ISF welcomes new Regulatory Affairs Manager
The International Seed Federation (ISF) is pleased to welcome Dr Khaoula Belhaj-Fragnière as its new Regulatory Affairs Manager. She brings 15 years of experience in the fields of agricultural innovation, private sector and government affairs.
Previously she served as government officer within the Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, and then later worked as Senior Regulatory Scientist -Scientific Regulatory Affairs & Standards for Philip Morris International. In her role at the FOEN, she was responsible for law adaptation projects related to regulation of new biotechnologies and synthetic biology. She also represented the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment in the United Nations (Biodiversity convention) and in the European Food Security Authority (EFSA, GMO panel).
As a member of the ISF Technical Group, she will be in charge of the Coordination Groups for Plant Breeding Innovation, Seed Marketing, and the Advisory Group for Vegetable and Ornamentals. She will also work closely with the OECD Seed Schemes, UPOV, and other international bodies to further ISF’s Key Strategic Objectives.
Khaoula has a degree in Agronomical Engineering-Plant Production & Seed Biotechnology, a Master in Agronomy & Plant Breeding, a PhD in Biology from the University of Fribourg-Switzerland (2009) and a Foundation for Business Leadership Certificate from the IMD Business School (2018) in Lausanne.
Let’s get to know her better!
1. How did you gain an interest in plant production and biotechnology?
I was fascinated by scientific books and documentaries ever since I was a kid. During my engineering studies at the National Institute of Agronomy, Tunis, I was inspired by the fact that many discoveries were primarily made in plants before they were uncovered in animals or humans. The first geneticist was a plant biologist, Gregor Mendel and last year, the world of genetics celebrated his 200th anniversary. Mendel was the first geneticist to define the laws of genetics, and many do not realize that. Also, I never really liked working with animals or humans, so a career as a plant specialist was obvious for me.
“I was inspired by the fact that many discoveries were primarily made in plants before they were uncovered in animals or humans.”
After my graduation as an engineer in plant production and seed biotechnology, I moved to Switzerland to deepen my knowledge in plant breeding at the ETH Zurich. My interest in plant biotechnology grew even further with my PhD in molecular plant microbes’ interaction at the University of Fribourg and my postdoc time at the Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL), Norwich, UK. During my time at TSL, I had amazing colleagues and an inspiring mentor who was passionate, creative, and extremely supportive. I worked on a variety of crops (e.g. wheat, maize, tomato, potato, etc.) and used several research toolboxes among those are double haploid production, genomics, transcriptomics, genome editing, etc. As I moved to other positions in the regulatory authority and in fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) industry in Switzerland, I acquired different perspectives to plant-based products for food, feed, environmental and medicinal use. I realized how complex it is to regulate these types of products from an authority perspective but also how challenging for the industry sector to fully comply to the various standards and regulations to place their products on the marketplace.
2. What are your hobbies/passions outside work?
I love hiking, skiing and swimming. I am fortunate to live in Switzerland close to Geneva’s Lake and to the Swiss Alps. Nature is home for me, and I need to be out in nature to get revitalized and recharged after work. I enjoy playing with my daughters, baking cakes over the weekends, and listening to music.
3. Which book did you enjoy reading the most this year?
Books related to evolutionary biology and to science are my favorites. For example, I enjoyed reading this year, “Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus” by David Quammen. It is in the context of the Covid pandemic and the main character in this tale is the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. I enjoyed the detective tale about worldwide scientific quest to decipher the coronavirus origin, understanding how it mutates and how to respond to it.
4. What’s your favorite city in the world?
London is my favorite city because of its vibrant energy, diverse culture, and rich history. I love the architecture of the iconic Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and enjoy walking in the cobbled streets and by the river Thames. London offers something for everyone’s taste with its mix of art galleries, museums, music venues, theater and bars and restaurants. It also reminds me of the great time spent in Norwich.
5. What are you most looking forward to in your role at ISF?
As I embark on my new journey at ISF, I am filled with enthusiasm and anticipation of the opportunities that await me. I feel privileged to work with an exceptional ISF team, a team of professionals who are passionate about their work. I am also eager to work with the diverse group of people from ISF members around the world as well as the various stakeholders around the seed sector. I am really excited to collaborate with them and learn from their experience.
The role of seeds in fostering food security and heathy nutrition and mitigating of climate change is fundamental. Seed innovation, seed health, seed trading and movements are at the heart of the equation. In my new role at ISF, I hope we can work together hand in hand with the ISF team, ISF members and other relevant stakeholders to address the challenges that the seed sector is facing and to contribute to ISF success.
“The role of seeds in fostering food security and heathy nutrition and mitigating of climate change is fundamental. I am filled with enthusiasm and anticipation of the opportunities that await me.”
To know more about Khaoula, you may connect with her on Twitter as @Belhaj_Khaoula and on LinkedIn.
