Autobiography as a" successful "GMO researcher" when becoming 81 years old. Among them, Mr. Potrykus drew a state that the excitement when golden rice was created gradually turned into a story of "a series of disappointment". Negative publications are issued by anti-GMO activists, regulations make it impossible to apply technology to rice used by Asian farmers, and you will not be able to fund the experiment ... ... that the story of Golden rice was disappointing Says. Meanwhile, Golden Rice's research has become a catalyst for European scientists to study GMO grains that are not for commercial purposes.

However, Mr. Potrykus says, "If I knew that there was such a pursuit, I would not have started the study," Mehta says that autobiography is a remark to young scientists. Petrykus says "Hopefully, I will reach the people who need Golden Rice while I live."

byJoshua Newton

Mehta, who spent four and a half years in GMO research, was meaningful that he was able to go to Africa and teach students biological techniques of "dreaming" and to contribute to food safety I am doing. While feeling pleasure in moving to a field that is viewed critically by the world or a field that is not suspected of suspicion, he is feeling guilty about leaving the GMO study and GMO technology is a human food It is said that it may come back to this field again when it is admitted to be suitable.