Gwen Swinnen

Gwen Swinnen is an early-career scientist at the University of Lausanne, where she studies the body plan of tomato plants to optimize their yield. She is part of the GeneSprout Initiative because she believes that it is our responsibility – as young plant researchers – to bridge the communication gap between science and society. By introducing the general public to the fascinating world of plant sciences, we can inspire them to take part in the conversation on the future of genome editing.

GeneSprout Initiative – a young plant scientist initiative for open dialogue on genome editing

Abstract

GeneSprout Initiative is a European initiative of young plant scientists striving for open dialogue on genome editing and other New Genomic Techniques. Our members, together with many other early-career plant researchers in Europe, are passionate about developing more climate resilient and nutritious plant varieties, and genome editing holds enormous potential to help us accomplish that. GeneSprout Initiative offers young plant scientists a platform to voice their opinions on genome editing policy-making, which not only affects our research career, but also the societal impact of our research. GeneSprout Initiative also recognizes the role early-career researchers can play in facilitating open dialogue with the general public when it comes to genome editing, and therefore, aims to inspire young plant scientists to participate in science communication.