AI Technology Once Used In Cancer Research Now Develops 'Plant Vaccines' For Cannabis Viroids

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Massachusetts, Verne Bioanalytics is a leading biotech firm focusing on pathogen and genetic testing. The company assists small and large farmers in the cannabis, wine and hemp industries to mitigate risk and increase productivity using artificial intelligence and mail-delivered test kits.

In an exclusive interview with Benzinga Cannabis, Nathan Johnson, CEO of Verne Bioanalytics, shared his journey into the cannabis sector. With dual PhDs in genetic engineering and applications, Johnson started his career in cancer research at Harvard Medical School.

Technological Advantage: AI Vs. Pathogens

Verne Bio leverages AI and advanced programming to enhance its testing capacity. According to Johnson, their ability to test for multiple diseases simultaneously, far exceeding industry standards, sets them apart. "We can test for 16 different targets at once within one of our test reactions, whereas the normal limit is six. The reason why we're able to do that is we use AI and data analysis to improve that speed of innovation."

The use of AI allows Verne Bio to streamline complex processes and reduce the amount of experimentation needed.

In terms of hardware, Verne Bio integrates various tools and equipment to support its AI-driven approach. "We use different tools that we can apply, some of them that we own, some of them we've developed, and some of them we have partnered with. Whether it's a light company, nutrient company, or chemical company, we use what we can to handle the problem," Johnson said. This combination of proprietary and partnered technology ensures comprehensive and effective pathogen management.

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Johnson talked about their ongoing innovation in developing products to eliminate pathogens from plants, akin to a plant vaccine, which significantly shortens the time required to clean up plant strains.

"We are developing products to kill or get rid of the same pathogens that we test for. So you have a virus that's in your plant, how do you get rid of it? There's nothing in the market that exists that will kill that virus within that plant. You have to kill the plant. But what happens if that strain is extremely important for your operation?"

Johnson explained that the solution lies in their advanced technology, which targets and destroys pathogens without harming the plant. "Our approach is essentially a plant vaccine that targets and destroys viruses and viroids through an injection in a tissue culture setting. This method significantly shortens the cleanup time for plant strains from six months to a year to much less." 

In short, the "plant vaccine" is an easy way to explain their special method of protecting plants from harmful pathogens, keeping them healthy and productive.

Enhancing Output And Reducing Risk

Johnson explained how Verne Bio's solutions help increase output and reduce risks for cultivators. The company employs a proactive approach to cultivation, using AI to continually monitor plants and prevent infections.

"Using AI you can reduce your labor and increase how often you view the plant," he noted, and mentioned clients reported a 30-40% increase in output and substantial reductions in plant losses due to mold and mildew.

"We had one client that had to throw away 300 pounds of cannabis just because they had a mold infection that was completely detectable and completely preventable," he told Benzinga

The subscription model Verne Bio offers is designed to be cost-effective for growers. "It would be 10% of the amount that they would have lost or the improvement they would have got overall." 

Mail-Based Services And Products

Verne Bio offers a range of services, including plant-specific testing, microbial compliance restoration and genetic crop steering.

With services accessible to both small and large growers, Verne Bio operates nationwide in the U.S. The company is in discussions to license their technology to labs in Europe.

Their flexible structure allows for efficient mail-based sample testing, facilitating collaboration with clients across different regions.

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Photo: AI-generated image.