Agricultural Biotech Division (ABD)

ABD is focused on applying Intrexon’s technology to accelerate innovation in the agricultural industry, through the development of novel agricultural products and improvement in crop yields through complex trait engineering and gene expression optimization. ABD utilizes Intrexon's library of plant-specific genetic components for customizable DNA assembly and trait construction. Regulatory components that have been characterized for varied levels of gene expression enable biological designs tailored for specific applications. Additionally, ABD’s breadth of expertise in model plant systems, such as Arabidopsis, rice, and tobacco, facilitates proof of concept testing and validation prior to product development. Key application areas for ABD include improved pest resistance. Based on proven molecular intervention strategies, which leverage Intrexon’s experience in protein engineering and modulation of cell biology, ABD is designing a strategy to combat the soy cyst nematode, a pest which threatens soybean crops causing significant harvest losses.