U.S. Sen. Kit Bond greeted a crowd of scientists, professors and community members for the opening of the National Center for Soybean Biotechnology at MU on Thursday.
The center is on the second floor of the new Life Sciences Center. Speakers at the opening said they think research done at the center could lead to larger crop yields, new plant-based medicines and domestically manufactured energy sources.
Bond said he first heard about biotechnology when soybean and corn farmers approached him.
After discovering MU’s commitment to this research, Bond learned of plans for a national facility and urged Congress to locate it at MU.
“Missouri has moved from somewhere way in the back to the finest place to do soybean research,” he said.
Dale Ludwig, executive director and chief executive officer of the Missouri Soybean Association, also noted the progress possible with the center.
“This is a huge day for life sciences research in the state of Missouri,” he said in a release. “This congressional designation puts Missouri at the head of the pack in the area of life sciences.”
More information is available the National Center for Soybean Biotechnology Web site.