News Release
06-26-08
Contacts:
Stephen Howell, Plant Sciences Institute, (515) 294-5252,
Meg Gordon, Plant Sciences Institute Communications, (515) 294-3945,
Dan Kuester, News Service, (515) 294-0704,
The Plant Sciences Institute at Iowa State Welcomes New Board Member
AMES, Iowa - The Plant Sciences Institute welcomes Michael Lassner, vice president for Trait Discovery Technologies at Pioneer Hi-Bred, International, a DuPont business, to its board.
Lassner joins a distinguished group of university and corporate advisors who help shape and direct institute goals.
Lassner's expertise in biotechnology will be a real asset in helping to guide the institute,'' says Stephen Howell, director of the Plant Sciences Institute. He brings a global and industry perspective to the board that dovetails well with the institute's focus on improving Iowa agriculture and the success of Iowa's farmers.''
A commitment to help global and local agriculture meet the ever escalating demands for food, feed and fuel by advancing innovative plant breeding is central to the institute's efforts as well as to Pioneer for providing farmers with the proper tools for maximum productivity.
In his role at Pioneer, Lassner is responsible for biotechnology and genetic discovery research. Insect control, weed control, improved disease tolerance, improved agronomic performance and improved grain quality are central to trait discovery efforts at Pioneer.
"I look forward to putting my experience in discovering and developing biotechnology traits to work helping the Plant Sciences Institute refine its strategy to benefit Iowa agriculture," Lassner says.
An alumnus of the University of California, Davis, Lassner started his corporate research career at Calgene, Inc. in Davis, California working to modify oil traits for canola and initiating a nutrition-oriented genomics program. Before joining Pioneer in 2004, Lassner was a research vice president and part of the management team of two other California-based biotechnology start-ups, Verdia and Maxygen.
The Plant Sciences Institute is committed to enhancing the value of Iowa crops by enabling fundamental scientific research in plant sciences that lead to biotechnological improvement to crop quality and productivity.
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