Dr James Lloyd from the Institute for Plant Biotechnology (IPB) attended the 2016 Frontiers 2nd Editors' Summit in Champéry, Switzerland. He helps run the Plant Biotechnology section of Frontiers in Plant Science, the largest open access journal in the world that specialises in plant biology. Frontiers is a community-rooted publisher, containing several highly cited journals on its Open Science platform. The editors' summit brought together over 40 Frontiers editors from around the world to present their work and discuss issues surrounding academic open access publishing and the scientist' role in solving current global problems, with the ultimate goal of global sustainability. A summary of the outcomes of the panel discussions has been published at the editor's summit on the Frontier blog. Dr Lloyd also discussed his research work on starch metabolism and the potential role of GM crops to modify starch inside the plant, prior to industry use.
Dr Lloyd was also interviewed about science and sustainability, during which his views on current global issues and how industry and research can work together to build a sustainable global future were recorded. He specifically commented on the increase in the global population, which will reach approximately 9 billion people by 2050 and will dictate increased food production on less land. Dr Lloyd was quoted as saying: "In terms of agriculture biotechnology we can make crops that can be used by small-scale farmers to produce higher yields and therefore give people a better life whilst still producing more food for the population as a whole". The complete Frontiers video, including Dr Lloyd's contribution, created for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, can be viewed on the Frontier blog.
