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

• Introduction
• ERA guide
• Biosafety
• Presentation to NCBB
• Bibliography

Presentation to the Nactional Committee for Biotechnology and Biosecurity

iGEM team with the help of experts presented in the past november “Solicitud de Análisis de riesgo del equipo iGEM Zamorano” before the National Committee of Biotechnology and Biosecurity (NCBB) of the Honduras Republic, obtaining favorable results for didacting use and teaching. With this, it will achieve to contribute to proliferate the teaching of the biological sciences to children and young students.

To present the application, the team prepared its application according to the requirements 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 in 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 National Agricultural Health Services, which 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 ERA guide and complying with all requirements of relevant biosafety.

The objective was demonstrated and approved by the Committee. You can find bellow the original documents (in Spanish) for you to download that 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 Biosecurity 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.