Kinneret Shefer PhD, GeneNeer’s CEO and Cofounder, with Nitsan Lugassi PhD, Head of R&D (right), and Shoval Nitsani, Researcher (left), in the greenhouse with multiple varieties of potato plants at various stages of development. (company pic)
GeneNeer Ltd., an Israeli biotech startup that is engaged in the enhancement of crops, raised $1 million in a Seed funding round to support the acceleration of its technology for rapid crop seed innovation. The funds will be used to expand the company’s research and development into its methods for enhancing gene editing and gene discovery and, as its founder boasts, will someday be as big as biotechnology giants like Pfizer.
How will this happen? Well, GeneNeer develops what are known as genetically modified organisms (GMO). These can be new strains of seeds for all manner of crops that could produce more with less effort and less water. They could also lead to much bigger fruits and vegetables, etc., so that the same field could feed many more people than it does today.
The FDA defines a GMO as a plant, animal, or microorganism that has had its genetic material (DNA) changed using technology that generally involves the specific modification of DNA, including the transfer of specific DNA from one organism to another. Scientists often refer to this process as genetic engineering.
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And the FDA says GMO foods are as healthful and safe to eat as their non-GMO counterparts. Some GMO plants have actually been modified to improve their nutritional value. An example is GMO soybeans with healthier oils that can be used to replace oils that contain trans fats. Since GMO foods were introduced in the 1990s and research has shown that they are just as safe as non-GMO foods.
But not everyone is so sure about that.
Some people worry that GMOs could be harmful to human health. For example, there is concern that genes from GMOs could transfer to other organisms, including bacteria, and create new antibiotic-resistant pathogens. There is also concern that GMOs could produce allergens or toxins that were not present in the original organism. However, there is no scientific evidence to support these claims. The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, and the National Academy of Sciences have all concluded that GMOs are safe to eat.
There are also some environmental concerns. For example, there is concern that GMOs could spread to wild plants and create new weeds that are resistant to herbicides. There is also concern that GMOs could harm beneficial insects, such as bees. However, there is no scientific evidence to support these claims. A 2014 study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that GMOs have not had a negative impact on the environment.
Founded in 2016, GeneNeer has high ambitions as it aims to become the world’s leading company for resilient crop seed innovation, with the “safest, fastest response to crop loss caused by rapid climate change.” Using its gene-editing technology, based on Superlines and tissue-specific silencing capabilities, the company boasts that it will provide eco-friendly plant protection against pests, viruses and other biotic stresses that threaten global food security.
“Because climate change is having an impact on agriculture worldwide – but uniquely in each region and for each crop – I believe there is a tremendous advantage to developing a solution that facilitates rapid crop seed development,” explained Dr. Kinneret Shefer, CEO and Co-founder of GeneNeer.
“I want GeneNeer to be the “Pfizer” of crop seed innovation. When a new virus or pest emerges that impacts crops, I want GeneNeer to be the solution everyone turns to for the development of a more resilient crop seed, ensuring healthy growth and prosperity, to prevent the spread of viruses, fungi, and pests that will reduce crop yield over several years.”
