Society For In Vitro Biology Incorporated

WORKSHOPS: PLANT TISSUE CULTURE MEDIUM AND BEST PRACTICES FOR SUCCESSFUL IN VITRO TISSUE CULTURE SYSTEMS FOR CROP GENOME ENGINEERING -THE SOCIETY FOR IN VITRO BIOLOGY (SIVB) WILL HOLD FOUR WORKSHOPS AND TWO CROSS-SECTIONAL PANEL DISCUSSIONS AT ITS 2024 AND 2025 ANNUAL MEETINGS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE PARTICIPANTS ON THE TOPICS OF PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING. THE WORKSHOPS WILL TARGET RESEARCHERS INCLUDING FACULTY, STUDENTS, POST-DOCS, AND INDUSTRY PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN UTILIZING PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND GENE INSERTION TECHNIQUES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED CROP CULTIVARS. PROGRAMS WILL CONTAIN BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CONTENT. FOLLOWING THE CONFERENCES, PRESENTATIONS AND OTHER GENERATED MATERIALS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO INTERESTED GROUPS WHO WISH TO USE THEM FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES IN CLASSROOM TEACHING OR LABORATORY SESSIONS. CURRENTLY THERE IS A NEED FOR EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND TRANSFORMATION. MANY HAVE SPENT DECADES OF RESEARCH AND CONTINUALLY SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE AND DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE, GOOD PRACTICES AND LEARNINGS TO THE EMERGING GROUP OF SCIENTISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN UNDERSERVED OR MINORITY COMMUNITIES WHO MAY NOT HAVE READY ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. THESE WORKSHOPS SERVE AS A PERFECT PLATFORM AND AIM TO TARGET NEW AND YOUNG FACULTY AND INDUSTRY PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN TISSUE CULTURE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING/GENOME EDITING RESEARCH ALONG WITH STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATORS WHO WISH TO INTRODUCE THESE TOPICS IN THE CLASSROOM. IT IS THE EXPECTATION THAT ORGANIZERS WILL GENERATE SETS OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL THAT WILL ENABLE THE LONG-TERM DISSEMINATION OF THIS CRUCIAL KNOWLEDGE. THE WORKSHOPS WILL IMPACT A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF RESEARCHERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING/GENOME EDITING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. IT WILL ALSO ENSURE THAT THE EXPERTISE GENERATED IN THE AREA OF IN VITRO PLANT TISSUE CULTURE DURING THE 20TH CENTURY WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED ON TO THE INCOMING GENERATIONS OF NEW RESEARCHERS AND HELP CREATE A WORKFORCE FOR ADVANCING GENOME ENGINEERING AND CROP IMPROVEMENT TECHNOLOGIES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CONFERENCE: ADVANCING CROP GENOME ENGINEERING THROUGH INNOVATIVE TRANSFORMATION AND AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES -THE SOCIETY FOR IN VITRO BIOLOGY (SIVB), FOUNDED IN 1946 AS THE TISSUE CULTURE ASSOCIATION, PROMOTES THE EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE IN PLANT AND ANIMAL (INCLUDING HUMANS) IN VITRO BIOLOGY. ITS ANNUAL MEETINGS SERVE AS IDEAL PLATFORMS FOR PRESENTING NEW RESEARCH AND CONCEPTS IN CELL BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. AS PART OF THE SIVB?S 2026 ANNUAL MEETING, TWO WORKSHOPS AND A PANEL DISCUSSION ON LAB AUTOMATION IN THE PLANT SCIENCES WILL BE ORGANIZED TO ADDRESS KEY CHALLENGES AND EMERGING SOLUTIONS FOR CRITICAL BOTTLENECKS IN PLANT BIOENGINEERING. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL EXPAND ACCESS TO ADVANCED PLANT TRANSFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR A DIVERSE AUDIENCE, INCLUDING STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND RESEARCHERS FROM ACADEMIA, GOVERNMENT, AND INDUSTRY. IN CONJUNCTION WITH PLANTGENE, AN NSF-FUNDED, RESEARCH COORDINATION NETWORK (RCN ) THAT IS A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN INITIATIVE DEDICATED TO ADVANCING PLANT TRANSFORMATION AND GENE EDITING THROUGH KNOWLEDGE SHARING, ONLINE RESOURCES, AND FACILITATION OF COLLABORATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, THE FIRST WORKSHOP WILL FOCUS ON MORPHOGENIC TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS AND AGROBACTERIUM STRAIN ENGINEERING, OFFERING PRACTICAL INSIGHTS FOR ENHANCING PLANT TRANSFORMATION. THE SECOND WORKSHOP WILL EXPLORE LABORATORY AUTOMATION, FEATURING CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES AND FUTURE TRENDS TO HELP PARTICIPANTS CONCEPTUALIZE AUTOMATION PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VISCON GROUP (VICONGROUP.EU), AN EU-BASED TECHNOLOGY COMPANY SPECIALIZING IN AUTOMATION, ROBOTICS, AND SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD INDUSTRIES. FINALLY, A CROSS-SECTIONAL PANEL DISCUSSION WILL FOLLOW, BRINGING TOGETHER EXPERTS FROM PLANT, ANIMAL, AND INVERTEBRATE SCIENCES TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES IN AUTOMATION IMPLEMENTATION. THESE SESSIONS WILL BE RECORDED AND MADE AVAILABLE ON-DEMAND TO ENSURE BROAD ACCESSIBILITY. PRESENTATIONS AND MATERIALS WILL BE SHARED WITH INTERESTED GROUPS FOR EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH USE, SUPPORTING CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND LABORATORY TRAINING ACROSS DIVERSE INSTITUTIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

