CPSBB became a member of EU-SAGE

 

CPSBB became a member of EU-SAGE – a network representing scientists from 155 European plant science institutes and societies that have joined forces to provide information about genome editing. The consortium aims at promoting the development of European and EU member state policies to enable the use of genome editing for sustainable agriculture and food production.

“This initiative is important for changing the public opinion and current European policies regarding the use of plant genome editing technologies. It is crucial to inform the society and politicians about the advantages of these technologies. Genome editing will naturally enhance crops’ protection against adverse conditions and pests, and improve their qualities. It will also contribute significantly to preserving the diversity of harmless insects affected by current crop protection technologies”, says Prof. Dr. Tsanko Gechev, Director of CPSBB.

Genome editing (a.k.a. Gene editing) is a group of CRISPR/Cas technologies that allow scientists to change the organism’s DNA. These technologies add, remove, or alter particular genome parts according to certain criteria.The building has 6 research laboratories and 8 air-conditioned rooms equipped with the cutting-edge technologies, as well as two greenhouses with a total area of ​​4,000 sq.m. Each greenhouse consists of 12 sections with individual air conditioning. The administrative corpus of the building includes offices, an amphitheater conference hall with 300 seats and four classrooms with 80 seats each. During the short period since its foundation, the CPSBB has already established itself as a leading institute of plant sciences, with high scientific productivity and international visibility. Currently, the Center partners with Bulgarian and international organizations for project activities and services in the field of plant biotechnology, bioinformatics and metabolomics.