Risk assessment of the E. coli bacteria modified with genes of fluorescence

• Introduction
• Methodology
• Biosafety
• Achievements
• Bibliography

Presentation to the National Committee for Biotechnology and Biosecurity

iGEM Zamorano Latin America team, with the help of the university’s professors, presented on the past November a risk assessment application of the iGEM Zamorano team before the National Committee of Biotechnology and Biosafety (NCBB) of the Honduras Republic. We obtained favorable results for a didactive and educational purpose. With this, it will achieve to contribute to spread the teachings of biosciences to children and young students.

The team prepared the application according to the guidelines that the NCBB demanded to any approval of the use of genetically modified organisms. The application counts with 9 technical questions about the organism and it has become a high scientific quality document.

If you want more information about this process, please download “Risk assessment of Zamorano iGEM´s project” available here.

The iGEM Zamorano Latin America Team presented the Risk assessment on the bacterium E. coli modified with fluorescence genes to the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Committee of Honduras, on September 09, 2014. The committee reports to the National Agricultural Health Services, which in turn reports to the Agriculture Secretariat of the country. The goal of presenting our risk assessment to the committee was to have the support of a governmental entity. We wanted to demonstrate that synthetic biology can be regulated under the same parameters as the one for products of modern biotechnology. We did this following the procedures of the Latin America ERA guide and complying with all requirements of relevant biosafety.

The objective was demonstrated and approved by the Committee.you can find the original documents (in Spanish) for you to download which certify the completion of the process (it can be found in point number 2 of the agenda).

Therefore, the conclusions of the feedback sent by the committee are as follows:

1. Under the Regulation of Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms No. of Honduras Nº 1570-98, covered by the Phytozoosanitary Law No. 157-94 and amended according to Legislative Decree No. 344-2005, you do not need to apply, or issue a use of permit if the purpose of the LMO is educational and / or for research, and its use is confined.
2. This provision is found in Article 6, paragraph 2 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety of Biotechnology, as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity, both signed and ratified by the Government of Honduras. The use of a LMO; for the purposes stated in the preceding paragraph are exempted from the " Advanced Informed Agreement" (AIA)
3. Considering that the safe use of LMOs in national territory is a priority for the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Committee and ensuring that the benefits of biotechnology products are of national benefit, we congratulate the iGEM Zamorano Latin America Team for the initiative taken.
4. We are pleased to support the training of young people in science and the training of future professionals in biotechnology and synthetic biology, with ethics and attitude of inclusion.