Information in English

Open Applications for the Latin American Regional Course:

“Holistic Foundations for Assessment and Regulation of Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms”

 Date:     4 November – 9 November, 2013

Venue:  Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

Topics include:

  • The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and other relevant international laws
  • Holistic overview of genetics, genes, gene expression and regulation
  • Application areas for genetic engineering and emerging techniques
  • The potential impact of GMOs on the environment and human health
  • Economic and legal aspects of GMOs
  • Socio-cultural and ethical issues of GMOs
  • Regulatory systems and GMO labelling
  • Risk assessment of GMOs and the evaluative review of risk assessment
  • Practical laboratory sessions on GMO detection

Background
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety seeks to ensure ”an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health, and specifically focusing on transboundary movements”. In order to manage the introduction and development of GMOs as well as trade thereof, countries are required to develop biosafety regulations. This task is, however, challenged by a lack of understanding, expertise and scientific knowledge necessary to perform risk assessment and develop a regulatory system able to take into consideration ethical, economic and social considerations, including inputs from the public.

Performing credible risk assessments requires multi-disciplinary scientific and social scientific competence able to consider the local context of GMO introductions. Each country needs to be able to conduct risk assessments and perform evaluative reviews in order to effectively monitor and manage the introduction of GMOs into the environment. Moreover, there is a need to assess GMOs in the context of each country’s unique cultural, ethical, socio-economic and policy frameworks. Such initiatives require holistic approaches and public participation to develop adequate regulation over the use of GMOs.

About the course
The course is designed to provide policy makers, regulators, scientists and NGOs/civil society leaders, (specifically from developing countries) with the necessary balanced and critical knowledge and training in crucial GE/GMO issues. Through lectures, laboratory demonstrations, group work on case studies, and discussions, we offer biosafety capacity building within a holistic framework.

The course will contain lectures in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Translation will be available English-Spanish and vice-versa.

Eligibility and selection process
The course application form must be filled out entirely and with as much detail as possible. The applicant must provide information about the type/level of position they hold and state the basis for their interest in the course. In addition, a brief CV is required for consideration.

The regional course is open to applicants from Latin American countries. Participants must come from or live in an ODA-country to be considered. Gender and regional criteria are also used in the selection of participants in order to achieve representational balance.

Applications close on 15th August 2013.

Costs and expenses
Full sponsorship will be given to 40 selected applicants. The sponsorship will cover curricular materials, course-associated economy-fare travel, visa-fees, accommodation and meals.

How to apply:

Download the application Word file here: Application form 2013

An application form in Word-format can also be obtained on request from post@genok.no

The completed forms/CVs should be returned to brazil2013@genok.no

For further information you can contact:

Sarah Agapito-Tenfen and Daniel Holderbaum
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais
Centro de Ciências Agrárias – Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Florianópolis, SC, Brasil
sarahagro@gmail.com and holderbaum.df@gmail.com
55-48-37215329

or

Katrine Jaklin
Project Manager: GenØk – Centre for Biosafety
E-mail: katrine.jaklin@genok.no

For further information about ODA-countries visit http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/32/40/43540882.pdf

– See more at: http://genok.com/capacity-building/regional-course-2013/#sthash.AShcEUs5.dpuf