Marc, Baron Van Montagu (born 10 November 1933 inGhent) is aBelgianmolecular biologist. He was full professor and director of the Laboratory of Genetics at the faculty of Sciences atGhent University (Belgium) and scientific director of the genetics department of theFlanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB). Together withJozef Schell he founded the biotech companyPlant Genetic Systems Inc. (Belgium) in 1982, of which he was scientific director and member of the board of directors. Van Montagu was also involved in founding the biotech companyCropDesign, of which he was a board member from 1998 to 2004. He is president of the Public Research and Regulation Initiative (PRRI).
Van Montagu and his colleagues were credited with the discovery of theTi plasmid.[1] They described the gene transfer mechanism betweenAgrobacterium and plants, which resulted in the development of methods to alterAgrobacterium into an efficient delivery system for gene engineering and to createtransgenic plants.[2] They developed plantmolecular genetics, in particular molecular mechanisms for cell proliferation and differentiation and response toabiotic stresses (high light,ozone,cold,salt anddrought) and constructed transgenic crops (tobacco,rape seed,corn) resistant toinsect pest and tolerant to novelherbicides. His work withpoplar trees resulted in engineering of trees with improvedpulping qualities.
After his retirement as director of the Laboratory of Genetics at Ghent University, Marc Van Montagu created IPBO - International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB-Ghent University, with the mission to foster biotechnological solutions to global agriculture. In 2015 IPBO launched the “Marc and Nora Van Montagu (MNVM) Fund” with focus onsustainable agriculture and agro-industry to the African continent.
Van Montagu has been a foreign associate of theUnited States National Academy of Sciences since 1986, the agricultural Academy of Russia and France, theAcademy of Engineering of Sweden, the Italian Academy of Sciences dei X, the Brazilian Academy of Science, and the Third World Academy of Sciences. He holds eightDoctor Honoris Causa Degrees. In 1990 he was granted the title ofBaron byBaudouin of Belgium. His awards include:[citation needed]
