Plastomics

Plastomics, an agricultural biotechnology firm established in 2016, is focused on developing a new generation of crops with enhanced traits. The company was co-founded by Dr. Jeffrey Staub and Dr. Ralph Bock, both distinguished scientists in the field of plant molecular biology. Dr. Staub, the Chief Science Officer, has an extensive background in agricultural biotechnology, including over 19 years at Monsanto Company where he was a Science Fellow developing the chloroplast engineering platform. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Rutgers University and postdoctoral work at Yale University. Co-founder Dr. Ralph Bock is a director at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology in Germany and a recognized expert in plant physiology and organelle biotechnology. His research has significantly advanced the understanding of chloroplast genetics.

The core of Plastomics' business is its proprietary chloroplast engineering platform. Unlike traditional genetic modification that targets the cell's nucleus, Plastomics introduces beneficial traits directly into the chloroplasts, the part of the plant cell responsible for photosynthesis. This method allows for a much higher expression of the desired traits because each plant cell contains many chloroplasts. Key benefits of this technology include more effective and durable pest and disease resistance, simplified and faster breeding cycles, and the elimination of trait escape through pollen, which is a significant environmental and regulatory concern. This maternal inheritance of traits can reduce product development timelines by up to two years. The company's business model centers on collaborating with and licensing its technology to multinational seed companies, providing them with a transformative way to develop crops with improved insect resistance, disease control, and other value-added attributes.

Plastomics' primary focus is on major row crops like corn and soybeans. The company is developing traits to combat challenges such as insect resistance to existing commercial traits and the effects of climate change on plant diseases. Its platform enables the stacking of multiple traits within the same plant more efficiently than nuclear-based methods. The St. Louis-based company has secured a total of $12.7 million in funding over seven rounds, including a significant $7.11 million Series A round in November 2021, led by Lewis & Clark AgriFood. Plastomics operates from the Helix Center incubator, with labs and greenhouse operations at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, leveraging the rich ag-tech ecosystem in St. Louis.

Keywords: chloroplast engineering, agricultural biotechnology, crop trait development, plant genetics, seed technology, gene stacking, insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, maternal inheritance, GMO, agtech, corn transformation, soybean traits, plastid transformation, molecular farming, crop improvement, plant biotechnology, trait delivery, St. Louis agtech, sustainable agriculture