A Californian bioprospecting company that has previously cast its net in developing countries is now turning its attention to Canada.

Diversa of San Diego announced its latest plan at the World Indigenous Peoples conference, held last week in Kelowna, Canada. The company could face significant opposition in a nation where suspicion of bioprospecting runs deep, especially among indigenous people.

The company has already worked in Costa Rica, Indonesia, Kenya and South Africa. It retreated from its project in Mexico after tribes objected to other bioprospectors. Diversa still holds frozen samples from there, but says that it is not using them for research.

Link to full Nature news article

Reference: Nature 419, 768