2nd Global Congress On Genetic Biocontrol, 17-20 March 2025
Course 001/2/2025: Regulatory frameworks and decision-making processes for emerging biotechnologies
Venue: Ridge Hall
| Time | Registration | Speaker | Moderator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:30 – 09:30 AM | Welcome Remarks | Eric Okoree | Cyrus Tareh |
| Introduction to the Workshop | Prof Dorington Ogoyi | ||
| Pre-workshop assessment | Vibha Ahuja |
SESSION 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF GENE DRIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
| 09:30 – 10:00 AM | Sterile Insect Techniques (SIT) for mosquito control (This session will describe Insect Incompatibility techniques (IIT) and compare SIT and IIT during mosquito development) | Givemore Munhenga | Eric Okoree |
| 10:00 – 10:30 AM | Fundamentals of gene drive technologies, genome editing and GMOs (Overview of CRISPR-Cas9, Homing Endonuclease genes, applications in agriculture, healthcare, and conservation biology) | Daniel Maeda | |
| 10:30 – 11:00 AM | Q&A | ||
| 11:00 – 11:30 AM | Break and Photo Session | ||
| 11:30 – 12:00 PM | Introduction to WHO Guidance for GMMs and Containment Practices for Arthropods Modified with Engineered Transgenes This session will discuss the WHO Guidance for GMMs and Arthropod Containment Guidelines which provides recommendations for containment and best practices in research with arthropods containing engineered transgenes capable of gene drive. | Brian Tarimo | Josephat Muchiri |
| 12:00 – 12:15 PM | Q&A | ||
| 12:15 – 12:45 PM | Regulatory frameworks for gene drives and genome editing The session will present the global developments including under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety); regional and country specific approaches for regulating gene drives and genome editing research and applications. | Vibha Ahuja | Prof Ogoyi |
| 12:45 – 1:00 PM | Q&A | ||
| 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Lunch |
SESSION 2: RISK ASSESSMENT AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
| 2:00 – 2:30 PM | Designing a regulatory framework This presentation is intended to provide general principles that guide how an effective regulatory framework is designed and provide case studies of functional regulations in other regions. | Eric Okoree | Vibha Ahuja |
| 2:30 – 2:45 PM | Q&A | ||
| 2:45 – 3:15 PM | Risk assessment and Risk management frameworks for gene drive research This session will provide participants with foundational knowledge of environmental and health risk assessment principles in the context of gene drive research. It will inform on risk management frameworks that are specific to gene drive technologies, equipping participants with tools to evaluate potential environmental and health safety impacts. Emphasis will be placed on applying these frameworks to ensure responsible research and development. | Josephat Muchiri | Daniel Maeda |
| 3:15 – 3:30 PM | Q&A | ||
| 3:30 – 4:00 PM | Tools and methodologies in risk assessment of genetic biocontrol technologies This session will focus on tools and methodologies for evaluating the potential impacts of gene drive technologies. Participants will gain insights into the gene drive risk assessment guidelines approved in CBD COP16 in Cali, exploring their application in assessing ecological and health risks. The session will emphasize practical approaches to identifying and mitigating potential impacts, ensuring alignment with international best practices. | Vibha Ahuja | Givemore Munhenga |
| 4:00 – 4:30 PM | Q&A | All | |
| 4:30 – 5:00 PM | Tea Break | ||
| 5:00 – 5:30 PM | Group discussion: Exercises in conducting risk assessment This session will enable the participants to discuss elements considered when performing risk assessment. | Josephat Muchiri | Vibha Ahuja |
| 5:30 – 6:00 PM | Q&A | All | |
| 6:00 PM | End of Day 1 | ||
| 7:30 PM | Group dinner |
Course 002/2/2025: Pre-Congress Course on Communicating Genetic Biocontrol Technologies
Venue: Opera II Hall
SESSION 1: BASIC SCIENCE OF GENE DRIVES
SESSION CHAIR: MARY AMA
| 08:30 am – 09:00 am | Opening Remarks | Rosalia Omungo |
| Workshop Objectives and Gauging Expectations – Individual Pentagons | Gloria Ogbaki | |
| 09:00 am – 10:00 am | The basic science and case studies of genetic biocontrol technologies in Africa | Amelie Wamba |
| Current and upcoming genetic biocontrol technologies in disease vector control | Dickson Lwetoijera | |
| 10:00 am – 10:30 am | Q & A | All |
| 10:30 am – 11:00 am | Break and Group Photo | All |
SESSION 2: FOUNDATIONS OF RISK COMMUNICATION IN SCIENCE
SESSION CHAIR: JOSEPH OPOKU
| 11:00 am – 11:30 am | Communicating uncertainties in science, regulatory decision-making | Andrew Kiggundu |
| 11:30 am – 12:00 pm | Q & A | All |
| 12:00 pm – 12:15 pm | Case Studies and Lessons Learned: Examples of effective and ineffective communication | Milly Murigi |
| 12:15 pm – 12:45 pm | Social media and Science – Best platforms for science communication | Abraham Isah |
| 12:45 pm – 01:00 pm | Q & A | All |
| 01:00 pm – 02:00 pm | Lunch Break | All |
SESSION 3: IDENTIFYING BIOSAFETY CONCERNS
SESSION CHAIR: ABRAHAM ISAH
| 14:00 pm – 14:45 pm | Identifying Biosafety Concerns for different target groups (farmers, media, consumers, industry, researchers, policymakers, etc.) | All |
| Presentation of the concerns | All | |
| 14:45 pm – 15:30 pm | Regulatory frameworks and policies | Gloria Ogbaki |
| 15:30 pm – 16:00 pm | Tea Break | All |
| 16:00 pm – 17:00 pm | Handling challenging biosafety questions | Eric Okoree |
| 17:00 pm | Day 1 Ends | |
| 19:30 pm | Group Dinner |
Course 003/2/2025: Pre-Congress Course on the Principles & practices of biosafety and biosecurity for high containment facilities
Venue: Britannia Hall
| Time | Topic | Speaker | Moderator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:30 – 09:00 am | Registration | Andrew Kipkoech | |
| 09:00 – 09:15 am | Opening Remarks | Martin Bundi | Larbi Baassi |
| 09:15 – 09:30 am | Workshop and Lecturers Introduction | Rajka Fritsch | |
| 09:30 – 10:00 am | Introduction of Participants and Expectations | All | |
| 10:00 – 10:15 am | Pre-Evaluation | ||
| 10:15 – 11:00 am | Presentation 1: Overview of Biosecurity | Larbi Baassi | Rajka Fritsch |
| 11:00 – 11:15 am | Q&A | ||
| 11:15 – 11:30 am | Coffee Break | ||
| 11:30 – 12:15 pm | Presentation 2: Actual Overview of Relevant Standards and Guidelines, Background and Basic Requirements | Claus Schweinheim | Martin Bundi |
| 12:15 – 12:30 pm | Q&A | ||
| 12:30 – 02:00 pm | Lunch | ||
| 02:00 – 02:45 pm | Presentation 3: User Requirement Specification (URS) as First Step to Define | Rajka Fritsch | Larbi Baassi |
| 02:45 – 03:00 pm | Q&A | ||
| 03:00 – 03:45 pm | Presentation 4: Collaboration of Trades and Biosafety Consultants in Building Projects | Fabio Blaha | Charles Quaye |
| 03:45 – 04:00 pm | Q&A | ||
| 04:00 – 04:15 pm | Coffee Break | ||
| 04:15 – 04:30 pm | Post-Evaluation | ||
| 04:30 – 05:15 pm | Group Discussion and Summary of Results | Larbi Baassi | Claus Schweinheim |