Arcadia Biosciences, an agricultural biotechnology company focused on products that benefit the environment and human health, today announced that it has named Vic Knauf, Ph.D., to the post of chief scientific officer.

Dr. Knauf brings more than 25 years of experience in agricultural research, development, and product commercialization to Arcadia. He was a founder of Anawah, Inc. (formerly Tilligen, Inc.) and held senior science positions with Monsanto Company and Calgene Inc. In these roles Dr. Knauf directly managed multimillion-dollar R&D projects funded by numerous corporate partners, including food, pharmaceutical, and chemical companies. These research projects each involved the coordinated efforts of biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, and conventional plant breeding. He is the named inventor on 29 U.S. patents and the author of more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He earned his B.S. in biology from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Washington.
"Vic is a world-class scientist who has proven his ability to turn basic research into revenue-generating products," said Eric Rey, President of Arcadia. "He will be intensely focused on bringing the products in our pipeline to market and on the identification of new technologies."

Arcadia's current pipeline includes six technologies that either protect the environment or improve human health. The company expects to launch its first product, GLA-enriched safflower oil, to the nutritional supplement market in 2008. Other technologies include higher-yielding plants that use less nitrogen fertilizer, salt-tolerant plants, and fresh produce with high levels of antioxidants such as lycopene. These products are being developed using both genetic engineering and non-GMO advanced breeding technologies.

Based in Davis, California, Arcadia Biosciences is an agricultural biotechnology company focused on the development of agricultural products that improve the environment and enhance human health.