In preparation for the International Conference "Global Biosafety and Biosecurity: Taking Action", that will be held in Bangkok, Thailand in February of 2011, the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA http://www.internationalbiosafety.org/english/index.asp) held a strategic planning meeting in Ottawa to lay the foundation and the scientific program and format of the conference. The conference will kick-off IFBA's initiative "The Year of Building International Biosafety Communities". IFBA was represented by its President, Maureen Ellis from the Global Partnership Program (http://www.international.gc.ca/gpp-ppm/global_partnership-partenariat_mondial.aspx), Foreign Affairs Canada. Terence Taylor represented ICLS at the meeting. Also participating were: James Welch from the Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation (http://www.ergriffinresearch.org/), Willy Toniu, African Biological Safety Association (http://afbsa.org/), Heather Medwick and Kelly Johnston from the International Centre for Infectious Diseases (http://www.icid.com/), and Brad Goble from the TDV Global (http://www.tdvglobal.com/) who hosted the meeting.

The American Political Science Association will hold its 106th Annual Meeting & Exhibition on September 2-5, 2010, in Washington, D.C. Program Chairs Andrea Campbell, MIT, and Lisa Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, developed a timely theme “The Politics of Hard Times: Citizens, Nations, and the International System under Economic Stress.”
Terence Taylor will b a discussant at the panel on the Evolutionary Approaches to International Security.
More information: http://www.apsanet.org/>

The Annual International Symposium Biosecurity and Biosafety: future trends and solutions will be held in Milan (Italy), on October 13-15, 2010.
The most recent Intelligence reports estimate identified the threat of bioterrorism as the intelligence community’s most significant WMD-related concern. This is because the knowledge, equipment, and pathogens required to construct a biological weapon are now globally dispersed, and there is no single technological methodology chokepoint or process that can be regulated to prevent the development of biological weapons.
The aim of this new symposium is to allow officials, policy analysts, scientists, health leaders, congressional staff members, and members of the media to share information, to implement ethic education, training programs, to improve strategy for countering biological weapons threats and infectious diseases outbreaks.
The Second Symposium on Biosecurity and Biosafety will provide you with a unique opportunity to exchange the latest research and information in this field.
For more information please check: http://www.bioemergency.eu/

ICLS participated in the first of three public meetings of the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. The meeting took place on July 8, 2010 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC. The Commission intends to provide recommendations to the President within a six month time on the likely benefits, risks of advancements in the field of synthetic biology and define appropriate ethical boundaries on any actions that the federal government should take to ensure that the American public reaps the benefits of this developing field and minimises the risks. Public commentaries are welcomed to be submitted to the Commission by September 1, 2010.

More about the Commission: www.bioethics.gov

The Computer Laboratory of the University of Cambridge hosted a third interdisciplinary workshop on the "Security and Human Behaviour" on June 28-29, 2010. Terence Taylor spoke about the Darwinian Security Project - "Natural Security - A Darwinian Approach to a Dangerous World". The workshop brings security engineers together with psychologists, behavioral economists and others interested in deception, fraud, fear, risk perception and how we make security systems more usable.

More information about the workshop: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/shb10

and the workshop committee's blog: http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2010/06/28/security-and-human-behaviour-2010/

The University of Edinburgh conducted a conference on the "Operational Adaptation" on June 22-24, 2010. The objective of the conference was to explore the role of adaptation and counter-adaptation in dealing with novel threats to international security in the 21st century. The conference brought academics and practitioners from the U.S. and Europe together, to share information on how scientific approaches to understanding and achieving effective adaptation can be exploited in counter- insurgency, counter-terrorism, strategy, and homeland security. Terence Taylor spoke at the conference on the subject of "Adaptation and Networking Across Conflicted Borders".

More information about the conference: http://www.lifelong.ed.ac.uk/OAC2010/index.htm

Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Corporation (COMSTECH) in collaboration with the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS) and ICLS organised a conference on “The Responsible Conduct of Science - Safety, Security and Ethics” on 9th and 10th June, 2010, at COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad.
The conference has the following objectives:
1. To promote the concept that the conduct of responsible science among the scientists themselves;
2. To promote the ideal that science should not be misused to harm humanity;
3. To promote respect for the scientific professions in a way appropriate for an Islamic society;
4. To enhance the contribution of science to the Pakistani community at large;
5. To build a sustainable network in Pakistan that meets and publishes regularly on key issues related to the conduct of safe, secure and ethical conduct of science in the context of an Islamic society.

