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Research Award for Syngen | ||
| Number 45 | |||
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Sygen International plc, a world leader in applying genomics and biotechnology to animal breeding has received a prestigious USA R&D 100 Award for research innovation for one of its many globally funded research efforts. The R&D 100 Awards are presented to scientists for making significant contributions and discoveries in the world of applied sciences. The award from R&D Magazine is for the discovery of the genetic marker PT1 in the Company's PICmarq* programme. PICmarq* is the brand name associated with the DNA marker technology used in genetic improvement by PIC International, a Sygen company. PT1 is a gene test that assists with the identification of pigs whose offspring use less feed, grow leaner and produce less waste output. The resulting effect yields pork that is leaner, more uniform, more efficiently produced and is more environmentally friendly. Several products that use this unique gene technology are currently marketed by PIC International in the US, Brazil, Poland, Spain, UK and Australia. Companies who received the R&D 100 Awards last year included Ford, Hitachi, Corning, Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi, Lucent, Briggs & Stratton, Dow Chemical, Pennzoil, GE and Toyota. Additional awards winners were government technology centres like Los Alamos, Sandia, Livermore, Oak Ridge, Argonne, Fraunhofer, NASA, Army Research Laboratory and NIST. Previously, the awards have recognized many winning products that later became household names including the fax machine (1975), the liquid crystal display (1980) and Taxol anticancer drug (1993).The award has been made to one of Sygen's research partners, Iowa State University, with the project being led by Dr. Max F. Rothschild and Mr. Kwan Suk Kim. Dr. Rothschild and Iowa State University also received this honour in 1999 for research funded by PIC International for the discovery and commercial application of a litter size gene marker (LS1).
Dr. Graham Plastow, Sygen's Chief Technology Officer stated, "This important award further exemplifies that Sygen funded research yields measurable economic benefits for pork producers and consumers. It equally represents our on-going commitment to further explore the use of genetic markers, a naturally occurring form of genetic variation, to improve the quality and consistency of pork. As pork producers seek to improve their competitive advantage, many look to purchase breeding stock with enhanced performance traits for improved on-farm and post-farm results. The PICmarq* DNA technology program represents the foundation for many new product developments for the US market. The PIC 337 is a successful product in the US with its superior growth rates and feed efficiency. Its progeny have superior meat colour and water holding capacity demanded by today's quality domestic and export markets. PIC USA's latest boar product to use PICmarq* PT1 technology is the PIC 337E. Using the successful PIC 337 as a base, the 337E is selected for producers who want to achieve improved carcass premiums and lower feed costs. It joins a growing list of PIC product offerings across the globe developed to improve feed efficiency and carcass lean".
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