WORKSHOP: TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORKERS AND OUTREACH IN PLANT TISSUE CULTURE FOR CROP IMPROVEMENT USING GENOME EDITING -THE SOCIETY FOR IN VITRO BIOLOGY (SIVB) WILL HOLD FOUR WORKSHOPS AT ITS 2022 AND 2023 ANNUAL MEETINGS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE PARTICIPANTS ON THE TOPICS OF PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING. THE WORKSHOPS WILL TARGET RESEARCHERS INCLUDING FACULTY, STUDENTS, POST-DOCS, AND INDUSTRY PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN UTILIZING PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND GENE INSERTION TECHNIQUES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED CROP CULTIVARS. PROGRAMS WILL CONTAIN BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CONTENT. FOLLOWING THE CONFERENCES, PRESENTATIONS AND OTHER GENERATED MATERIALS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO INTERESTED GROUPS WHO WISH TO USE THEM FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES IN CLASSROOM TEACHING OR LABORATORY SESSIONS. CURRENTLY THERE IS A NEED FOR EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND TRANSFORMATION. MANY HAVE SPENT DECADES OF RESEARCH AND CONTINUALLY SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE AND DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE, GOOD PRACTICES AND LEARNINGS TO THE EMERGING GROUP OF SCIENTISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN UNDERSERVED OR MINORITY COMMUNITIES WHO MAY NOT HAVE READY ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. THESE WORKSHOPS SERVE AS A PERFECT PLATFORM AND AIM TO TARGET NEW AND YOUNG FACULTY AND INDUSTRY PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN TISSUE CULTURE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING/GENOME EDITING RESEARCH ALONG WITH STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATORS WHO WISH TO INTRODUCE THESE TOPICS IN THE CLASSROOM. IT IS THE EXPECTATION THAT ORGANIZERS WILL GENERATE SETS OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL THAT WILL ENABLE THE LONG-TERM DISSEMINATION OF THIS CRUCIAL KNOWLEDGE. THE WORKSHOPS WILL IMPACT A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF RESEARCHERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING/GENOME EDITING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. IT WILL ALSO ENSURE THAT THE EXPERTISE GENERATED IN THE AREA OF IN VITRO PLANT TISSUE CULTURE DURING THE 20TH CENTURY WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED ON TO THE INCOMING GENERATIONS OF NEW RESEARCHERS AND HELP CREATE A WORKFORCE FOR ADVANCING GENOME ENGINEERING AND CROP IMPROVEMENT TECHNOLOGIES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE CONCURRENT INTEGRATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES (E.G., TRANSGENE, GENE EDITING, DOUBLE HAPLOID TECHNIQUE, SYNTHETIC APOMIXIS) INTO BREEDING PROGRAMS IS INSTRUMENTAL IN INCREASING THE RATE OF GENETIC GAIN NECESSARY TO KEEP THE PACE WITH GROWING FOOD DEMAND, CHANGING CLIMATES AND EVOLVING PESTS AND DISEASES.THE DEPLOYMENT OF HETEROSIS IN CROP BREEDING PROGRAMS REPRESENTED A BREAKTHROUGH; HOWEVER, SINCE OFFSPRING CANNOT MAINTAIN THEIR HETEROSIS DUE TO GENETIC SEPARATION OF TRAITS, NEW HYBRID SEEDS NEED TO BE PRODUCED ANNUALLY, WHICH IS LABORIOUS, EXPENSIVE AND NOT FEASIBLE IN A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT CROP SPECIES, INCLUDING WHEAT AND SOYBEAN. SYNTHETIC APOMIXIS OFFERS A SOLUTION TO THE INABILITY TO PRESERVE HETEROSIS. A NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO THE CONVENTIONAL TRANSFORMATION SYSTEM HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO OVERCOME CURRENT CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH PLANT TRANSFORMATION TO ENABLE DNA-INDEPENDENT EDITING (TRANSGENE-FREE) USING PREASSEMBLED CAS PROTEIN AND GRNA(S) RIBONUCLEOPROTEINS. GENOME EDITING IN WOODY/ORNAMENTAL PLANTS POSES A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENGES DISTINGUISHING IT FROM ANNUAL CROPS CAUSING SIMILAR LABOR INTENSIVE AND TIME-CONSUMING EVALUATION. THE CONFERENCE GRANT'S GOAL IS TO PROVIDE ATTENDEES WITH THE MOST CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS OF GENOME MODIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES MADE POSSIBLE BY IMPROVEMENT OF GENE EDITING TOOLS DELIVERY, PLANT TRANSFORMATION PROCESSES OPTIMIZATION AND RECENT ADVANCES IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF SYNTHETIC APOMIXIS SYSTEMS. THE INTEGRATION OF CONVENTIONAL/MOLECULAR BREEDING TECHNIQUES WITH GENOME EDITING APPROACHES COULD ADDRESS CURRENT LIMITATIONS ENCOUNTERED DURING CROP IMPROVEMENT FURTHER ENABLING THE INVESTIGATION OF GENE REGULATION NETWORKS, DE NOVO DOMESTICATION OF NEW CROPS FROM WILD RELATIVES, THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW FAVORABLE TRAITS AND THE DISRUPTION OF GENETIC LINKAGES BETWEEN TRAITS.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE SOCIETY FOR IN VITRO BIOLOGY'S (SIVB) 2025 ANNUAL MEETING WILL FOCUS ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS, CORE FUNDAMENTALS AND ASSOCIATED RISKS OF APPLYING IN VITRO BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GENOMICS IN BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS. THE MEETING WILL BRING TOGETHER RESEARCHERS FROM LEADING UNIVERSITY, INDUSTRY, AND GOVERNMENT LABS TO CONVEY NEW KNOWLEDGE, FOSTER COLLABORATIONS AND MOVE PLANT AND ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY FORWARD. THE FOCUS IS ON NOVEL METHODS FOR TRANSGENE DELIVERY, APPLICATION OF GENOME EDITING AND EPIGENETIC MODIFICATION, RISK ASSESSMENT OF NOVEL BIOTECHNOLOGY APPROACHES AND TRANSGENIC PRODUCTS AND DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFECTIVE GENE CONTAINMENT STRATEGIES. THE 2005 MEETING WILL BE HELD ON JUNE 7-10, 2025, AT THE HILTON THE MAIN, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. PLENARY SESSIONS WILL FOCUS ON INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR PLANT AND ANIMAL TRANSFORMATION, PLANT AND ANIMAL GENOME ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF GE ORGANISMS, THE USE OF GENOME EDITING, AND NEW ADVANCES IN DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL GENE CONTAINMENT STRATEGIES. THESE THEMES ARE FURTHER DEVELOPED IN NUMEROUS ANIMAL- AND PLANT-FOCUSED SYMPOSIA AS WELL AS EDUCATION SYMPOSIA AND WORKSHOPS WITH A FOCUS ON STUDENT INVOLVEMENT. SPEAKER AND POSTER ABSTRACTS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE SIVB JOURNALS. SELECTED SESSIONS WILL BE RECORDED AND MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH AN ONLINE LIMITED ACCESS PROGRAM. FUNDS ARE REQUESTED FOR STUDENT AND SPEAKER SUPPORT AS WELL AS COSTS OF RUNNING THE MEETING. THE MEETING WILL PROVIDE A VENUE FOR SHARING RECENT SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENTS IN THIS FIELD LEADING TO OUTREACH AND THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC ON BIOTECHNOLOGIES FOR GENE MODIFICATION TO BENEFIT PLANT AND ANIMAL AGRICULTURE. ?

FOSTERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PLANT BIOLOGISTS: SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH IN VITRO PLANT BIOLOGY RESEARCH

SCIENTIFIC GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF NEXT-GENERATION SCIENTISTS IN THE FIELD OF IN VITRO BIOLOGY OF PLANTS

CONFERENCE PROPOSAL: 2013 IN VITRO BIOLOGY MEETING

HANDS-ON PLANT TISSUE CULTURE WORKSHOP FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE TEACHERS TO BE HELD JUNE 11, 2016 AT THE 2016 WORLD CONGRESS ON IN VITRO

THE SOCIETY FOR IN VITRO BIOLOGY IS HOLDING THE 2023 IN VITRO BIOLOGY MEETING FROM JUNE 10 - 14, 2023 IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA AT THE HILTON NORFOLK THE MAIN IN PERSON WITH ACCESS TO CERTAIN PRE-RECORDED PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE FROM JUNE 28 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. THE SIVB ANNUAL MEETING IS HOSTED WITH THE PRIMARY GOAL OF FOSTERING SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGE, DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATIONS OF SIGNIFICANCE TO SCIENCE AND SOCIETY. WE ARE A PREMIER AND UNIQUE ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER PLANT AND ANIMAL INVITRO BIOLOGISTS. THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM WILL BRING LATEST SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES AND TIMELY PERSPECTIVES ON GENETIC ENGINEERING FOR PLANT IMPROVEMENT AND BIOTECHNOLOGY OF CROPS. THE 2023 PROGRAM HAS A STRONG EMPHASIS ON PRESENTING STATE OF THE ART RESEARCH IN THE AREA OF 'PLANT BREEDING FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. WE ARE ALSO HOSTING SESSIONS INTRODUCTION AND DISCUSSION OF NEW IDEAS PERTAINING TO THE LATEST ADVANCES IN CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.

DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL TECHNOLOGIES FOR ACCELERATED CROP BREEDING AND GENETIC IMPROVEMENT TO ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC STRESS

UTILIZING PLANT REGENERATION AND GENETIC ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES FOR ACCELERATED BREEDING IN ANNUAL AND PERENNIAL CROP SPECIES