Tuesday, April 2

Morning
09:00 - 13:00	AUDITORIUM AUGUST PLENARY SESSION II - ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT AND REGULATION OF GENE EDITED PRODUCTS Session Organizers: Heidi Mitchell* , Office of the Gene Technology Regulator, Australia and Joerg Romeis , Agroscope, Switzerland* Keynote Speaker: DR. JEFF WOLT, Professor Emeritus of Agronomy at Iowa State University “Current Environmental Risk Assessment for Genetically Modified Organisms and Implications for Gene Edited Products” Genome editing allows very precise alterations of genomes and the first products have already been commercialized. This session will address the challenges these products pose to regulators and risk assessors. In particular, we are interested in how genome edited organisms differ from those developed by conventional breeding or genetic engineering. The session will address how genome editing helps to derive desired traits, whether existing regulations are fit-for purpose to deal with such products and how problem formulation can support the risk assessment. Presentations: Jeffrey Wolt, Professor Emeritus of Agronomy at Iowa State University PL II - 1 Current Environmental Risk Assessment for Genetically Modified Organisms and Implications for Gene Edited Products. *Mitch Abrahamsen,* Recombinetics Inc., USA PL II – 2 *David Hamburger,* University of Passau, Faculty of Law, Passau, Germany PL II - 3 Normative Criteria and Their Inclusion in a Regulatory Framework for New Plant Varieties Derived From Genome Editing. Alan Raybould, Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Basel, Switzerland PL II - 4 Problem formulation and phenotypic characterisation for the development of gene-edited crops. *Martin Lema, Biotechnology Directorate, Ministry of Production, Argentina* PL II - 5 Argentine Practical Experience in the Regulation of gene-edited Products for Agroindustry. 10.30-11:00 Coffee Break
13:00	Lunch
Afternoon
14:00 - 17:30	WORKSHOPS (All workshops will run concurrently) ROOM GALBA Workshop 1. Gene Editing and Gene Drives for Managing Unwanted Vertebrates – Current Status and Biosafety Considerations Organizers: Allison Snow, Ohio State University, USA and Tim Harvey-Samuel, Pirbright Institute, United Kingdom Presentations: Allison Snow, Ohio State University, USA WS I - 1 Ecological context for the proposed release of Lyme-resistant, white-footed mice: a case study of gene editing. Owain Edwards, CSIRO, Australia WS I - 2 Determining the feasibility of gene drives for feral cat control in Australia. Gus McFarlane, Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom WS I - 3 A CRISPR-Cas9 split drive targeting female reproduction in mice. Paul Thomas, University of Adelaide, Australia WS I – 4 Safe development of CRISPR gene drives for invasive rodent population suppression. Michael Smanski, University of Minnesota, USA WS I – 5 Engineering genetic incompatibility and applications for controlling invasive fish populations. Keith Hayes, CSIRO, Australia WS I – 6 Principles of probabilistic risk assessment for genetic biocontrol. Panel Discussion Chair: Tim Harvey-Samuel, Pirbright Institute, United Kingdom; Owain Edwards, CSIRO, Australia; Neil Gemmel, Univ. Otago, New Zeland and Keith Hayes, CSIRO, Australia AUDITORIUM EUTYCHES Workshop 2. Benefits and Strategies for Global Regulatory Data Streamlining, Harmonization, and Collaboration Organizer: Laurie Goodwin, CropLife International, Washington, DC, USA Presentations: Karen Hokanson, Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, USA WS II –1 Introductory remarks Laurie Goodwin, Director of Regulatory Affairs, CropLife International WS II – 2 Benefits of regulatory streamlining and harmonization & Current timeline trends for global GM approvals Jeff Wolt, Iowa State University WS II – 3 Problem formulation approach to environmental risk assessments John Teem, ILSI Research Foundation, Washington DC, USA WS II – 4 Data transportability (overview, key concepts, terms) Clara Rubinstein, Bayer Crop Science, Buenos Aires, Argentina WS II – 5 Concept of familiarity Angela Culler, Bayer Crop Science, USA WS II – 6 Global alignment of data requirements for risk assessments Panel discussion – Q&A with regulators Panellists: Karen Hokanson, Heidi Mitchell, Ryo Ohsawa, Martin Lema, Le Huy Ham, Maria Sueli Felipe Soares* (to be confirmed)* ROOM GENIUS Workshop 3. Crop Composition as a Component of Food and Feed Safety Assessment and Hands on with the ILSI Crop Composition Database Organizers: Andrew Roberts* and Bhavneet Bajaj, ILSI Research Foundation, USA* This workshop will introduce participants to the ILSI Crop Composition database, an important resource for assisting in the interpretation of compositional studies such as those used in regulatory dossiers. Participants will be given a demonstration of the database and its features, highlighting updates and additions to Version 7 which was released in January 2019. Participants will then be provided with a series of exercises designed to help them understand the search reporting function of the ILSI Crop Composition Database which they can walk through using their personal laptop during the workshop. Note: The workshop is limited to 20 participants, and so will be conducted twice (at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.). If you would like to pre-register to ensure your place, please e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You must bring your own laptop. Presentations: Andrew Roberts Bhavneet Bajaj ROOM MEDUSA Workshop 4. Real-world Biosafety Communication and Engagement Organizers: Jill Kuehnert, Seed Stories, USA and Hennie Groenewald, Biosafety South Africa, South Africa Presentations: Hennie Groenewald, Biosafety South Africa, South Africa WS IV – 1 Introduction & goals: Real-world biosafety communication & engagement Jill Kuehnert, Seed Stories WS IV – 2 Communication & engagement as an integrated aspect of R&D projects Sam Timpo, African Biosafety Network of Expertise, Senegal