A Conversation with Marc Van Montagu

Marc Van Montagu, President of the European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB) and former Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Ghent, talks about his life and career with Joanne Chory, Professor of Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Dr. Van Montagu recounts how he went from studying chemistry to discovering the gene transfer mechanism from Agrobacterium to plants, which opened the door to gene engineering and the creation of transgenic plants. Through the EFB and the Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach, of which he is the founder and chairman, Dr. Montagu is now dedicated to educating the general public and informing political leaders about the necessity of using science and plant engineering to prepare a sustainable future for the planet and its growing population.