VIB and North Carolina University share agro-tech expertise

VIB and NC State have agreed to exchange researchers, start collaborative projects  and set up new companies together. The partners will put a special focus on plant breeding, the influence of soil ecology on plants, synthetic biology, precision agriculture and field phenotyping, which involves measuring yield potential, tolerance to drought and nutrient efficiency.

“VIB and NC State have complementary expertise,” said Dirk Inzé, head of the plant systems biology department at VIB’s branch at Ghent University. “By working together, we will create significant synergy, not only at an academic level but also in the translation of results towards biotechnological innovations in agriculture.”

According to Steve Lommel, associate dean of NC State’s agriculture and life sciences faculty, VIB has an excellent model for launching start-up companies based on scientific discoveries, “while we have a strong model for taking basic research and applying it to agricultural problems,” he said. “So we see this as a win-win relationship, one that will benefit both VIB and NC State – as well as the agriculture and agro-tech industries.”

Photo courtesy Ingimage