Second Capacity Building Workshop on Food Safety Assessment of Genetically Engineered Plants

Session II: Global Regulatory Landscape for Foods and Feeds derived from Genetically Engineered Plants

Day 1 | June 3, 2025 | 11:30 am - 1:45 pm

Session III: Handling Genetically Engineered Plants and Derived Products

Day 1 | June 3, 2025 | 2:45 pm - 4:30 pm

Day 2: Leveraging Thirty Years of Experience in Evaluating Genetically Engineered Plants - What We Have Learned and How We Can Move Forward

Session IV: Regulatory Cooperation and Case Studies

Vibha Ahuja, Ph.D.

Chief General Manager, Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) and Senior Advisor, South Asia Biosafety Program, India

Dr. Vibha Ahuja is the Chief General Manager of Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL), where she began her career in 1993. She is an expert in biosafety and regulatory affairs, particularly in relation to genetically modified organisms, with over 30 years of experience in the field. Dr. Ahuja is deeply familiar with the Indian biosafety regulatory framework and has contributed to the formulation and dissemination of national guidelines, as well as serving as a member of expert committees. Her work includes providing regulatory compliance support to facilitate the commercialization of biotechnology innovations. She is also actively engaged as a regional resource expert on gene-edited plants. Throughout her career, Dr. Ahuja has led numerous biosafety capacity-building initiatives in India and South Asia, delivering training through seminars, workshops, and national and international programs. She has also authored a range of publications addressing biosafety, biodiversity, and related stakeholder concerns.

Galdino Andrade, Ph.D.

Head, Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, State University of Londrina and Member, National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio), Brazil

Dr. Galdino Andrade holds a Ph.D. in microbial ecology from the University of Granada, Spain, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom. He has also served as an International Research Associate at the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) in Corvallis, USA. Currently, Dr. Andrade leads the Microbial Ecology Laboratory at the Department of Microbiology, State University of Londrina, Brazil. He has authored numerous international publications and book chapters and leads several research projects focused on biocontrol, including the development of bioactive products targeting bacterial and fungal plant pathogens. Dr. Andrade has been an invited speaker in China by the Chinese Biotechnology Society, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and CropLife, and has collaborated on many international research projects. He has served for eight years as a member of the Brazilian National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio) and was a member of the technical group responsible for drafting NR 16, which regulates genome editing in plants and animals in Brazil.

Bhavneet Bajaj, Ph.D.

Senior Manager, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute (AFSI), USA

Dr. Bhavneet Bajaj joined the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute (AFSI) in July 2018 as Scientific Program Manager. She has been involved in projects related to safety assessment of foods and feeds derived from genetically engineered plants and serves as a resource person in providing technical support for capacity building programs in biotechnology. She was also the program lead for USDA-funded technical training for Chinese and Indonesian regulators and manages operations for both the Crop Composition Database and the World Nutrient Databases for Dietary Studies.

Prior to joining AFSI, Dr. Bajaj was a Visiting Scientist at the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, where she worked on carotenoid pathway regulation in tomatoes. Before then, she was Associate Investigator with the Plant Protection group at (then) DuPont, where she devised a metabolic engineering strategy for insect control in soybean. While in India, she was an Assistant Professor at Jaipur National University, where she taught genetic engineering, enzymology, and biochemistry courses to M.Sc. level students. Her research work over the past 12 years involved plant secondary metabolites of nutritional, agricultural, and medicinal importance.

Jordan Bean

Senior Evaluator, Novel Foods Section, Food and Nutrition Directorate, Health Canada, Canada

Jordan Bean is a Senior Evaluator in the Novel Foods Section of the Food and Nutrition Directorate at Health Canada. He holds a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and immunology from the University of Western Ontario (2006) and a master’s degree in microbiology from the University of Guelph (2009). Mr. Bean began his career at Health Canada in 2009 as a scientific evaluator and has since advanced to his current role. His primary responsibilities include conducting pre-market safety assessments and contributing to the development of guidance and policy related to the safety of novel food products, including those derived from genetically engineered plants, for use in Canada.

Ernelea P. Cao, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Philippines

Dr. Ernelea P. Cao is a Professor Emeritus at the Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology, majoring in genetics, from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and completed her master’s and doctoral degrees in biology at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a sandwich program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. Outside the university, Dr. Cao serves as Vice-Chair of the Department of Agriculture–Biosafety Committee (DA-BC), a member of the Department of Agriculture’s Technical Advisory Group on Modern Biotechnology and Other Innovations for Agriculture and Fisheries (DA-TAG-MBI), and a member of the Technical Panel for Biotechnology, Genomics, and Nanotechnology of the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD). Her research on coffee genomics and cyanobacterial biotechnology has been published in SCOPUS-indexed journals.

Lalitha R. Gowda, Ph.D.

