In a Parisian library, Chris and Shauna Somerville poured over scientific tomes.
It was 1978, and the two young scientists were searching for an area where they could make an impact on a rapidly changing world. The Third Agricultural Revolution, better known as the Green Revolution, was underway, where new advancements in technology changed the way we feed the world.
Chris had just finished his Ph.D. studying E. coli, a model organism that's extensively studied to help scientists understand the intricacies of biology. Shauna had completed an MS in plant breeding, and had a clear understanding of the challenges involved in improving plant productivity and quality. They were searching for areas to research next.
When they stumbled upon George Rédei's research on a plant species called Arabidopsis thaliana, they knew they hit gold.