Aleksandra Małyska

The Role of Public Opinion in Shaping Trajectories of Agricultural Biotechnology

Science and technology are not autonomous entities and research trajectories are largely influenced by public opinion. The role of political decisions becomes especially evident in light of rapidly developing new breeding techniques (NBTs) and other genome editing methods for crop improvement. Decisions on how those new techniques should be regulated may not be based entirely on scientific rationale, and even if it is decided that crops produced by NBTs do not fall under the umbrella of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their commercialization is by no means certain at this time. If and when adopted regulations do not comply with the publics perception of risks, policy makers will find themselves under pressure to ban or restrict the use of the respective products.

Social and legal determinants for the marketing of GM products in Poland

The development of biotechnology is influenced by many factors unique for a specific region. In Poland the lack of legislative solutions (to facilitate the promotion of the inventions) and the public resistance against certain sectors of biotechnology are significant factors limiting any further development. Although, science and technology are the front runners in any innovation, the significance of social and legal aspects is difficult to overestimate. In our opinion those factors are interconnected and crucial for marketing of innovative products, therefore, we indicate and explain the most important issues restraining the implementation of innovative biotechnology in the context of national specificity in Poland.

Plant breeding as the cornerstone of a sustainable bioeconomy

A prime driver for a bioeconomy is the need to ensure the availability of sufficient biomass feedstock for food, feed, energy and industrial uses. This demand must be properly managed in the face of several challenges, including environmental changes and abrupt climate shifts. Plant breeding and breeding innovation is the cornerstone for sustainable supply of biomass. Not only does research and development in this sector aim at providing high yielding crops in order to maximize production, but R&D in this field will also allow to obtain highly specialized plant varieties with new or improved traits that fit to specific applications. At the same time, there is little awareness among the general public of the fact that state-of-the-art R&D is a prerequisite for the production of sufficient biomass of the right quality in a sustainable manner. Plant breeders in the EU have to grapple with a rather challenging policy and regulatory framework. An important way forward to overcome the existing impasse would be to ensure transparent and trustworthy communication with the general public.

Communicating Biotech Advances: Fiction versus Reality

Bioscience novels use selected technologies of genetic engineering and synthetic biology to create entertaining stories. These novels are usually based on scientific knowledge, but they may arouse public concerns about technology and drive public reluctance to accept innovative technologies. The scientific community must adopt more efficient communication and transparency.