Plant ETP at the 17th ISBR Symposium: Building Trust in Bio Innovation
3rd of November 2025 – Plant ETP took part in the 17th International Society for Biosafety Research (ISBR) Symposium in Ghent, where Executive Manager Germán Vighi delivered a presentation on strengthening public trust and support for bio‑innovation, with a particular focus on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) and plant science communication.
During the session, German shared recent insights on societal perceptions of plant innovation, highlighting how communication gaps continue to shape public understanding and acceptance of new technologies in the agri‑food sector.
Understanding Perceptions and Addressing Knowledge Gaps
Survey findings presented at the symposium reveal an important trend: while public support for certain government measures remains high, understanding of the scientific concepts behind plant innovation is still limited. This includes misconceptions about topics such as the presence of DNA in food or the nature of genome‑edited crops.
These insights point to the need for clear, accessible, and evidence‑based communication, a central message of German’s presentation. He emphasized that strengthening coordinated communication efforts is essential to bridging the knowledge gap and fostering trust in innovation.
A significant focus was also placed on the role of early‑career researchers, whose engagement is key to ensuring that scientific voices are heard and valued in public discussions.
Plant ETP’s Commitment to Dialogue and Transparency
Through its multi‑stakeholder platform, Plant ETP continues to connect researchers, industry, policymakers, and society. Projects such as the GeneBEcon EU project support this mission by promoting informed societal dialogue and contributing to science‑based policymaking for NGTs and agri‑food systems.
Plant ETP’s work aims to reinforce trust, transparency, and understanding, which are critical ingredients for driving responsible innovation in Europe’s plant and agricultural sectors.
Acknowledgements
We extend our thanks to the International Society for Biosafety Research (ISBR) for the invitation to contribute to this year’s symposium. Special appreciation goes to Fan‑Li Chou and Jennifer Anderson for their collaboration and to all the inspiring experts working to advance plant science. A special thank‑you also to Petra Jorasch (PhD) for facilitating the connection with the ISBR team and supporting Plant ETP’s involvement.
Full presentation is available at the members hub.
