Scientists at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology and VIVES University College have developed a new method to genetically improve poplar trees without introducing foreign DNA into its genome. This advancement could pave the way for faster and more widely accepted use of gene-edited trees in forestry and the bio-based economy. The work appeared in New Phytologist.  

Two labs from VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology have received a Bronze level LEAF certificate for sustainable practices. The Jacobs and Boerjan labs have succesfully completed their first assessment and subsequent on-site audit. The LEAF assessment guides labs towards more sustainable practices in resource and energy efficiency, waste collecting and sorting, and overall people involvement. Congrats to both!