Lecture Structure, Assigned Readings, and Discussion Questions

FES/TOX 434/535 & MCB 535 – Winter 2018

Week 1

Lectures 1: Introduction • 1a Strauss personal introduction • 1b Buermeyer personal introduction • 1b Class overview

Lecture 1 readings • We can reprogram life. How to do it wisely (Juan Enriquez, TED Talk, 2015) • Why do many deny ? (Joel Achenbach, Nat Geo 2015) • Americans don't trust scientists' take on food issues (Dan Charles. The Salt, 2016) • The Trump administrations false promise to America (Food Tank, 2017)

Lectures 2: Common biotech, genetics and genomic concepts • 2a Biotech in common use – food and pharma • 2b Genetic and genomic concepts

Lecture 2 readings • You can thank genetic engineering for your delicious cheese (Levi Gadye, io9, 2015) • Are GMOs Good or Bad? Genetic Engineering & Our Food (Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell, YouTube 2017) • Genetically engineered crops: experiences and prospects (The National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine, 2016)

Discussion 1: GM and transgenic crops social views Discussion 1 readings • Mark Lynas’s lecture to Oxford Farming (2013) • Smelling a rat (J.L.P., The Economist, 2013) • Why GMOs are “bad” (SciShow, YouTube, 2015)

Discussion 1 questions • What does Mark Lynas’s mean by “naturalistic fallacy”? Why does he call vandalism against GM crops akin to burning books? • What can we learn from the controversy over the Seralini publication? • What are the similarities and differences between GE and conventional breeding method? Do you think the conclusion provided in SciShow is well-supported?

Week 2

Lecture 3: Sustainability • 3a Key issues of sustainability • 3b Traits that affect sustainability

Lecture 3 readings • GM crops, the environment and sustainable food production (Peter H. Raven, Transgenic Research, 2013) • Plating up solutions (Tara Garnett, Science, 2016) • Vegetarian or omnivore: The environmental implications of diet (Tamar Haspel, , 2014) • Comparative impacts of conventional and organic systems Env Res Lett 2017 (read abstract only)

Lecture 4: Genetic improvements in agriculture • 4a Plant domestication • 4b Green revolution and modern plant breeding

Lecture 4 readings • Green Revolution: Curse or blessing? (IFPRI, 2002) • : The genius behind the green revolution (Henry I. Miller, Forbes, 2012) • Evolution, consequences and future of plant and animal domestication (, , 2002) • Popped secret: The mysterious origin of corn (HHMI BioInteractive, 2016) • What fruits and vegetables looked like before we domesticated them (Youtube, Business Insider)

Discussion 2: Key issues of sustainability Discussion 2 readings • Making the case for sustainability from industrial agriculture (Tom Nordhaus, GLP, 2017) • How will we survive when the population hits 10 billion – Mann - TED 2018? • Does GMO corn increase crop yields? (Paul McDivitt, GLP 2018)

Discussion 2 questions • What is the main purpose of agriculture? Why does Nordhaus argue that misunderstanding of (industrial) agriculture has often led to misguided advocacies? • According to Nordhaus, what principles should we consider to promote sustainable agriculture? • What are the different ways GM crops can contribute or distract from sustainability?

Week 3

Lecture 5: Fundamentals of toxicology • 5a TOX Basics: Dose Response • 5b TOX Basics: Risk and exposure

Lecture 5 readings • Mother Nature? More like ‘Mad Scientist Mama’ — creator of chemicals good and bad for humans (Steve Savage, GLP, 2017) • Mycotoxin reduction in Bt corn: potential economic, health, and regulatory impacts (Felicia Wu, ISB, 2006) • Biomonitoring of environmental chemicals (Dennis Paustenbach and David Galbraith, Environ Health Perspect., 2006)

Lectures 6: Genetic engineering methods and extent of GE crops • 6a Genetic engineering methods • 6b Bt crops • 6c Extent and diversity of GE crops

Lecture 6 readings • Agrobacterium gene insertion (YouTube, 2008) • History of agricultural : how crop development has evolved (Ania Wieczorek and Mark Wright, Nature Education, 2013) • A meta-analysis of the impacts of genetically modified crops (abstract only) (Klümper and Qaim, PloS one, 2014) • Insect Resistance to Genetically Engineered Crops: Successes and Failures (Tabashnik, et al, press summary of Nature article, 2014)

