Bioengineering Research For Agriculture

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Bioengineering ResearchFor Agriculture

• American Institute for Medical and Biological
  Engineering (AIMBE) Council of SocietiesSecond
  Annual Federal Symposium Diversifying the
  Portfolio Medical and Biological Engineering
  Across the Federal GovernmentSeptember 10, 2007

Dr. Edward B. Knipling Administrator Agricultural
Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Agricultural Research ServiceProfile

• 1.1 billion annual budget
• Partnerships with universities, industry, and
  other agencies
• International collaboration
• Stakeholder driven priority process

• Scientific research arm of USDA
• Farm-to-table research scope
• Information and technology transfer
• 100 lab locations
• 2,500 scientists

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ARS Programs

• Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural
  Systems
• Crop Production and Protection
• Animal Production and Protection
• Nutrition Food Safety/Quality

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Examples of ARS Bioengineering Research

• Genomics
• Transgenic Plants
• Animal Biotechnology
• Food Safety
• Human Nutrition
• Bioenergy and Biobased Products

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Genomics

• Crops, livestock, microbes, and insect species
• Sequencing
• Bioinformatics
• Gene Expression, Functionality, Proteomics
• Diagnostic Tests
• Traceability
• Transgenics

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Transgenic Plants

• Papaya resistant to ringspot virus
• HoneySweet Plum resistant to plum pox virus
• Allergen-free soybeans
• Acid Soil Tolerant Sorghum

HoneySweet a genetically-engineered plum
resistant to Plum Pox virus
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Animal Biotechnology

• Reproduction Technologies
• In-vitro fertilization
• Sex selection
• Cloning
• Transgenics
• Pharmaceutical production
• Experimental test animals
• Vaccine Development
• Avian Influenza
• Foot and Mouth Disease
• Genomic Marker-Assisted Breeding and Selection

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Food Safety

• Pathogen Genomics
• Diagnostic Tests
• Sensor Detectors
• Pathogen Prevention and Reduction Technologies
• Genetic resistance
• Biological interventions
• Physical science applications

Fluorescent green Campylobacter cells on chicken
skin
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Human Nutrition

• Diet/Health relationships
• Functional foods
• Phytonutrients
• Antioxidants
• Human genome/genetics linkage

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Bioenergy

• Biomass Sources
• Conversion Technologies Bioprocessing
• Life Cycle Production Systems

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Biobased Products

• Non-food Products from Agricultural Commodities
• Industrial Feed Stocks
• Absorbents, adhesives, biopolymers, lubricants
• Structural Composites
• Bioenergy Co-products
• New Crops
• Guayule (natural latex rubber)

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Leading America towards a better future through
agricultural research and information.