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Public science for private interests: How MU agricultural research cultivates profits for industry

  • 11 min to read
MU Research Professor Zhanyuan Zhang looks at grain sorghum cultures through a microscope

Zhanyuan Zhang, an MU professor of plant sciences, looks at grain sorghum cultures through a microscope on Dec. 4, 2018, at the Sears Plant Growth Facility. Zhang is working with non-regenerable sorghum to make it regenerable so it can grow to full maturity. His lab often collaborates with agricultural companies to help with research on their products.

In 2006, Zhanyuan Zhang, an MU professor of plant sciences, was approached by Dow AgroSciences. The industry giant came bearing pieces of DNA and a problem for Zhang to solve.

Industrial agriculture faced a new wave of herbicide-resistant weeds in fields worldwide, which threatened to make Roundup — the most popular weedkiller among farmers — useless. Dow wanted to create a new strain of soybeans that could tolerate a different herbicide. Because Zhang is an expert in transforming plant genetics, the company tapped him to help.

Life science building photo illustration

A photo illustration of the Life Science Incubator at Monsanto Place

  • Assistant city editor for the Missourian. I've also reported on city government, health, and public safety. Email me at tynanstewart@mail.missouri.edu. I welcome feedback, questions, and news tips.