Discussion 3: Chemicals and cancer risk

Discussion 3 reading • Toxicity of natural vs. synthetic pesticides – NY Times blog 2007 • Paracelsus to parascience: the environmental cancer distraction (Bruce N Ames and Lois Swirsky Gold, Mutation Research, 2000) • Glyphosate, Ben and Jerrys, and the NY Times Flap (Kevin Folta, GLP, 2017)

Discussion 3 questions • After reading Ames and Gold’s article, what do you think about labeling "all natural"? Is it a type of misleading label that FDA should prohibit? • Ames and Gold mentions that chromosome damage can occur from vitamin deficiencies, similar to that caused by radiation. How does this influence your view on cancer prevention and the term “carcinogens”? • What are the “gold standards” for scientific information? Why does Folta think they have melted today? • If you were a consumer of B&J, does the presence of a trace amount of glyphosate in the ice cream bother you? Why or why not?

Week 4

Lectures 7: Gene flow and herbicide tolerant crops • 7a Overview of gene flow and herbicide resistant crops • 7b Examples, coexistence, and adventitious presence

Lecture 7 readings • The impact of asynchronous approvals for biotech crops on agricultural sustainability, trade, and innovation (CAST, 2016) (Read Pages 2-3 “The Issue” and Page 8 “Conclusion”) • Why thought weeds would never defeat Roundup (Dan Charles, NPR’s The Salt, 2012) • Genetically engineered crops and pesticide use in U.S. maize and soybeans (abstract only) (Perry et al, Science, 2016) • The dicamba fiasco and new GE herbicide tolerant crops (Caitlyn Dewey, GLP, 2017)

Lecture 8: Intellectual property • 8a IP basics • 8b IP issues – Biotech and gene flow

Lecture 8 readings • Acceptable intellectual property (Stephen Hilgartner, Cornell University, 2006) • Arrested development (Terra, 2014) • Farmer's fight with Monsanto reaches the supreme court (Dan Charles, The Salt, 2013) • I’m a farmer and I signed a contract with Monsanto (GLP, 2016)

Discussion 4: – eco-hero or charlatan? Discussion 4 readings • Seeds of doubt (Michael Specter, Annals of Science, 2014) • Seeds of truth (Vandana Shiva, Permaculture News, 2014) • New Yorker editor David Remnick responds to Vandana Shiva criticism of Michael Specter’s profile (David Remnick, , 2014) • The complicated truth behind GMO cotton in India (Mark Lynas, Cornell Alliance for Science, 2018)

Discussion 4 questions • Do you think that there are greater risks or greater benefits from nutrient biofortification of crops by GE methods compared to conventional breeding? Why? • Do you believe that the controversy surrounding GMOs in the Western hemisphere, and especially in Europe, is hurting the potential of biofortified GMO crops like Golden Rice to help the poor? Do you think it is right for Greenpeace and other anti-GMO organizations to dismiss, and in some cases to actively create dissent against Golden Rice and other biofortified GMO crops as sources of nutrition? • After having read the critique and responses to the Specter article in the New Yorker, do you regard Vandana Shiva as a hero or a villain or some of both? Why?

Week 5

Lecture 9: Pesticides and regulation • 9a Pesticide basics: Value and history • 9b Pesticide regulation

Lecture 9 readings • What is 'natural' food? A riddle wrapped in notions of good and evil (Alan Levinovitz, The Salt, 2016) • Tackling toxics (Arlene Blum, Science, 2016) • ‘No justification’ for total ban on neonics, say farm leaders (Farmers Weekly 2018) • How activists hijack regulators and demonize chemicals (Ivo Vegter, Daily Maverick, 2017)

Lecture 10: GMO regulations • 10a GMO crop regulations - overview • 10b GMO crop regulation - details

Lecture 10 readings • How safe does transgenic food need to be? (Laura DeFrancesco, Nature Biotech, 2013) • Is the Bt protein safe for human consumption? (UCbiotech, 2012) • European court suggests relaxed gene-editing rules (Nature 2018) • What Is a Genetically Modified Crop? A European Ruling Sows Confusion (New York Times 2018) • CRISPR plants now subject to tough GM laws in European Union (Nature 2018)

Discussion 5: Pesticide exposure and health Discussion 5 readings • Dietary exposure to pesticide residues from commodities alleged to contain the highest contamination levels (Carl K. Winter and Josh M. Katz, Journal of Toxicology, 2011) • Benefits of pesticides (Purdue University, 2006)

Discussion 5 questions • Why do the authors feel that methodology used by EWG is not scientifically valid? Do you agree? Do you concur with the view of the authors that substituting organic forms of the “Dirty Dozen” commodities for conventional forms will not lead to any measurable consumer health benefit? Why or why not? • Do you believe that pesticides provide significant benefits for people? For the environment? Are there more benefits than harm? Are generalities meaningful? When and why?