Chief Scientist (Retired), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), India

Dr. Lalitha R. Gowda is the former Chief Scientist of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysore, where she served until her retirement in 2014. She earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Baylor University in Texas, USA, and completed post-doctoral training at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK. With over three and a half decades of professional experience, Dr. Gowda specialized in structural biology of plant proteins, protein engineering, analytical biochemistry, and food safety. She has published more than 90 peer-reviewed research articles in reputable journals and has held numerous advisory and leadership roles in food safety and biotechnology regulation. These include serving as a member of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India; a former member of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); Chair of the Scientific Panel on GM Foods; and an independent member of the Scientific Committee of FSSAI. She currently chairs FSSAI’s RAFT (Risk Assessment, Food Testing and Analytical Tools) Committee. Known for her deep technical expertise and globally recognized contributions to food analysis and safety, Dr. Gowda continues to remain active in training and knowledge dissemination post-retirement. She has received multiple accolades for her contributions to both teaching and research.

Dinesh Kumar, Ph.D.

Principal Scientist (Biotechnology), Bioinformatics Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI), India

Prof. Dr. Dinesh Kumar is a Principal Scientist in the Bioinformatics Division at the  Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI) in New Delhi, a position he has held since 2012. He previously served as Professor, Dean of Academic Affairs, and Director of the Office of International Affairs at the Central University of Haryana (2021–2023), and as Senior Scientist at the ICAR–National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), Karnal (1997–2012). He holds undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees in biotechnology from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, and earned his Ph.D. in 1997. Dr. Kumar also holds law degrees (LL.B. and LL.M.) from Kurukshetra University, a postgraduate diploma in technology management from the University of Hyderabad (where he was awarded a Gold Medal), and a diploma in intellectual property rights from IGNOU, New Delhi. He completed post-doctoral fellowships at Iowa State University, USA, in 2003–2004 and 2007–2008.

Dr. Kumar currently chairs the GMO and Foods Scientific Panel of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. He has served as a member of the DST/SERB Task Force in plant sciences (2020–2023). With over 100 research publications in high-impact journals and more than 50 patents and copyrights, his notable scientific contributions include the world’s first cow genome sequencing (Science, 2009), discovery of the dwarfism gene in U.S. beef cattle (PNAS, 2009), and development of the world’s first DNA signature server for plant varieties (Scientific Reports, 2019). He is also known for his work on wheat microbiomes and bioethanol production. In addition to his research, Dr. Kumar is a motivational speaker, provides free career counseling to students, offers legal support to academic victims, and is actively involved with orphanage initiatives.

Donald MacKenzie, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Institute for International Crop Improvement (IICI), Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA

Dr. Donald MacKenzie is the Executive Director of the Institute for International Crop Improvement (IICI) at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. He manages the IICI’s programs and partnerships dedicated to delivering precision genetics technologies to meet the most significant food and nutritional security challenges faced by smallholder farmers. Don’s extensive experience in plant product development and global regulatory processes aligns with the Institute’s commitment to collaborate with international and local partner organizations to deliver crops with improved disease and pest resistance, yield, and nutritional content to places where people are in most need. Dr. MacKenzie’s lab works on the development of plant transformation systems for legume crops, such as cowpea and chickpea, with a focus on introducing novel insect resistance traits.

Dr. MacKenzie received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of British Columbia and began his research career with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada and was one of the first researchers in Canada to transform potato for virus resistance. Since then, Don served in various leadership roles in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada, and in Dupont Pioneer, where he was the regulatory and government affairs leader for Canada and the global regulatory lead for the company’s canola program.

Don joined the Danforth Center from the International Rice Research Institute after serving as the regulatory and stewardship leader of the Golden Rice project, securing food safety approvals in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States, and propagation approval in the Philippines. During his time at the Danforth Center, Don has played a critical role in achieving the deregulation of virus resistant cassava for Africa (VIRCA) in Kenya and of pod borer resistant (PBR) cowpea in Nigeria and Ghana.

Mariana L. Murrone

Technical Evaluator, National Directorate of Bioeconomy, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Argentina

Mariana L. Murrone holds a degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Buenos Aires and a master’s degree in international business relations from the National University of Tres de Febrero. She currently serves as a Technical Evaluator at the National Directorate of Bioeconomy under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina. Her work focuses on the regulatory assessment of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the evaluation of biomaterials, and the development of public and international policy frameworks. Previously, she worked as a Technical Assistant at the National Seed Institute, where she coordinated special biotechnology projects and served as Argentina’s representative to CONABIA, a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Reference Center in Biosafety. Mariana has actively participated in international cooperation initiatives, providing technical guidance and presentations on GMO regulation and field control practices to delegations from Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Alka Rao, Ph.D.

Advisor–Science, Standards & Regulations, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), India

Prof. Dr. Alka Rao is a distinguished protein engineer and molecular microbiologist with over 15 years of research experience. She currently leads the Science & Standards & Regulations divisions at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), where she collaborates with more than 250 experts to develop food safety standards, guidance documents, codes of practice, and regulatory frameworks. Dr. Rao also serves as the liaison officer with the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the Enquiry Point for the WTO-SPS Committee.

