ViPS Invited Seminar April 2022

Wendy Harwood, John Innes Centre, UK

Date: 13th April 2022

Time: 13:00

Title: Expanding the Crop Genome Editing Toolbox

Location: Lecture room 1088, Viikki Info Centre, Viikinkaari 1 and remotely via Zoom

Host: Alan Schulman

Abstract: Crop genome editing tools are enabling faster research progress in many fields as well as providing opportunities for speeding up development of improved crop varieties. In many cases, successful genome editing requires efficient crop transformation to deliver editing components. I will describe one approach to obtaining high transformation efficiencies and overcoming the genotype dependence of crop transformation systems. I will then focus on ways to boost editing efficiencies in crops, therefore expanding the genome editing toolbox to allow a wider range of editing outcomes. Finally I will touch on the challenges of developing appropriate regulation for this rapidly developing technology.

Wendy’s group works on the genetic modification and genome editing of crop plants, with a focus on developing new and improved technologies for use in crop species. Her group makes extensive use of CRISPR/Cas9 based genome editing techniques in a range of crops including the cereals, wheat and barley, as well as Brassica crops.

 Read more about Wendy's work

Related publications:

Lawrenson Tom, Hinchliffe Alison, Clarke Martha, Morgan Yvie, Harwood Wendy. (2021) In-planta Gene Targeting in Barley Using Cas9 With and Without Geminiviral Replicons. Frontiers in Genome Editing, 3:14. DOI=10.3389/fgeed.2021.663380

Smedley, M. A., Hayta, S., Clarke, M., & Harwood, W. A. (2021). CRISPR-Cas9 based genome editing in wheat. Current Protocols, e65. doi: 10.1002/cpz1.65

Van der Meer P, Angenon G, Bergmans H, Buhk H J, Callebaut S, Chamon M, Eriksson D, Gheysen G, Harwood W, Hundleby P, Kearns P, McLoughlin T, Zimny T (2020) The status under EU Law of Organisms developed through novel genomic techniques. European Journal of Risk Regulation, doi:10.1017/err.2020.105



Lawrenson T, Shorinola O, Stacey N, Liu C, Østergaard L, Patron N, Uauy C, Harwood, W. (2015) Induction of targeted, heritable mutations in barley and Brassica oleracea using RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease.  Genome Biology 16: 258.