Week 6

Lecture 11 readings • RNAi technology (The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2015) • USDA approves modified potato (Andrew Pollack, NY Times, 2014) • These are not your father's GMOs – MIT Tech Rev 2017

Lecture 12 readings • GE tree brief introduction slides (National Research Council, 2016) • GE trees and paralysis in market and regulation (Strauss et al, Science 2015) • Environmentalist urge USDA to reject GE eucalyptus (Washington Post 2017)

Discussion 6 readings • A race to save the orange by altering its DNA (Amy Harmon, , 2013) • Resurrecting a forest (Carl Zimmer, National Geographic, 2013) • Reviving the American forest with the American chestnut (William Powell, TEDx talk, 2013)

Discussion 6 questions • Do you think that investing in genetic engineering to save the orange industry is prudent? Why or why not? Do you think the public will drink orange juice from GM oranges? Would it be different if they are labeled as GM vs. not labeled? How can the orange industry maximize the likelihood that consumers will not reject GM oranges, even though we can be sure that Greenpeace and other anti-GMO groups object to it publicly? • Do you think it is a good idea to release transgenic chestnuts to restore wild forests? What kind of regulatory approval and consultation with the public should be done, if any, beforehand? What would be the concerns of environmentalists? • Do you believe GM trees can be beneficial to natural forests? Do you believe GM trees can provide environmental benefits? Can they provide harms? How can we think about and measure both of these?

Week 7

Lecture 13: Animal biotech and developing world applications • 13a Animal biotech – cloning and GMO methods • 13b Animal biotech case study: GE salmon • 13c Developing world biotech applications (non-biofortification)

Lecture 13 readings • Overview of animal biotechnology (Matthew B. Wheeler, Nature Education, 2013) • Politics holds back genetic engineers (Amy Maxmen, Nature, 2012) • Money and political opposition to GE salmon (Andrew Porterfield, GLP, 2017) • Consumer acceptance of GE animals? The loaded million-dollar question (Cheryl Day, National Hog Farmer, 2017) • Bt-eggplant-in Bangladesh (Cornell Alliance for Science, 2017) • How Western Activists Prevent Africans From Planting a Life-Saving Fruit (Kevin Folta, Real Clear Science, 2017)

Discussion 7: GM salmon and aquaculture pros and cons Discussion 7 readings • Making medicines in transgenic animals (video; University of California, Davis, 2008) • Risk assessment and mitigation of AquAdvantage salmon (ISB report 2010) • GM salmon declared fit for dinner plates (Emily Waltz, Nature Biotechnology, 2016) • The First GMO Fish For Human Consumption Will Be Produced In Indiana (Samantha Horton, Indiana Public Media, 2018)

Discussion 7 questions • What are the kinds of products planned for animal biotech and why? Why use animals to make medicines? • Would GM salmon pose a risk to wild salmon if released into rivers? Why or why not? Under what conditions of release might it be least or most impactful? • What are the arguments for/against GM salmon considering overall sustainability and food safety? • What modifications have been done in animals using gene-editing technology? How can such modifications affect animal health, animal right and animal-based industry? Do you think consumers will reject animals modified with gene-editing technology?

Week 8

Lecture 14: Biofortification • 14a Biofortification background and methods • 14b Biofortification examples

Lecture 14 readings • Biofortification overview (Erick Boy, Field Exchange, 2017) • Golden Rice: The GMO crop Greenpeace hates and humanitarians love (McDivitt, GLP, 2018) • 2016 World Food Prize goes to scientists who developed biofortified sweet potato (Tracie McMillan, GLP, 2016) • Golden Rice moving forward in Philippines (Marlo Asis, Cornell Alliance for Science, 2017) • Golden Rice is safe to eat, says FDA (Nature Biotechnology, 2018)

Lecture 15: Biopharma crops • 15a Biopharma basics and production systems • 15b Biopharma crops - Commercial realities and examples

Lecture 15 readings • Plant-produced biopharmaceuticals: A case of technical developments driving clinical deployment (George P. Lomonossoff and Marc-André D’Aoust, Science, 2016)

