WA plant expert to chair gene tech committee

The plant gene technology expertise of Professor Stephen Powles of the University of Western Australia has been recognised by the Federal Government.

Prof. Powles, director of the WA Herbicide Resistance Initiative, in the School of Plant Biology at UWA, has been appointed the chair of the national Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee.

The committee will provide scientific and technical advice to the Gene Technology Ministerial Council and the Government's Gene Technology Regulator, Dr Sue Meek.

"I am delighted to be appointed as chair and to be involved in assessing these important and powerful gene technologies," said Prof. Powles, a world authority on herbicide resistance.

Matters which he and the committe will advise on include the biosafety aspects of gene technology and the need for policy principles, codes of practice and technical and procedural guidelines in relation to genetically modified organisms and products.

Item provided courtesy of The University of WA