Feb 22, 2022

Scientists named to science advisory board for bioherbicide startup, Harpe

Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions, Inc., a startup company with a focus on natural and sustainable herbicide solutions, recently expanded its scientific advisory board.

Stephen Powles, Ph.D, Adrian Percy, Ph.D. and Wesley Everman, Ph.D – leaders in the field of agronomic research, herbicide resistance and crop protection product development – will provide support and guidance, according to a news release from the company. Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions, which recently obtained $3M in financing, continues to advance research and development and strengthen its intellectual property portfolio established on a series of plant-based herbicidal active compounds.
Here are some biographies of the scientists as provided by Harpe:

Stephen Powles is one of the world’s most highly cited plant scientists. His expertise ranges from the fundamental science on the evolution and molecular basis of herbicide resistance, through to applied agronomic research and management. Powles has strongly influenced Australian and international thinking on sustainable herbicide usage by reducing herbicide reliance and increasing diversity in agro-ecosystems. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Science & Engineering, and received the Australian Centenary Medal for his service to plant production. In 2017 he became the first Australian to win the American Chemical Society International Award for Research in Agrochemicals. The award is given to a scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the field of agrochemicals at the international level, with their vision and sustained contribution having opened new horizons for investigators in their field and beyond. As a former director of the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, Powles was recognized for his long-standing research contribution to identifying the role of cytochrome P450 enzymes in endowing herbicide resistance in plants.

Adrian Percy has more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural sector and is a strong proponent of the development and adoption of new agricultural technologies that support global food security while conserving the environment and supporting rural community development. Percy is the inaugural Executive Director of the NC Plant Sciences Initiative (NC PSI) at North Carolina State University. The NC PSI aims to exploit inter-disciplinary science and technology through public private partnerships to advance the plant sciences to the benefit of growers, consumers, and other food chain stakeholders. In addition, he is a faculty member in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University. Before joining NC State, he served as the Chief Technology Officer of UPL Ltd and was previously the Head of Research and Development for the Crop Science division of Bayer and part of their executive committee.

Wesley Everman is an Associate Professor and Extension Weed Specialist at North Carolina State University working in corn, soybean, and small grains weed control. He leads field, greenhouse, and laboratory research on weed biology, physiology, and control. Everman has expertise in conducting research trials under GLP, analyzing data, and summarizing/publishing results and has presented research results extensively at regional, national, and international conferences.

“It is an honor for us to be working with Stephen, Adrian and Wesley,”  Chad Brommer, chief technology officer of Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions, said in the news release. “This is a world-renowned group of scientific leaders that share our vision and truly appreciate the need to translate innovation into commercially viable products. Harpe is dedicated to achieving significant improvements in weed control, principally by introducing novel biological herbicides that can sustainably expand organic acres while overcoming the challenges presented by current synthetic herbicide resistance, and their involvement will help make this a reality.”

Learn more about Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions, Inc. at harpebio.com.