THE
Volume 11, Issue 1 Winter 2009
Gates Foundation Awards $5.4 million
for Danfor th Center’s International
Programs
The Danforth Center recently received
$5.4 million from the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation as part of the Grand
Challenges in Global Health initiative.
Funds will be used to create and manage
the BioSafety Resource Network (BRN)
which will assist four project teams
conducting research under the Gates’
Grand Challenges #9 Project (GC9).
The GC9 supports research to improve
essential nutrients in four staple crops
for the developing world: cassava,
banana, sorghum and rice. Results of this
(left to right) Paul Anderson, Martin
research will help to reduce the burden
Fregene, Jeff Stein, Ann Kruse, Hector
Quemada, Mark Halsey and Bill Doley.
of malnutrition and the current grant will
support the creation and management of
a resource network that will help African scientists safely incorporate
biotech advances into subsistence farming.
Dr. Paul Anderson, the Danforth Center’s executive director of the Office
of International Programs, will manage the network to ensure that
products modified in labs are safe for environmental use and human PAGE 2
consumption. Dr. Hector Quemada will serve as the project director for
Letter from our
the biosafety network, and Dr. Mark Halsey will act as assistant director.
Other members of the International Programs office include Dr. Martin
Chairman
Fregene, Dr. Jeff Stein, Dr. Bill Doley and Ms. Ann Kruse.
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Center Waterfall
Danforth Center SCientiStS aGain SeCure GrantS
Named in Honor of
from the miSSouri Life SCienCeS reSearCh BoarD
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center received two grants totaling
Schnuck Family
$1.5 million from the Missouri Life Sciences Research Board as part of a
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package of $13.1 million in research and commercialization grants that
were awarded throughout the state.
Research Advances
The first grant will support a project in
PAGE 6, 7 and 8
collaboration with the University of Missouri
Delta Center in Portageville, Missouri to develop
International Programs
Camelina sativa as a nonfood crop that could
be used to produce value-added biotechnology
products. There is a large and growing market for
low cost industrial proteins, including enzymes;
if successful, this research can provide new
opportunities for Missouri farmers and producers.
The Leaflet is a quarterly
The research will be conducted by Drs. Eliot
publication for partners,
Herman, Monica Schmidt, and Roger Beachy of
friends, and supporters of
the Danforth Center and Dr. Gene Stevens of the
the Donald Danforth Plant
University of Missouri Delta Center.
Science Center.
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