Hudson River Biotechnology (HRB) opens up a state-of-the-art laboratory in Wageningen to facilitate its ground-breaking research in precision plant breeding.
Following the global surge in CRISPR investments and research, HRB is pleased to announce the opening of its new 150m2 laboratory. As one of the few European companies fully dedicated to gene-editing and precision plant breeding, HRB is pleased to take this next important step in the evolution of the company and strengthen the agricultural R&D eco-system in Europe.
HRB is a young and highly innovative agricultural biotech company located in Wageningen (Netherlands). HRB applies novel breeding techniques such as CRISPR to develop new plant traits and has exclusive access to a novel genetic target identification platform, called SuRE (licensed from Amsterdam-based partner company Gen-X). HRB genetically optimizes crops to increase yields, improve disease resistance & nutritional value. The company has an internal R&D pipeline for development of novel platform technologies and varieties with new traits.
In addition, HRB uses their molecular breeding and target identification expertise to accelerate breeding efforts in co-development with plant breeders, seed companies and natural ingredient producers of all sizes. Combined, these efforts ultimately contribute to solving global food challenges such as the need for improved nutritional value or reduced pesticide use.
“We look forward to continue the rapid expansion of our company through this new lab” says Rudi Ariaans, CEO and HRB co-founder. Ferdinand Los, CSO and co-founder, adds “the new facility is fully equipped for the range of activities required for our R&D program”. In the new laboratory, HRB can deploy a range of activities in plant tissue and protoplast culture, genetics (DNA and RNA work), and protein biology. This enables HRB to effectively perform all the required steps in, for example, a CRISPR project, including discovery of genetic targets, in-house production of CRISPR proteins and guide RNAs, plant transfection and regeneration, and genetic testing.
