Solanum Genomics International Inc.

Corporate profile BioAtlantech is the majority shareholder of Solanum Genomics International Inc. (SGII). John Argall is the Chief Executive Officer and he brings to the company over twenty-five years of experience in the agricultural sector, acquired through a varied set of positions of increasing responsibility in academic, public and private organizations.

Dr. Vicki Gustafson (http://www.cpgp.ca/team/personnel.html#vgustafson) is the Research Director for SGII. Vicki has over twenty years of experience in plant tissue culture and transformation in both academic and corporate environments. Dr. Gustafson received her Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and, prior to joining SGII, she worked with the Canadian Potato Genome Project (www.cpgp.ca). Before moving to New Brunswick, she worked with the Insect Resistance Team at Pioneer Hi-Bred International in Johnston, Iowa, doing high-throughput transformation corn and was instrumental in the development of a promising line of insect-resistant corn.

Vicki works with two accomplished research associates: Charlotte Rothwell and Diane Moores Hallett, who add many years of expertise in molecular biology, gene discovery and plant transformation. The group also benefits from the input of an extremely knowledgeable former employee, Dr. Barry Flinn (http://www.ialr.org/research/Flinn.html), who is an advisor to the firm.

Core business Incorporated in 1999, SGII is a privately held biotechnology company specializing in potato genomics research and development. Headquartered in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, the company employs and further develops genomics and bioinformatics for the discovery of commercially valuable genes and the understanding of their function in the plant. The company is currently working on:

• Developing a platform for "green transformation", in view of producing superior potatoes with high consumer acceptance.
• Working on a suite of candidate genes for disease resistance and quality traits, with several private and public partners.
• Improving the potato's ability to be a vehicle for recombinant therapeutic molecules.

Alliance potential SGII is interested in establishing alliances with companies within the agriculture, biotech and food industries seeking access to promising discoveries for the commercialization of novel products. SGII is also keen on establishing collaborative links with research groups within institutional and academic laboratories to enable technology transfer and sharing of know-how.

The firm also has all the necessary capabilities and a proven track record to undertake plant transformation and gene library construction.

For more information on Solanum Genomics International Inc., please contact us.