Christopher Barbey
PhD Student, Plant Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology
Expert Bio
Chris Barbey is a PhD Student in plant molecular genetics and cell biology at the University of Florida. His research focuses on discovering and characterizing unknown genes in Strawberry, particularly those with a high potential to be involved in fruit quality. After completing his bachelor of science degree from Boise State University in 2010, Chris worked for three years at a plant biology laboratory in Idaho, where he worked on developing a healthier and higher-yielding potato using GE technology.
Studies, Articles and Answers
Showing 9 out of 9 results
Question
A: As a younger scientist studying plant genetics, I get your question a lot when talking to my friends. I’m often surprised that people seem unaware of the huge amount of government oversight there is on the GMO industry, and that companies are required to reveal all of their data for public review as part of the deregulation process. In other words, it is illegal to sell (or even transport) any genetically modified organism without demonstrating a huge amount of safety information to the government and to the public. This process is rigorous, and it typically takes several years for a co [...]
GMO Basics How GMOs Are MadeQuestion
Q: why are gmos so contraversial?
A: The basis of the debate is a concern from some areas of the public that GMOs are harmful to the body or to the environment. However, the broad consensus among scientists is that this is not the case [1, 2, 3]. The specific complaints raised against GMOs are numerous and varied, and new ones are invented all the time. This Popular Science article does an excellent job of evaluating the merits of the more common anti-GMO claims out there; I highly encourage you to read it. I think of the current GMO controversy as equivalent to other current scientific controversies (evolution, climate [...]
OtherQuestion
A: The answer to both is yes, and how this is typically accomplished is an interesting scientific and political intersection that reveals the failings of the “traditional” breeding vs. GM paradigm. A prominent example of breeding for herbicide tolerance is the “Clearfield” brand of plants, developed by the company BASF. These plants are insensitive to herbicidal inhibitors of the plant enzyme ALS1. Insensitivity to ALS inhibitors has naturally evolved several independent times in plants, always due to various mutations within ALS gene2. To introduce tole [...]
How GMOs Are Made OtherQuestion
A: Hello Jonah! Your question is a good one. Everyone should have an understanding of what genetically modified organisms are all about and how they are impacting us. Firstly, it’s important to know that genetic modification is just a technique for adding or subtracting a specific gene. This is different from traditional methods, which randomly affect tens of thousands of genes at a time. There’s a big list of organisms we can modify, and a growing list of useful genes. So GMOs are actually many different things, including bacteria that produce medicine and crops wh [...]
GMOs Globally Modern AgricultureQuestion
Q: What are some of the DNA strings that scientists put in GMOs?
A: Hello, and thanks for your question. Scientists add (and sometimes subtract) DNA from plants all the time, but mostly this is done to learn how plants work. There are relatively few examples of DNA being added to improve crops, but the exceptions are notable as they've had a big impact on agriculture. The most important strings of DNA are called genes. Two very commonly added genes are 1) insect resistance via a gene called CRY, from Bacillus thuringiensis, and 2) herbicide tolerance via a modification to a plant gene called EPSPS. These two genes make up most of the genetically eng [...]
Business PracticesQuestion
Q: Who do GMOs affect in todays society?
A: Genetic engineering (GE) touches on the routine life of billions of people (but not everyone). Food, clothes, and medicine are commonly made with the help of genetically engineered organisms. Certain medicines, like insulin, could only be mass-produced this way. Fiber for clothes is made less expensive thanks to GE cotton plants. You also PROBABLY sometimes eat plants with a few engineered genes, depending on where you live. But genetic engineering isn’t just for making new or better things. It’s also one of the best tools for discovering new science, and we owe much of the modern [...]
GMO Basics Health & Safety Modern AgricultureQuestion
Q: Are we trying to introduce gmos in to new plants?
A: Hello, and thank you for your question! Scientists commonly use genetically engineering (GE) to add and subtract genes from ALL sorts of plants, from common weeds to potatoes from the Andes. Most GE is performed only to learn how plants work. While it’s relatively simple to change a plant’s genetics, it’s difficult and expensive to actually improve a plant’s genetics. Thus, only the most “important” crops are targets for GE. Smaller improvements are discovered with ever-increasing frequency by scientists, but these typically do not reach farmers due to the [...]
EnvironmentQuestion
Q: Do you believe that GMOs will be able to be spread into all different crops?
A: Hello, and thank you for your question! Scientists commonly use genetically engineering (GE) to add and subtract genes from ALL sorts of plants, from common weeds to potatoes from the Andes. Most GE is performed only to learn how plants work. While it’s relatively simple to change a plant’s genetics, it’s difficult and expensive to actually improve a plant’s genetics. Thus, only the most “important” crops are targets for GE. Smaller improvements are discovered with ever-increasing frequency by scientists, but these typically do not reach farmers due to the [...]
EnvironmentQuestion
Q: how can genetic engineering help us to adapt in the ocean
A: Hi and thanks for the question! I think you may have been inspired by recent reports on the discovery of the human gene PDE10A. This gene helps the Bajau people (a marine hunter-gatherer people living in southeast Asia) dive deeper and for greater duration. This genetic adaption increases the size of their spleen, which helps the Bajau perform in low-oxygen environments. At the same time, new techniques for editing DNA (of all organisms) has many people excited about curing human genetic diseases and possibly other new “upgrades.” While it may be fun to think about diving as w [...]
Environment