IRRI launches Bio-Innovation Center with new Bioseed research partnership

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Design in Design Innovation | 0 Comments

During a virtual launch on June 3, 2021, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) introduced its latest model for collaborative agricultural research through its new Bio-Innovation Center (BIC) initiative, and announced that its inaugural research program will be with the hybrid seed company Bioseed , a subsidiary of Indian conglomerate DCM Shriram .

Global food and nutrition security face many challenges, especially for regions in the developing world. This includes rapidly growing populations, scarcity and competition for natural resources, and the detrimental effects of climate change on agriculture. Key research, development, and innovation need to be accelerated so that we can make our food systems more productive, efficient, resilient, and sustainable.

The Bio-Innovation Center is a new initiative by IRRI that brings together people, expertise, and resources to develop solutions for our most pressing global challenges. BIC is a membership-based program that enables private and public sector partners around the world to leverage IRRI’s world-class research infrastructure, scientific expertise, and other resources for the development and scaling up of their research products and innovations.

“The Bio-Innovation Center offers research partnerships, service partnerships, and resource sharing partnerships with public, private, and research institutes,” said Dr. Gururaj Kulkarni, the Director of BIC as well as the IRRI Global Head of Research Infrastructure and Regulatory Compliance. “Through BIC, our members can develop their own sui generis research programs that will be supported by IRRI’s extensive capital resources. This can include mentorship and training of their people by IRRI scientists, use of IRRI equipment and facilities like labs and fields, and access to an array of business and technical support services that can stimulate entrepreneurial and commercial development.

With this initiative, BIC can accelerate Research 4 Development for our…