Country Profile

Peru

SYNBIO PROFILE

Peru has a structure being developed with laboratories, research institutions and a Biotechnology major at National Agraria La Molina University.

PARTICIPATION IN THE iGEM COMPETITION

Peru like many of the Latin American countries, did not take part in the competition, even though there are research institutes and a Biotechnology course.

BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY AND FUNDS

In Peru, there’s no record found of a survey discussing about companies in the country. However, our Team found around 5 biotechnology industry working well in the past years. As part of the industrial strategy, the Biotechnology Development of Peru Association believes that this number will increase from now on.

REGULATIONS FOR SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

Peru has no significant production of synthetic biology to be one specific regulation. But there is the General Law of Development of Modern Biotechnology approved by the Peruvian Congress. The name of the law already says clearly what its goal is: boost the "modern biotechnology", a euphemism used to the technique established 30 years ago and whose results to date are far from that. For this, his fifth article gives the state the role of promoting "modern biotechnology" through policies, plan and financing. The law also creates CONEBIO - Executive National Biotechnology Committee, composed of representatives from government, academic and corporate entities "in order to promote coordination between the public and private sectors." Biosafety issues appear marginally by law. His last article establishes a Biosafety Advisory Committee. The composition and functioning depend on regulation by the executive (Biodiversidad en America Latina).

RESEARCH, PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION

The versatility of biotechnology has been observed in wide range of applications in industries as diverse as human and animal health, agriculture and environment. Apparently, only the use of biotechnology in crop area causes a lot of controversy. Many cannot imagine that the use of biotechnology goes beyond the cultivation of transgenic crops, but used as tools in modern plant breeding, due to its ability to identify agronomic traits in the gene (PeruBiotec).

There is course of Biotechnology at Universidad Nacional La Molina, it is considered a forefront course relying on national project’s financing, , participation of international universities in addition to working together with research institutes and private companies.

The Peruvian Association for the development of biotechnology in Peru under the name PERUBIOTEC, is a non-governmental, non-profit association that aims to promote and disseminate modern biotechnology and its variants in the fields: scientific, cultural, informational, educational technical research, investment promotion, management of acquisition of patents and licenses or administration that aim to develop technical cooperation actions in the area of conventional biotechnology and modern biotechnology, including the sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation.

To this purpose, the Association will take scientific positions on behalf of biotechnology; disseminate the principles of modern biotechnology on all applicable fields; will lead programs, consultancy and development projects that include biotechnology, designed to enhance the added value of agriculture, livestock, forestry and aquaculture products on the internal market and make them more competitive in foreign markets. The Association also advise the public institutions and the state in the implementation of development programs involving biotechnology, as well as proposals for the reform of law, that benefit the health, education, industry, mining, to support production chains, agricultural production and forestry, aquaculture and fisheries, among others; conservation of natural resources, improve the environment and ensure sustainable development of each region.

According to the public opinion, a public misinformed, new technology can cause anxiety leading to rejection afterwards. Though, as Biotechnology supposedly, has a potential to save lives, employ citizens, boost the economy ,enlarge the biodiversity, enhance the use of the land and much more, would you reject the pure and simple technology or would try to find as much information as you could to form your final opinion?

Experience gained from many discussions with opponents of biotechnology shows that a significant sector of the opposition believes blindly in the opinion of the leaders of activist groups. If we summarize the problem in a sentence, such as the role of biotechnology in the agricultural field in Peru, it can be said that for many people farming today is the same as that of their grandparents, and that biotechnology came to destroy that alleged natural order (PeruBiotec).

EVENTS RELATED TO SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

There’s no record of events in Peru about Synthetic Biology.

References

Biodiversidad en America Latina.(Link)

PeruBiotec- Asociación Peruana para el desarrollo de la Biotecnología.(Link)

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greensavers

lamolina

perubiotec

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