Read more: http://www.respscience.org/

The BBIC Steering Committee held its second full meeting in Abu Dhabi 18-19 May 2010. The Committee heard national reports on measures taken to implement the Framework Document and a report on the visit of the Regional Training centre (RTC) Feasibility Committee to US biosafety and biosecurity training facilities. Looking to the future, it discussed the work plan for the coming year, coordination and deconfliction of biosafety and biosecurity projects in the MENA region, fundraising, and preparations for BBIC-11 to be held under the auspices of HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan in Amman Jordan in May 2011. Dr Muthana al Majid (Iraq) was welcomed as a new member of the Committee, and the Presidency of the BBIC process was passed from Morocco to Jordan. During the meeting it was confirmed that the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan would host the BBIC-2011 conference. HRH Princess Sumaya intimated that BBIC-11 might be held under the Patronage of His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal. The principal source of financial support for the Steering Committee meeting was the Islamic Development bank.

On May 10-12 the 15th Jordan Science Week "Science and Technology: Drivers of Change?" was held under the Patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah Il ibn Al Hussein as a part of the National Campaign on Public Awareness for the Drivers of Change.

In the inaugural speech, Princess Sumaya highlighted that "The initiative aims at achieving the objectives of the National Agenda and highlighting issues that are deemed top priority for the Kingdom… It also seeks to raise public awareness on the global drivers of change.”

Drivers of Change is a research-based publication developed by Arup to help its business and clients identify and explore leading factors which will affect our world in the future. The publication is a planning tool that helps the user to ask the right questions in order to plan effectively for the future. It investigates themes including: energy, waste, climate change, water, demographics, urbanisation and poverty.

As a part of the Special Panel on Development and Drivers of Change, headed by HRH Prince El- Hassan bin Talal, Chairman, the Higher Council for Science and Technology, Terence Taylor addressed the conference with the remarks on the dynamics and drivers of change for biotechnology.
To read Mr. Taylor's remarks, please open this link: http://iclscharter.org/editor/userfiles/image/file/Drivers_of_Change_Biotechnology_Taylor_10_May_10.pdf

Terence Taylor gave two presentations at a seminar on "Strategic technologies and our Global Future" at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in Switzerland on 15 and 16 April. The focus of his presentations was on the developments in the private biotechnology industry and the implications of advances in gene synthesis and related technologies. The seminar brought together participants from Asia, Europe, the Gulf and North America to discuss a range of strategic technologies and their implications for global security.

More information: http://www.gcsp.ch/Globalisation/Courses-and-Training/Specialized-Courses/Strategic-Technologies-and-Our-Global-Future

ICLS President Terence Taylor attended a workshop on the "Synthetic Biology and Nanobiotechnology Risks and Responses" at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in Turin, Italy on 24 and 25 March 2010.

The UN is holding two expert workshops in 2010 to assess future biosecurity risks of these technology fields as well as possible response measures, putting particular emphasis on bioterrorism concerns.

UNICRI’s project focuses on present and future biosecurity implications of advances in synthetic biology and nanobiotechnology. It examines the vast dual-use potential of these technology fields with a focus on their ability to enable the development of new or enhanced biological agents and weapons for criminal or terrorist purposes.

In a first step, the main objective of the project is to conduct a risk assessment of malevolent applications of synthetic- and nanobiotechnology under the broad involvement of bioscience and security experts as well as to propose possible response and mitigation measures. To achieve this objective, the Project will promote, facilitate and improve the exchange of information and knowledge between relevant stakeholders.

These activities will highlight a series of important emerging biological threats, identify areas which might require additional focus in the future and constitute an important step towards the consolidation of existing efforts in minimizing the risks of bioscientific advances, while ensuring that their great promises become reality.

More about the project: http://lab.unicri.it/bio.html

The first Moroccan Biosafety Association (MOBSA) Training Course on Biological Risk Management was held on February 13, 2010 in Tétouan, Morocco at the Barceló Marina Smir Hotel. It was attended by a total of 40 participants from 6 National Universities, the Institute Pasteur Maroc, the Gendarmerie Royale BSL3 Lab, the Military Hospital BSL3 Lab, the Tétouan Hygiene Municipal Bureau, the Tétouan Municipal Environmental Lab and the Fnidek Municipality Project Coordination staff.
The meeting was organized by the Moroccan Biosafety Association with a major support from the International Council for the Life Sciences (ICLS) and a slight contribution from the Municipality of Fnidek.

