Challenges and hurdles in genomics-based innovation
Hurdles in innovation
The genetic material of microbial organisms has become an advantageous source for novel leads in innovation for companies active in food- and pharmaceutical ingredients, materials and chemicals. But applying novel genomics techniques in the production of food ingredients and products is still seen as problematic due to a perceived association with genetic modification (GM).
This project will analyse the challenges for successful innovation related to genomics and GM-derived ingredients for food products. It will analyse identified hurdles in detail, focusing on the role of external social factors such as public acceptance and regulation. A detailed analysis will be performed on a number of cases of promising leads for products that have not (yet) reached the market. Our aim is to learn from promising product developments of the past and to establish in which way public perception or other social issues have influenced innovation. Hopefully, we can use this knowledge to complement other innovation improvement trajectories and to test the hypothesis that improved mutual understanding of the issues at stake and improved exchange of information of such issues in interaction (i.e. communication exchanges) provide a basis for more socially-robust product development.