Tel Aviv, Israel and Vilnius, Lithuania
February 10, 2025
BetterSeeds, a leading innovator in crop genetics and CRISPR enabling solutions, today announced the appointment of Professor Virginijus Šikšnys to its Scientific Advisory Board. Prof. Šikšnys is a world-renowned expert in CRISPR-Cas systems and a pioneer in gene editing technology.
Professor Šikšnys is recognized as one of the key figures in the development of CRISPR gene editing. His groundbreaking 2012 publication, which predated similar work by Nobel Laureates Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, independently demonstrated the potential of CRISPR-Cas9 for precise DNA cutting. This work has been instrumental in the widespread adoption of CRISPR technology.
Prof. Šikšnys' contributions to the field have earned him numerous awards, including the prestigious Kavli Prize in Nanoscience in 2018. He currently serves as a professor at Vilnius University, Chief Scientist and Head of the Department of Protein-DNA Interactions at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University Institute of Biotechnology.
"We are absolutely delighted to welcome Professor Šikšnys to our Scientific Advisory Board," said Dr. Tal Sherman, the co-founder and CTO of BetterSeeds. "His profound understanding of CRISPR-Cas technology and extensive experience will be invaluable as BetterSeeds continues to develop cutting-edge solutions. We are confident that his guidance will significantly accelerate our efforts and solidify our position as a leader in crop genetics and CRISPR enabling technologies."
BetterSeeds believes that Prof. Šikšnys' expertise will be a tremendous asset as the company leverages CRISPR-Cas technology to enable the resiliency of crops to climate change as well as enabling the application across all crops.
About BetterSeeds: BetterSeeds is an AgTech company revolutionizing crop genetics. The company's proprietary EDGE technology platform overcomes a significant limitation in the industry by enabling CRISPR technology to be applied across a diverse range of crops, as its currently restricted to only about 10 crops. Also through its unique climate resilience traits BetterSeeds designs crops with enhanced drought tolerance, improved water use efficiency, and increased yields. Through these innovations, BetterSeeds empowers farmers with sustainable solutions to address climate change, ensure global food security, and reduces the environmental impact of agriculture.
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