SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foresight Science & Technology, Inc. (Foresight) has received a Phase I SBIR grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture to further develop a novel biologically-based method to manage invasive and native pest ant populations, primarily invasive, imported red fire ants. If successful, the grant will provide proof of concept for the use of a naturally-occurring, species-specific commercial control method to prevent the spread of fire ants that is based on biologically active compounds identified and chemically recreated by Dr. Tappey Jones of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI).
The principal investigator for Foresight, Dr. Satya Chinta, will be conducting the research in collaboration with Dr. Robert Vander Meer at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facility in Gainesville, Florida. The Foresight interaction with the USDA-ARS is supported by a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) and by collaboration with VMI and the VMI Foundation.
Foresight Science & Technology, Inc. is a California domiciled technology commercialization consulting company that was founded in 1980. Since then, Foresight has specialized in accelerating the transition of early-stage technologies into the market as an innovative leader in the evolving field of tech transfer and commercialization. In the process, it has grown into a global company with offices in Boston, San Francisco, Oxford (England) and Singapore. For further information about Foresight and this project, please contact Norton Kaplan by telephone at 1-401-354-1342 or by email at: Norton.kaplan@foresightst.com.
