b'YASMINE AMBROGIO JOINS EUROSEEDS AS MANAGER OF RESEARCH POLICY AND PROJECT COORDINATIONWITH EXPERTISE IN FOOD LAW AND SUSTAINABILITY, AMBROGIO HELPS EUROSEEDS BRIDGE SCIENCE, REGULATION AND POLICY.SEED WORLD EUROPE (SWE): GIVEN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN FOOD LAW AND SUSTAINABILITY, WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU PROPOSE TO ENHANCE THE INTEGRATION OF LEGAL FRAMEWORKS INTO RESEARCH PROJECTS?YASMINE AMBROGIO (YA): A crucial approach is to integrate legal expertise at the earliest stages of research planning. Involving legal professionals from the beginning ensures that projects are both scientifically sound and compliant with relevant reg-ulatory frameworks. This early collaboration enables researchers to understand what is currently permitted under EU law and to anticipate potential legal chal-lenges or avenues for innovation.Moreover, integrating legal analysis allows for a more balanced and interdisciplinary approach, espe-cially in areas like plant science and biotechnologyYasmine Ambrogiowhere regulatory considerations can significantly shape the feasibility and impact of research outcomes.helps bridge the gap between research and regulation, Legal experts can help translate complex legislationensuring that innovation can move forward within a into actionable guidance for scientists, while alsosupportive legal framework.contributing to policy recommendations groundedIn short, Euroseeds ensures that Horizon in real-world research. Europe projects are well-connected to the realities Finally, fostering collaboration between legalof the seed sector, while also amplifying their impact scholars, scientists, and industry stakeholders, asat policy level.I experienced in the GeneBEcon project, creates a feedback loop that strengthens both the scientific andSWE: WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN regulatory dimensions of innovation. This kind ofRESEARCH AND POLICY IN THE PLANT SECTOR, integration is essential for advancing sustainable andAND HOW DID THAT PATH LEAD YOU TO THE legally sound solutions in the plant and seed sectors. SEED SECTOR? YA: My interest in research and policy in the plant SWE: CAN YOU SHARE INSIGHTS ON HOWsector and the seed sector developed during my EUROSEEDS CAN EFFECTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TOmasters studies in Food Quality and Safety at the HORIZON EUROPE PROJECTS, PARTICULARLYUniversity of Bayreuth. The program offered a unique IN TERMS OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTcombination of natural sciences and EU food law, AND POLICY IMPACT? which sparked my curiosity about how scientific YA: Euroseeds plays a vital role as both a bridge andinnovation is translated into policy and practice. QUICKFIREthe voice of the seed sector in Horizon Europe pro- This interest deepened while writing my mastersQUESTIONSjects. Our strength lies in theclose collaborationthesis at the Chair of Food Law at the University with our members, national associations and seedof Bayreuth, where I had the opportunity to exploreCoffee or tea? companies, who bring deep, practical knowledge ofthe regulatory landscape of wine more closely. MyCoffee.the sector. By actively involving them in project dis- involvement there led to an invitation to join the cussions, we ensure that their insights, needs, andGeneBEcon project, where I worked on the regula- What EU regulation concerns are reflected in the research agenda. tory aspects of new genomic techniques. do you secretlyThis bottom-up engagement allows us to pro- Through this project, I engaged with variousfind fascinating? vide realistic, industry-grounded input that helpsconsortium partners, including the Euroseeds team.Plant reproductive shape project objectives. It also aids the outcomes ofThis experience was eye-opening: it highlighted thematerial.Horizon Europe projects, so that they are not onlycrucial role that the seed industry plays in shaping scientifically sound but also relevant and applicableand implementing policy. I came to appreciate howBooks orto the seed industry. industry perspectives can enrich research projects andpodcasts forMoreover, Euroseeds contributes to the policyensure that policy frameworks are both scientificallystaying informed? impact of these projects by translating technicalsound and practically viable. This is how I found mySeed World Europefindings into policy-relevant messages and engag- path into the seed sector, where science, policy, andof course!ing with EU institutions and regulatory bodies. Thisinnovation converge. 30ISEED WORLD EUROPEISEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE | SEPTEMBER 2025'