Introduction to my research
Introduction
Genetically modified crops prompted one of the most significant controversies in the development of contemporary science and technology, particularly in the UK and Europe. The introduction of pest resistant and herbicide tolerant crop varieties was derailed by a series of public and NGO protests, prompting an unprecedent exercise in public consultation and large scale field experiments. This first wave of genetically modified crops has been joined by further generations, one of which concentrates using GM varieties to produce of recombinant biological pharmaceuticals.
My research examines the challenges involved in negotiating the relationship between agricultural and pharmaceutical biotechnologies. It addresses how ‘biopharming’ becomes associated with medical or ‘red’ biotechnology. Far from being a simple process, I show how this involves three steps. The first is the establishment of biopharming as part of the promise and potential of pharmaceutical research, and distanced from the contentious tradition of agricultural development. Secondly, I examine how the products of biopharming are equated to those of existing pharmaceutical production and differentiated from those of agriculture, particularly foods. Finally, I consider how making genetically modified plants medical involves a reconfiguration of the spaces of both agricultural and pharmaceutical production.
The sources drawn on in my doctoral research are a series of repeated focus group meetings with members of the public which situated biopharming in a context of food, medicine and other developments in biotechnology, interviews with researchers involved in the development of the technology, and a comprehensive review of research and regulatory literature on molecular farming.
While my thesis is in the process of going through the final drafting stages, you can see 'Wordles' of the empirical chapters here, for Chapters 2,4,5 and 6. You may not yet be able to read the thesis, but you can get a gist of its focus. And they're nice pictures.
Publications and Presentations
Milne, R. (2009) Public Attitudes to Molecular Farming in the UK Agbioforum 11(2)
Forthcoming
“Nature and Novelty in Molecular Farming” chapter for "Genomics and Nature: Theories, Concepts and Practices", edited by Sarah Parry (Innogen, Edinburgh) and John Dupre (Egenis, Exeter) and scheduled for publication in Spring/Summer 2009.
2008
“Greenhouses, GURTs and GMP: Controlling Pharmaceutical Producing Plants”, paper presented at
Royal Geographical Society-Institute of British Geographers conference, London
“Of Greenhouses and GMP: Finding a Space for Molecular Farming”, paper given at 4S/EASST conference, Rotterdam
“Between Red and Green: Placing the Publics of Molecular Farming” invited paper at CESAGen, University of Lancaster, UK
“Past, Presents and Projects of Molecular Farming” Paper presented at the British Sociological Association conference, Warwick, UK
2007
“Public Attitudes to Molecular Farming in the UK”, poster presented at the Plant Based Vaccines and Adjuvants Conference, Verona, Italy
2006
“Red, Green, or In-between?” Paper presented at the Postgraduate “Science and the Public”
conference, Imperial College London, UK
“I know it’s only GMO but I like it. A tale of two biotechnologies and the public” presentation to the Postgraduate Life Sciences and Society Network, LSE, uk
In addition, I have presented within UCL, to the STS Department Research Day and Work in Progress Seminars, IHGH interdisciplinary review meetings and the Geography department's Environment and Society Research Unit.