Terence Taylor met with Professor Atta-ur-Rahman, the Coordinator General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference’s Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and Professor Anwar Nasim, the Adviser Science at COMSTECH, also a member of the Steering Committee for the Biosafety and Biosecurity International Conference (BBIC) process) to discuss plans for the upcoming conference on “Responsible Conduct of Science”.
The conference “Responsible Conduct of Science”, supported by ICLS and hosted by COMSTECH will take place in Islamabad on June 9-10 of 2010. The aim of the conference is to engage scientists from all disciplines to build a network that will help ensure ethical, safe and secure conduct of science. It is hoped that such network will build confidence and help facilitate international collaboration.

Leaders from governments and businesses, including Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, and Peter Albatef, President of Dell Services, came together on February 18, 2010 to devise strategies to address the world's most pressing security concerns.

WSC provides an opportunity for policymakers, specialists, journalists, and business leaders to craft new solutions to ongoing challenges for global security, especially in the fields of countering terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime. WSC7 was co-sponsored by the World Customs Organisation, The Financial Times, Dell, Deloitte and the Canadian Government in its capacity as Chair of the G-8.

Terence Taylor presented at the conference workshop on business resilience after bio-threats. Other topics discussed included: climate security, cybersecurity, alternative futures for Afghanistan and the stability of Southwest Asia, economic crisis and others.

Professor Khalid Temsamani also presented on the ME regional perspective on BSS by describing the benefits of the ICLS supported the Biosafety and Biosecurity International Conference (BBIC) process. Prof Temsamani is the Founding President of the Moroccan Biosafety Association (MOBSA).

For more information, read: http://www.ewi.info/wsc7

ICDDT 2010 was conducted under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology. The conference was co-chaired by a long-time partner of ICLS, Professor Atta-ur-Rahman of COMSTECH, Pakistan. ICDDT 2010 has gathered hundreds of delegates from the Middle East region and all over the world. Most of the participants are academics, with a fair number of representatives from private pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, private foundations and non-profit research institutes. The major topics included: Global Roundup of Pharmaceutical Research Capabilities and Opportunities, Successful Drug Discovery from the Research Lab to the Clinic, Drug Discovery in the Middle East: Challenges and Opportunities, Translational Medicine, Enabling Technologies, Proteomics & Bioinformatics, Drug Delivery, Antiinfectives, Biologics, Cardiovascular, Pulmonary Disorders, Central Nervous System, Diabetes and Obesity, Inflammation and Immunology, Oncology, Women’s Health Issues, Regulatory Affairs, Generic Pharmaceuticals: Challenges and Opportunities, Nanotechnology in Biomedical Research, Drug Discovery in Preclinical Research, Endothelial Dysfunction in Cardiovascular Disease, Development in other Therapeutic Areas, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Global Pharma Outsourcing.

The conference aimed to provide many interesting perspectives on how science and technology of drug discovery and drug therapy are changing rapidly, thereby providing new opportunities and challenges to scientists and medical doctors.

To read more: http://www.icddt.com/index.htm

Photo: Professor Atta-ur-Rahman

ICLS, in cooperaton with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty and the Rheinland-Pfalz Association for the Reserve Armed Forces held a biosecurity forum to bring together military officers, scientists, politicians, private industry representatives and general public to promote awareness of the biological risks with an emphasis on the security aspects in order to influence regional and federal legislators to act. Approximately 120 participants attended the event. Mr. Terence Taylor presented on the importance of biosecurity and Dr. Rainer Wessel talked about the future of the biosecurity field in Germany. To read more about the forum (in German) http://aussen-sicherheitspolitik.de/?p=1414

Dr. Wessel has more than 20 years of experience in the life sciences. He currently is the Chief Business Officer and Spokesman for Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG where he previously served as Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Axxima Pharmaceuticals AG. He currently serves as a Board Member for BioDeutschland, a German biotech industry organization, and as a member of The International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The International Council for the Life Sciences, along with the non-commercial partnership "TEMP" held the Fourth Annual Meeting of the International Advisory Group. The meeting was a part of the Russian Medical Forum conducted by the I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy. The participants discussed recent developments in biosafety and biosecurity field. The meeting was funded by the Global Partnership Program of Canada.

The workshop report, New approaches to biological risk assessment, reviews the spectrum of biological risks, from naturally occurring diseases through to the deliberate misuse of biological agents as weapons, and encompassing unintended risks such as laboratory accidents, and those associated with dual use research. It outlines some implications of advances in science and technology, and highlights key issues for the development of a common international approach to assessing biological risks.

The full report can be downloaded here: http://royalsociety.org/New-approaches-to-biological-risk-assessment/>