Kazuo WATANABE

Prof. Kazuo N. Watanabe is a professor on plant genetic resources with IPR issues, biosafety and bioethics research at Gene Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Japan (2001-present). He also has a part-time service to Bioversity International as an honorary research fellow for providing his scientific areas on plant genetics and biotechnology including biosafety and IPR aspects for developing countries. After completing his Ph.D. at University of Wisconsin-Madison on plant breeding and plant genetics, Dr. Watanabe had worked on germplasm enhancement of tuber-bearing Solanum species with biotechnology applications for Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP), Lima, Peru. He was seconded to the Department of Plant Breeding at Cornell University, USA as an adjunct assistant professor for shuttle research on Solanaceae molecular genetics. He also had an advisorship to ISAAA for biotechnology transfer to the developing countries. He returned to Japan and become an associate professor at at Kinki University, Japan where he emphasized transgenic crops and biosafety associated with environmental risk to plant genetic diversity. Since his return to Japan, Dr. Watanabe has been serving to Japanese government on negotiation sessions at Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the partner developing countries on plant genetic resources /biotechnology associated issues on CBD and FAO-IT. Kazuo has also been serving as a technical review expert on plant genetic resources projects in several developing countries and global PGR program under Japan International Cooperation Agency since 1996. Presently, he serves as an associate editor for several scientific journals, research review board member on NIAS, GILSP committee member at METI and also serve as a committee member at Japan Bioindustry Association. Prof. Watanabe is also affiliated with Cornell University and Institute of Advanced Studies of United Nations University as adjunct professor on multi-disciplinary research activities on plant genetic resources and biotechnology such as biodiplomacy.

a. Molecular genetic and cytogenetic studies for conservation and for genetic diversity of underutilized species emphasizing polyploidy species
b. Production of transgenic plants and environmental biosafety assessment of transgenic plants with respect to the biological / genetic diversity
c. Sustainable germplasm enhancement of the genetic resources with biotechnology applications emphasizing polysomic polyploid species
d. Application of GM trees for alleviating environmental problems
e. Multidisciplinary biodiplomacy studies associated with plant genetic diversity, biotechnology, biosafety, intellectual property, access and benefit sharing, and bioethics withemphasis on socio-economic and development aspects oriented to policy recommendation and setting frameworks and planning on plant genetic resources and biotechnology R&D.