Bioscience Metabolix has announced that it has initiated a program to develop an advanced industrial oilseed crop to produce bioplastics.
As part of this initiative, Metabolix has established strategic research collaboration with noted oilseed experts at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, a leading non-profit research institute in St. Louis, US. Metabolix will assemble a team of scientists that will work closely with Danforth’s existing investigators. This collaboration is supported financially by a two year $1.14 million grant from the Missouri Life Sciences Trust Fund to the Danforth Center.
“The Danforth Center has extensive experience in oilseed technology. Combining their experience with Metabolix’s patented technologies could expedite the commercialization of multiple products in oilseed crops. This technology is expected to play an important role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Dr. Oliver Peoples, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Metabolix. “This initiative aims to create another biobased route to economically produce bioplastics and biofuels in high yields directly in non food crops. “