CHENNAI: Rooting for genetically modified crops and supporting genetic mutation, Nobel laureate and structural biologist Venki Ramakrishnan urged the government to invest in genetic crops so as to not let private companies monopolise it.
Saif Ali Khan Health Update
He was responding to a student’s question on genetic mutation, during his speech on his research on ribosomes and a scientist’s role in creation of covid vaccines at the Asian College of Journalism here on Friday.
“Many gene crops are being produced by multinational companies which can lead to monopolistic practices. Instead, governments, including the Indian government through agricultural research labs, can generate their own crop varieties.
Crops can be modified to become more drought tolerant, pest tolerant so we can stop using chemical pesticides or fertilisers and maintain the nutritional value of the crops. Crops like rice and millet can be made more nutritious. Population in India is only set to increase. Genetic mutation and scientists are the solution instead of a few multinational companies.”
Venki Ramakrishnan said that in order to understand drugs and how they merged with the system, we need to understand the structure of the ribosome and more research on ribosomes was needed to create better antibiotics.
“Up until 3 years ago no one knew what mRNA meant, but after Covid we know it is integral to the making of the vaccines. The ribosome reads the mRNA which is a particular copy of DNA and links the tRNA together to form amino acids, which then make proteins.
These proteins create immunity which is used in antibiotics. We need to know more about ribosome research to create better antibiotics.” he added.Venki Ramakrishnan’s ‘The race to decipher the secrets of the ribosome’ was translated into Tamil and was released at the event. Also present at the event were the translators Professor Sargunam Stephan and G Kuppusamy.
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