Discussion 8: Golden Banana and GMOs “feeding the world?” Discussion 8 readings • How superbananas can heal the world (James Dale, TEDx talk, 2015) • Vitamin A Super Banana in human trials (Emily Waltz, Nature, 2014) • Provitamin A biofortification of crops: A gold rush with many miners Curr Opin Biotech 2017 • GMOs and feeding the world: A myth (J. Foley, M 2017)

Discussion 8 questions • What are the similarities and differences between Golden Banana and Golden Rice? • What are the concerns over Golden Banana? Are they justified? • What is right and wrong about Foley’s essay on feeding the world? (For example, must GMOs feed the world to be useful? Has he set up “straw-man” or ignored the emerging humanitarian applications of GMOs? Is he right about yield or cherry picked data?)

Week 9

Lecture 16: Organic agriculture • 16a Basics and food safety • 16b Environmental benefits and harms

Lecture 16 readings • Is organic really better for the environment than conventional agriculture? (GLP 2017) • Summary of Review 2015: Organic agriculture important option, with benefits for soil and economics • Why small, local organic not key to fixing food system (Washington Post 2017) • Pesticide residues in organic vs. conventional produce – Wash Post 2018

Lecture 17: Gene-pesticide interactions • 17a Pollinators, neonic pesticides, and GMOs • 17c Glyphosate, Roundup resistant crops, and carcinogenicity

Lecture 17 readings • European bee study fuels debate over pesticide ban (Erik Stokstad, Science, 2017) • How activists hijack regulators and demonize chemicals (Ivo Vegter, Daily Maverick, 2017) • Beefing With the World Health Organization's Cancer Warnings (Ed Yong, Atlantic, 2016) • Did Monsanto Ignore Evidence Linking Its Weed Killer to Cancer? (Ebersole, The Nation, 2017)

Discussion 9: Organic agriculture, GM crops, and their effects on the environment Discussion 9 readings • Are college students misled about sustainability of organic ag? (Henry I. Miller, National Review, 2017) • Organic farms not necessarily better for environment (Hanna Tuomisto, University of Oxford, 2012) • Is Organic Farming Better for the Environment? (Steve Savage, GLP, 2017)

Discussion 9 questions • What are the myths or reasons that often lead consumers to support organic farming and prefer organic products? Does the science support them at least in part? • Is organic farming a sustainable agricultural practice? What can we do to promote sustainable farming? Can genetic engineering (GE) be part of it?

Week 10

Lecture 18: Risk perception • 18a Risk Perception basics • 18b Consumer views / risk perception of pesticides and GMOs

Lecture 18 readings • Psychosocial and cultural factors affecting the perceived risk of genetically modified food: an overview of the literature (Melissa L. Finucane and Joan L. Holup, Social Science & Medicine, 2005) • Understanding outrage: how scientists can help bridge the risk perception gap (Elinor R. Blake, Environ Health Perspect., 1995)

Lecture 19: Ethics in agricultural biotechnology • 19a Ethics of ag biotech - frameworks • 19b Ethics of ag biotech – examples and synthesis

Lecture 19 readings • Agricultural ethics issue paper (Agricultural Ethics, CAST, 2005)

Discussion 10: Risk perception across cultures Discussion 10 readings • GMO science denial: The danger of affective risk perception (David Ropeik, Psychology Today, 2016) • Beware of online filters (Eli Pariser, TED talk, 2011) • The widening world of hand-picked truths (George Johnson, The New York Times, 2015)

Discussion 10 questions • Does "emotion-based risk perception" play a more important role in affecting public acceptance of GMO derived food than "the bulk of scientific evidence"? Do you think such emotion-based risk perception system can be harmful? Why? • What is a personal filter bubble? What are the problems with having a personal filter bubble? Are you in one? How to get out of it? • What are the factors that can shape people’s perceptions? Do you think people really believe “hand picked truths” at Johnson suggests in the NY Times? What if anything can be done about it?

Multimedia project –GMO labeling

Readings required for multimedia project • Labeling of genetically modified foods (P. Byrne, D. Pendell, and G. Graff, Colorado State University Extension, 2014) • USDA releases final GMO labeling rules (Joan Conrow, Cornell Alliance for Science, 2018) • What's the most important thing food labels should tell us? (Dan Charles, NPR’s The Salt, 2013) • ‘Gluten-free water’ shows absurdity of trend in labeling what’s absent (Brandon McFadden, The Conversation, 2017) • Survey shows growing distrust of GMO safety. (Capitol Press, 2018)