Development of a novel Saccharomyces yeast RNAi production and delivery platform

Heavy pesticide and antibiotic use are prevalent in modern agriculture and is an essential requirement to feed the ever-increasing human population. Their increased use, however, has also resulted in a loss of ecological biodiversity, environmental contamination, emerging pesticide/antibiotic resistance and is an economic burden to farmers, especially in low income nations. The research proposed aims to develop novel alternative agricultural bio-control technology centered around Bakers yeast, a common and non-toxic organism used in baking and brewing. This technology has the potential to be pest/disease specific, more efficient and stable, cost-effective and completely non-toxic to the environment; furthermore, this technology would also address a significant need in Canada and the world and would put Canada on the map as a world leader in a rapidly growing market.

Faculty Supervisor:

Laura Sly

Student:

Cassidy Erdelyan

Partner:

Renaissance BioScience Corporation

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Program: