Keith Walker, PhD
With over 40 years in agricultural biotechnology, Dr. Walker’s career spans the development of the field. This veteran of the gene editing industry was instrumental in transforming the Plant and Industrial Products Division of ValiGen, which he headed, into what is now Cibus. Retiring as Cibus CEO in 2014, Dr. Walker started Valley Oils to focus on delivering healthy, non-GMO oils and meals for the food, feed, and industrial products industries.
Prior to starting Cibus, Dr. Walker worked at Agrigenetics before it was acquired by Mycogen, after which he held a variety of management positions at Mycogen. He was also a co-founder, director, and vice president of research at Plant Genetics, Inc. (PGI). Before founding PGI, Dr. Walker served in a variety of research roles with Monsanto.
Dr. Walker is former chairman of the Gordon Conference in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture and was also associate editor of Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture Journal. He received a PhD in Biology from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Wooster.