Anne Simon created Silvec Biologics with her brother, Rafael Simon, in 2019 to stop citrus greening disease. This bacterial infection has decimated more than 90% of oranges, grapefruits and other fruits in Florida since it was first documented in the United States in 2005. Greening disease has also spread extensively in Asia, the Americas and Africa and threatens to kill all citrus trees in the next two decades.
While some temporary fixes exist, such as injecting medical-grade antibiotics into the trees, Simon instead vaccinates them using a ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus to deliver antimicrobial peptides; lab testing has shown it to be effective, and field testing is underway. The technology could also have applications for row crops such as wheat and soybeans, reducing the need for fungicides and pesticides.
Simon’s work on viruses has put the department on the map nationally and internationally since she joined UMD in 2000. She created and has led the department’s virology program, making important discoveries in the burgeoning field of RNA biology. In addition, she has collaborated with scientists at the National Institutes of Health and established an inter-institutional graduate program, attracting top-notch students.
“The University of Maryland has been a leader in virology research thanks to faculty members like Anne Simon, and her generous support through this bequest will help us immeasurably to expand our work in this vital area,” said Amitabh Varshney, dean of the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. “Our research in virology and related areas is emblematic of our drive to tackle the world’s most pressing grand challenges.”
Outside of academia, Simon lent her expertise to “The X-Files,” Fox’s popular 1990s sci-fi series (revived for one season in 2018) about FBI agents investigating the paranormal, giving its twisted tales a grounding in reality. Creator Chris Carter is a family friend (her father, Mayo Simon, was a Hollywood screenwriter) and turned to her to ensure the right microscopes were used and alien germs behaved somewhat plausibly.
Written by Karen Shih
UMD Spinoff Aiming to Save Citrus Announces EPA Registration of Its Plant Therapy
UMD Spinoff Aiming to Save Citrus Announces EPA Registration of Its Plant Therapy
August 11, 2026
Silvec Biologics, a biotech startup co-founded by a University of Maryland plant virologist to combat a disease devastating citrus crops, announced Monday that its novel RNA-based therapy delivery product is now registered for unconditional commercial use under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
The product is based on a naturally non-transmitted version of the citrus tristeza virus already found in most Florida citrus trees that has been reprogrammed to induce the trees to produce a natural antimicrobial peptide called defensin. The peptide, also found in spinach, has been shown to fight citrus greening disease and provide long-term protection without modification of the tree’s genome. Silvec is now working to expand its products to cover a wide range of crops and diseases.
The company, co-founded by Silvec Chief Scientist and UMD Professor Anne Simon and her brother, CEO Rafael Simon, will begin to partner with growers later this year through the Florida Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program.
Citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing, has impacted citrus production globally. Florida is especially hard hit, with production down 95% in 2025 from its pre-disease peak.
“Florida’s citrus industry is at a critical juncture, and we are depending on new approaches like Silvec’s new therapy delivery technology to ensure a viable future,” said Matt Joyner, executive vice president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, a trade association.
As the company zeroes in on an infection that threatens to wipe out citrus worldwide in coming decades, it’s preparing further technologies as well, said Simon, a member of UMD’s Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics who pioneered the use of a class of RNA viruses she had previously discovered to deliver therapies to plants.
“In partnership with the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture, Silvec is currently working on several new product generations that provide enhanced protection against citrus greening and other bacteria, fungi and insects using our novel technology platform,” she said.