Her scientific contributions include the discovery of rare bacterial enzymes and the successful launch of a microbial agricultural product. She has led 22 research and development projects, published over 50 international papers, and secured seven granted patents out of more than 15 filed. Her societal impact was recently featured in a Nature (UK) “Career Feature” in February 2024.

Dr. Rao is an active member of the global scientific community, serving as an Associate Editor for Chemical Papers, a member of the Editorial Board of Scientific Reports, and part of the Executive Council of the Proteomics Society of India. She has contributed her expertise to numerous government bodies, including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Biotechnology, and the National GLP Compliance Monitoring Authority.

She played a pivotal role in amending India’s Biological Diversity Act of 2002 and in shaping national positions on digital sequence information and access and benefit sharing. As Chairperson of FSSAI’s Scientific Panel on Food Additives, she was instrumental in aligning Indian standards with global norms.

Dr. Rao’s outreach work includes advocacy for the “Eat Right India” campaign within the deaf community and contributions to CSIR and DST public engagement initiatives. She has received over 15 awards and fellowships, including the Zero Project Award 2024 and recognition from the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP). In 2023, she was honored as one of the “Women Scientist Achievers” in CSIR laboratories.

Aniruddha Raychaudhuri

Global Composition Biology Lead, Bayer Crop Science, USA

Aniruddha Raychaudhuri is a distinguished leader in the biotechnology industry with over 15 years of experience and global recognition for his expertise as a mechanistic enzymologist and crop biochemist. His pioneering research has led to the discovery of novel metabolic enzymes in crops that improve stress tolerance and optimize nitrogen use, contributing significantly to agricultural sustainability. Since joining Monsanto, now Bayer Crop Science, in 2008, he has led numerous research and development projects and played a key role in advancing product pipelines and establishing public-private partnerships worldwide.

Ani has held international leadership roles that have been instrumental in expanding biotechnology initiatives across Asia. As a Bayer Senior Science Fellow, he has contributed to strategic projects aimed at addressing climate change and reducing food waste. He currently serves as the Global Composition Biology Lead, where he provides both scientific leadership and strategic advisory.

With over 15 peer-reviewed publications and 12 patents to his name, Ani is a dedicated advocate for scientific integrity and sustainability. He actively engages in science outreach and public education, efforts that have earned him the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Award under both President Obama and President Trump. His work reflects a deep commitment to advancing biotechnology and combating misinformation in the field.

Pedro Rocha, Ph.D.

Coordinator for Biotechnology & Biosecurity, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Costa Rica

Dr. Pedro Rocha is a biologist from the National University of Colombia with a Ph.D. in plant biotechnology and molecular biology from the University of East Anglia and the John Innes Centre in the United Kingdom. He currently serves as International Specialist and Coordinator in Biotechnology and Biosafety at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in Costa Rica. In this role, Dr. Rocha supports agricultural ministries across IICA’s 33 member countries by providing guidance on policy development, training, and communication in biotechnology and biosafety.

He has played a key role in the development of regulatory frameworks for bioinputs, living modified organisms (LMOs), and genome editing (GnEd) in 14 Latin American countries. His extensive professional background includes postdoctoral research at The Sainsbury Laboratory (UK), as well as roles in Colombia as a researcher at Corpoica (now Agrosavia), research assistant at CIAT, Director of Biotechnology at Cenipalma, and consultant to the National Planning Department (DNP). Dr. Rocha’s career reflects a strong foundation in science, regulation, and international cooperation.

Gaya Subramaniam, Ph.D.

Regulatory Scientist, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), Australia

Dr. Gaya Subramaniam is a Regulatory Scientist at Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), where she works on a range of food regulatory matters alongside a team of biotechnology scientists. She holds a Ph.D. in plant molecular biology from the University of Queensland and completed postdoctoral research at several Australian universities before joining FSANZ in 2021. Her work includes conducting safety assessments of genetically modified (GM) foods and evaluating other applications of biotechnology in the food sector. Dr. Subramaniam is currently involved in FSANZ’s ongoing efforts under Proposal P1055, which focuses on defining how foods produced using existing, emerging, and future genetic technologies should be regulated under food law.

Masashi Tachikawa, Ph.D.

Professor, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Japan

Dr. Masashi Tachikawa is a Professor at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Japan. He previously served for over two decades at the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) before transitioning to academia. His research focuses on the sociology of food and agriculture and on science, technology, and society (STS) studies. Dr. Tachikawa specializes in the regulatory and societal dimensions of biotechnology and other emerging technologies, examining their impacts on the food system and society at large. He has authored several books and numerous journal articles, particularly addressing genetically modified and gene-edited crops from a social science perspective. In 2019, he received an academic award from the Agricultural Economics Society of Japan for his book on the European Union’s policy of coexistence with genetically modified crops.