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Expert in Agricultural Biotechnology, Genetically Modified Crops, GM Food, Biosafety
Available for your Consulting and Expert Witness Needs
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Summary of Expertise:
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Listed with other top experts in: |
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Expert, Professor in Plant Molecular Genetics and the Director of Center for Plant Biotechnology Research at Tuskegee University, oversees the research on food crops of importance to developing countries and training of scientists and students in plant biotechnology. Expert has also been actively involved in enhancing the societal awareness of food biotechnology issues around the world. His Internet website AgBioWorld has become an important portal disseminating information and promoting discussion on this subject among stakeholders such as scientists, policy makers, activists and journalists. He has earlier served on the USDA's Agricultural Biotechnology Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee for the Department of Biotechnology for the government of India. His outreach activities include writing commentaries, delivering public lectures, providing media interviews, and moderating daily Internet discussion group and newsletter "AgBioView" which is read by more than 5000 experts in 65 countries. The AgBioView is widely recognized as a premier news outlet on agbiotech issues because of its broad focus on technical, societal and ethical issues. Expert, through his efforts has been successful in impacting decision makers, the media and consumers in creating awareness of agbiotech issues especially on technology development and biosafety issues. He been instrumental in catalyzing the scientific community in many countries to be more proactive in the biotechnology debate. Expert has actively worked to promote biotechnology research and policy in developing countries of Asia and Africa through training of students and scholars, research collaboration and lectures. Expert's contribution to agricultural biotechnology outreach was recognized by the magazine Progressive Farmer who awarded him the "Man of the Year" award "in service to Alabama Agriculture". He was also named as one of a dozen "pioneers, visionaries and innovators behind the progress and promise of plant biotechnology" by the Council for Biotechnology Information. He was chosen by his peers as among the "100 Top Living Contributors to Biotechnology" (October 2005) while the prestigious 'Nature' magazine readers' short listed him for "Who's who in biotech some of biotech's most remarkable and influential personalities from the past 10 years" (March 2006) Expert has a bachelor's degree in agriculture and a masters in genetics from India, and obtained his Ph.D. in forestry/genetics from the Australian National University, Canberra. His research interests include studies on transgenic plants, gene expression, tissue culture and plant genomics. Expert's group at TU has led the development of transgenic sweetpotato plants, identification of DNA markers in peanut and the development of a genetic map of cultivated peanut. Recently they enhanced the protein content of crops through genetic modification. He has received funding for his research from the United States Department of Agriculture, National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Agency for International Development and UNESCO. Recently, he served as the principal investigator of a USAID funded project to promote biotechnology awareness in Africa and improve the biosafety infrastructure in this region. He has more than fifty scientific publications in refereed journals and has presented more than 100 papers. He teaches two courses in plant biotechnology at TU. Expert is the founder of AgBioWorld Foundation that aims to provide science-based information on agbiotech issues to various stakeholders across the world. Its website http://www.agbioworld.org has received endorsements from over 3500 scientists from across the world.
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Show Secondary and Basic Areas of Expertise | Localities:
Expert may consult nationally and internationally, and is also local to the following cities: Atlanta, Georgia;
Columbus, Georgia;
Birmingham, Alabama;
Montgomery, Alabama;
and Dothan, Alabama.
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Degree |
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Subject |
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Institution |
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1986
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Ph.D.
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Genetics, Forestry
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Australian National University, Canberra
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1979
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M.S
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Genetics
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
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1977
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B.S.
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Agriculture
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
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| Years |
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Department |
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Title |
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Responsibilities |
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1989 to 2009
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Tuskegee University
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College of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Sciences
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Professor
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Primary responsibilities included research and teaching in plant molecular and cellular genetics; Developed a state-of-the-art molecular genetics lab primarily with external grant support. Have served as a principal investigator for competitively funded research on molecular genetic research on sweetpotato and peanut (AID, NSF, USDA, DOD and NASA). Research focus on development of transgenic plants for improved productivity and plant genomics. Developed and teaching two new courses in plant biotechnology, and also teaching a course in plant biology. Providing training to scientists from developing countries, minority undergraduates and high school students in genetic engineering and plant tissue culture. Commentator on agricultural biotechnology research and issues through newsletters and Internet.
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1986 to 1989
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University of Kentucky
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Department of Forestry
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Conducted research on the molecular and classical genetics of leaf rust disease in poplars with Dr. Bart Thielges. Co-PI for 2 research projects (USDA). Received training in molecular genetic techniques.
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Associations/Societies
International Society for Plant Molecular Biology, American Phytopathology Society, International Society for Environmental Biotechnology, American Society of Plant Physiologists, Sweetpotato Collaborators Group, American Association for Advancement of Science, Sigma Chi, American Society for Horticultural Science, Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, American Peanut Research and Education Society, Society for Applied Learning Technology, Association for Advancement of Computing in Education, Student Pugwash and Toastmasters International.
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Professional Appointments
Expert serves on the scientific advisory board of American Council on Science and Health (NY), BioScience Policy Institute (New Zealand), Norman Bolaug Institute of Plant Sciences (UK), Institute for Trade, Standards and Sustainable Development, Lifeboat Foundation, Policy Network (UK) and Life Science Foundation India. He also serves on the editorial board of the journal "GM Crops", AgBiotechNet, AgBioForum the Journal of New Seeds, Indian Journal of Biotechnology, Food Biotechnology, Journal of Biotech Research, and the Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology.
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Awards/Recognition
Expert's contribution to agricultural biotechnology outreach was recognized by the magazine Progressive Farmer who awarded him the "Man of the Year" award "in service to Alabama Agriculture". He was also named as one of a dozen "pioneers, visionaries and innovators behind the progress and promise of plant biotechnology" by the Council for Biotechnology Information. He was chosen by his peers as among the "100 Top Living Contributors to Biotechnology" (October 2005) while the prestigious 'Nature' magazine readers' short listed him for "Who's who in biotech some of biotech's most remarkable and influential personalities from the past 10 years" (March 2006)
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| Publications: |
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Publications and Patents Summary
Has authored more than 100 scientific publications and has made hundreds of scientific presentations
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Click the green button above to contact
Expert for a free initial screening call regarding your expert consulting needs.
Expert is available for consulting to corporate, legal and government clients.
Remember, your initial screening call to speak with
Expert is free.
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Expert Witness Experience Summary:
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Expert witness of genetically modified rice contamination case
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Click the green button above to contact
Expert for a free initial screening call regarding expert testimony,
litigation consulting and support, forensic services, or any related expert witness services.
A few litigation needs include product liability, personal injury, economic loss, intellectual property
(patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright), and insurance matters. Remember, your initial screening
call to speak with
Expert is free.
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I have some knowledge of industry insights into ag biotech products.
Click the green button above to contact
Expert for a free initial screening call regarding your marketing research, industry research, and company
research needs. For research needs involving multiple experts or secondary research,
a Research Director can be assigned to coordinate the work into a custom report for you as a potentially quicker
and more cost effective alternative to doing this work yourself or hiring a boutique consultancy.
Remember, your initial screening call to speak with
Expert is free.
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| Additional Skills and Services: |
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Training/Seminars
I have conducted dozens of seminars and courses in agricultural biotechnology, biosafety testing of GM crops, and public communication and outreach on agbiotech issues. I have delivered seminars at hundreds of institutions across the globe on various issues related to genetically modified crops.
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Other Skills and Services
Enhancing societal understanding of biotechnology. Excellent public speaker.
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Education
