Dr. Donald MacKenzie is the Executive Director of the Institute for International Crop Improvement (IICI) at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
He manages the IICI’s programs and partnerships dedicated to delivering precision genetics technologies to meet the most significant food and nutritional security challenges faced by smallholder farmers everywhere. Don also provides guidance on navigating through the practical, safety and regulatory processes necessary to demonstrate that new crop varieties are proven safe and effective for the farmers who will benefit from them.
Don is an international expert in regulatory systems for agriculture, including environmental risk assessment, biosafety and food safety assessments. His extensive experience in plant product development and global regulatory processes aligns with the Institute’s commitment to collaborate with international and local partner organizations to deliver crops with improved nutritional content and disease resistance to places where people are in most need. In addition to feeding the hungry, these efforts have the potential to contribute to environmental health and empower farmers to become more self-sufficient.
Dr. MacKenzie received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of British Columbia and has served in various leadership roles in the Canadian Federal Government, the agricultural biotechnology industry, and in public sector research and development organizations.
