New research center will cryogenically preserve endangered trees

From The University of Guelph's Plant Health News Feed:

Dr. Praveen Saxena’s recent work in conjunction with the new Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation (GRIPP) at the University of Guelph was featured front-page of the Globe and Mail today. It highlights the work that Saxena and plant agriculture professor Al Sullivan’s research team are doing in the field of plant preservation. Their research at the GRIPP facility focuses on the development and perfection of technologies used to preserve endangered tree species, including the American Elm, Chestnut and Ash.

The article coincides with an announcement of the creation of a cryopreservation facility with a new $2-million donation from the founders of the Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation (GRIPP), Phillip and Susan Gosling. The Goslings are long-time supporters of the Arboretum at the University of Guelph, and more recently plant preservation research in the Department of Plant Agriculture through the establishment of GRIPP in 2012 with a previous $1.5 M donation.

The new facility will be focused on research to conserve rare and endangered Canadian native tree species and is based on success Praveen’s group has had in developing methods to clone American elm trees that appear to be resistant to the Dutch elm disease .

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