Hi Frank – thanks for agreeing to talk to our Solvers about your Challenge.  Can you tell us why you posted your Challenge on InnoCentive’s open innovation marketplace?

Sure.  In posting this web Challenge, we are seeking input, not only from plant biologists, but also from experts in seemingly unrelated disciplines.   For example, Solvers with expertise in either prokaryotic or eukaryotic realms of science perhaps such as 1) the regulation, stimulation, and synchronization of cell division,  2) microtubule assembly-disassembly dynamics, 3) regulation and control of chromosome movement, 4) regulation of cell fate, and 4) a medicinal fields such as cancer research (i.e,  reduction of uncontrolled cell division) may have skill sets that are directly applicable to the Challenge.

Could you provide a bit of background about this Challenge? 

As the world’s population expands, the requirement for food and fiber will become ever more important factor in the lives of tens of millions of people.  In this regard, plant breeding programs have focused on the “doubled haploid breeding process” for plant improvement.   Simply said, this plant breeding method involves 1) the creation of haploid cells or plants, 2)  mitotic arrest (i.e., chromosome doubling) in these haploids in order to provide  for fertility in the male and female floral organs, and finally 3)  the creation of seed via self-pollination.  From the perspective of the plant breeder, the generation of completely homozygous doubled haploid seed provides an opportunity to more rapidly and efficiently develop higher yielding varieties.

In spite of the importance of the mitotic arrest process, the chromosome doubling step in the doubled haploid breeding still represents a mixture of both art and science.  In many crop species, the mitotic arrest process and the survival of the resulting seedlings are both still quite problematic.   The complexity of the underlying cellular and organismal biology requires a synthesis of expertise from a wide variety disciplines. 

Why is finding a mitotic arrest agent an important problem for plant sciences?

One of the key elements in the mitotic arrest process is the inhibition of chromosome movement and the resulting formation of a restitution nucleus.  In other words, the mitotic arrest process should lead to a situation where all of the sister chromatids in a haploid (n) mitotic cell become retained within a single nucleus to create the diploid (2n) condition.  

Typically, mitotic arrest agents are used to target the spindle microtubules such that sister chromatids are unable to move to opposite poles within the cell.  This process is complicated by the fact that microtubles also serve a number of other cellular functions (cortical, pre-prophase band, and phramoplast microtubules).  As a consequence of targeting microtubule dynamics, a number of other important cellular functions are thus impacted.  In addition, claims have been made regarding  secondary negative effects of the mitotic arrest agents themselves.  In this regard and while Colchicine has often been used to arrest mitosis in plant cells, it also seems to have a toxic effect on plant survival which limits its utility.

Why did you decide to look to the InnoCentive Solver community in addressing this problem?

Doubled haploid methodology improvement has been an area to active study for the last 50-60 years.  However in spite of these continual efforts, the doubled haploid breeding process remains problematic for most crops.   The Innocentive web-based Challenge system provides a rather unique opportunity to draw attention to the mitotic arrest process and seek input from a scientifically diverse array of solvers.

Do you have any words of wisdom or inspiration about this Challenge to give to our Solvers? 

The mitotic arrest Challenge is a complex problem.  Historically, a narrow community of talented plant biologists have focused their attention on its solution and progress has indeed been made.  However, it’s clear that new perspectives regarding the control of cell division and chromosome movement are needed in order to improve the doubled haploid breeding process.  Clearly, solutions to this Challenge will impact the development of new food varieties for years to come.  Thus, I would encourage Solvers from a wide array of biological disciplines to seriously consider the value that their expertise may provide in solving this Challenge.

Thanks Frank – and good luck with your Challenge.

Thanks.

Hi Don – thanks for taking the time to talk with us.  Can you tell me a bit about your organization?

Sure – happy to be here.  Enterprise Works/VITA is a recognized leader in the transfer of skills and technology through the private sector that offer solutions to low income populations, farmers, entrepreneurs and manufacturers in developing economies. Over the past 35 years EWV has demonstrated that poor households will invest in improving their living conditions if they are offered appropriate products at a price they can afford and that also provide economic benefits.  We are seeking to replicate with rainwater harvesting what we have done with improved cook stoves, manually drilled wells, water filters, treadle pumps and other products, and that is to provide consumers with an affordable solution to a problem facing millions of households.

What are the specific challenges that this solution is expected to address?

The  Challenge seeks to address the over riding constraint that prevents households from benefiting from rainwater harvesting, which is the initial investment in a storage system.  Rain falls just about everywhere and except for the driest places in the world it falls in quantities that are worth harvesting for use, especially when other sources are  unreliable, distant or contaminated.  The quality of rainwater  is generally considered to be good and it is recognized as an improved water source by the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring program for the Millennium Development Goals.  A low cost storage solution has the potential market of millions of clients and can provide benefits to millions of households.

Once the solution is found, how will the new storage systems be produced?

That will depend on the  technology that  is selected and could vary from  mass manufacturing  to local production by small scale entrepreneurs.

Where will this solution be implemented?

Initially the solution will be implemented on a pilot scale in a developing country where there is a significant need for clean water and where the market, environmental, and policy conditions are favorable for large scale uptake of rainwater harvesting by households.  The pilot will demonstrate the  necessary strategies to promote rainwater harvesting and to develop a sustainable supply chain. Based on results from the pilot we will then expand it to other countries.

What appealed to you about the InnoCentive model?

Since we never intended to do this with our own hands, we looked for a company that we felt had the integrity to represent us properly and one that could also deliver a solution to our Challenge.  After discussions with InnoCentive we felt that this was the right fit for us.