341. Corteva’s Wendy Srnic on gene editing, the Pairwise partnership and artificial intelligence adding speed to biotechnology

According to AgFunder News, gene editing startups have raised $2.7 billion since 2012 in pursuit of technologies that advance everything from crop performance to yield. Today we are joined by a pioneer in science at the largest pure play agriculture company in the world. Dr. Wendy Srnic, VP of Biotechnology at Corteva Agriscience, to talk gene editing and its future. We get into:  What is gene editing and how does it differ from genetically modified crops? How gene editing affects that broader value chain and food system at large. Corteva’s partnership with Pairwise via their investment vehicle, Corteva Catalyst, and how they plan to leverage gene editing to make fruits and vegetables more accessible and nutritious. The objective of Corteva Catalyst to advance external technologies that align with the company’s internal R&D strategy – and the importance of staying nimble to seize opportunities and drive outcomes whether they are joint ventures, acquisitions, investments or traditional collaborations. Wendy’s perspective on where we’re at in the evolution of biotechnology, what’s emerging and how artificial intelligence (AI) is speeding up – and de-risking – the scientific discovery process. What does AI bring to the future of a partnership like that of Corteva and Pairwise?