The anti-biotech movement has a new hero: scientist Terje Traavik of the Norwegian Institute of Gene Ecology. In the Biodiversity Convention conference in Malaysia last month, Traavik presented a pilot study which points to risks inherent to process of genetic engineering.

Not surprisingly, he has already come under scathing attack from industry-supportive scientists. I found the attack against him in the Life Sciences Network web site particularly biased and even abusive. Other scientists that have antagonized the biotech industry with their findings have been through similar treatment, the cases of Ignacio Chapela, Arpad Pusztai and Mae Wan Ho come to mind.

Not one to be easily bullied, Traavik has already responded to his critics. We'll follow this scientific spat closely in the days to come.