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11-22-00) IMMEDIATE RELEASE News Service Contact: Laurie Gengenbach, 336-334-5371
UNCG Professor To Testify In New Zealand On Risks And Benefits Of Genetically Modified Food Crops
GREENSBORO — Dr. Neal Stewart, associate professor of biology at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, will
present testimony to the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification Nov. 29-30 in Wellington, New Zealand. Dr. Neal
Stewart
Stewart will discuss the potential ecological consequences of the release of genetically modified (GM) plants into the
environment, with consideration to concerns over pollen drift of GM crop pollen, gene flow to weeds, and side-effects of
pesticidal genes in plants.
The government of New Zealand will determine the future of genetic modification and use of genetically modified
organisms and products in New Zealand based on the recommendation of the commission. The New Zealand Life Sciences
Network, an organization of scientists, invited Stewart to present his ideas on the risks and benefits of genetic
modifications. The commission was appointed to address the advantages and disadvantages, benefits and risks, cultural
and ethical considerations, legal obligations and economic considerations surrounding the use of genetic modification in
New Zealand. The hearings, which started in August, will conclude in June with a report to the government on what role,
if any, GM plants will play in New Zealand agriculture.
A top authority on plant biotechnology, Stewart is frequently asked to speak at academic and government conferences
throughout the world. His research on genetically modified plants has been funded from a variety of sources, including
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, NASA, and Dow AgroSciences. The U.S. Congress
recently appropriated $500,000 for Stewart to study applications of biotechnology to combat bioterrorist attacks on
public water supplies.
He is investigating a variety of other uses for genetically modified plants as sensors to detect landmines, toxic
aluminum in soil, or the occurrence of pollen drift from GM crops to native species.
Stewart's research has been published in numerous journals, including Nature Biotechnology. His most recent article,
"Transgenic Plants and Biosafety: Science, Misconceptions and Public Perceptions," was published in the October edition
of BioTechniques journal.
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