WS IV – 3 Communication & engagement for policy and regulation development Sarah Evanega, Cornell Alliance for Science, Cornell University, USA WS IV – 4 Communication & engagement that moves people to action Hennie Groenewald, Biosafety South Africa, South Africa WS IV – 5 Communication & engagement results - monitoring & evaluation Petra Jorasch, European Seed Association, Belgium WS IV – 6 Embracing Nature: Communication & engagement in plant breeding innovation, from lab to fork John Besley, Michigan State U WS IV – 7 Science of science communications perspectives on the practice of communications and engagement Panel Discussion on common approaches and areas of differentiation; Audience participation. Jill Kuehnert Wrap-up and Conclusion ROOM MINERVA Workshop 5. Access to Crop Biotech Innovations: Exchange and Learnings from GM Cultivation in the EU, South Asia, and Africa Organizers: Sarah Davidson Evanega, Cornell Alliance for Science; Coen Frederiks and Petra Kostolaniova,The European Association for Bio-Industries (EuropaBio) Session 1 - GM cultivation in Spain Chair: Esther Esteban Rodrigo, INIA, Spain Presentations: José Luis Romeo, Bt maize grower and AGPME president Experience of a farmer cultivating Bt maize Felix Ortego, CIB-CSIC Monitoring programs: Lessons from implementation in Spain Francisco Areal, Reading University Environmental benefits of Bt maize cultivation in Spain Roundtable Discussion Moderated by Esther Esteban Rodrigo Session 2 - GM cultivation in Africa and South Asia Chair: Patricia Nanteza, Alliance for Science, Uganda Presentations: Molatsi Musi, Farmer (South Africa) The Impact of Access in South Africa Patience Koku, Replenish Farms (Nigeria) Demanding Access to Innovations to Beat Fall Armyworm Md. Milon Mla, Bangladesh The Benefits of Bt Eggplant in Bangladesh M.T. Narain, India Lost Opportunity in India? Evans Okomeng, Millennium Farms (Ghana) Engaging Youth in Agriculture Through Access to Ag Innovations Session 3 – Access to crop biotech Chair: *Soledad de Juan Arechederra, Fundación Antama* Moderated discussion with Molatsi Musi, Patience Koku, Esther Esteban Rodrigo, Francisco Areal and Patricia Nanteza ROOM ISIS Workshop 6. Biosafety of RNAi Applications for Plant Protection Organizers: Salvatore Arpaia, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Italy, Antje Dietz-Pfeilstetter, Julius Kuehn-Institut (JKI), Germany and Jeremy Sweet, JTEC Ltd., United Kingdom Presentations: Jeremy Sweet, JT Environmental Consultants Ltd, Cambridge, UK WS VI - 1 A review of baseline information on RNAi that supports the environmental risk assessment of some RNAi-based GM plants. Annette Niehl, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Braunschweig, Germany WS VI - 2 Phage-based bacterial production and exogenous application of dsRNAs for plant protection. Olivier Christiaens, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium WS VI - 3 Viral-based dsRNA delivery systems for use in pest and disease control. Alan Raybould, Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Basel, Switzerland WS VI - 4 Problem formulation for environmental risk assessment of spray applications of insecticides containing double-stranded RNA. Achim Gathmann, Federal Office for Consumer Production and Food Safety, Bruanschweig, Germany WS VI - 5 Authorisation of sprayable RNAi based plant protection products: Challenges for environmental risk assessment and risk management. Huw Jones, Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, UK WS VI - 6 Silencing an essential gene involved in infestation and digestion in grain aphid through plant-mediated RNA interference generates aphid-resistant wheat plants. Felix Moronta-Barrios, Biosafety Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy WS VI - 7 Problem Formulation in the ERA of RNAi-based GM Wheat with Resistance to Fusarium Pathogens. Antje Dietz-Pfeilstetter, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Braunschweig, Germany WS VI - 8 Data requirements for the environmental assessment of RNAi plants: introduction to a discussion. 15:30-16:00 Coffee Break
Evening
17:30	AUDITORIUM EUTYCHES PECHA KUCHA II Sium Ahmed, Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Bangladesh PK II - 1 Public Perceptions of Bt Brinjal in Bangladesh Eduardo de Andrade Bressan, Luiz de Queiroz Agriculture College, University of São Paulo (USP), Piracicaba, SP, Brazil PK II - 2 Prospective Biosafety Evaluation Regarding Genetic Modified Cultivars of Sugarcane: Gene Flow Assessment and Nutritional Composition Marina Lee, Agrotecnio Center, Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain PK II - 3 Inter-species sensitivity variation of non-target Lepidoptera affects risk assessment of Bt maize Erina Yanagi, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, PK II - 4 Variations in resistance to the diamondback moth of feral Brassica napus growing around the ports in Japan Muhammad Imran, Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan PK II - 5 Characterization of CP4-EPSPS, Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab Genes Pyramid Transformed in to Tobacco Plants D. Hashini Galhena Dissanayake, College of Agrculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA PK II - 6 Socioeconomic considerations - a benefit or hindrance to advancing agricultural biotechnology Paulus Mungeyi, National Commission on Research Science and Technology (NCRST), Windhoek, Namibia PK II - 7 A critical review of the namibian biosafety regulations and their implication on processed food importers Sivabalan Karthik, School of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India PK II - 8 Pea p68, a DEAD-box helicase, enhances salt tolerance in marker-free transgenic soybean Erasmus Reynardt, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa PK II – 9 Effect of Busseola fusca on Cry1Ab protein expression levels in Bt maize plants and Bt maize crosses
18:30	POSTER SESSION II Posters list
19:30	PRESIDENT'S RECEPTION (MEMBERS ONLY)