Progress 07/01/03 to 06/30/06
Outputs At the request of USDA/CSREES, Information Systems for Biotechnology (ISB) conducted a symposium titled "Future Directions and Research Priorities for the USDA Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program". The symposium provided stakeholders a forum to assist in determining future research funding areas and examined the risk assessment needs for the next five years to develop a cohesive strategy for funding issues of greatest concern and examine research needs in the areas of insects, fish, trees and animal research risk assessment. Funding was obtained from five other sources. ISB also sponsored a workshop to examine the validity of quantitative risk assessment based on net fitness components. Participants examined an empirical model designed to determine whether genetically modified animals introduced into the environment would result in population increase or decrease and therefore pose a potential risk. ISB also sponsored a workshop titled "Evaluation of
Agricultural Biotechnology Research for Its Potential Use in Terrorist Activities Directed Against U.S. Agriculture", again at the request of USDA/CSREES and partially funded by a separate grant. The workshop offered an opportunity to factor input from the plant pathology and veterinary science research communities into the long-term Federal response to an NRC report, to develop defensive measures against threats to agricultural biosecurity, and to update CSREES policy and procedures for assuring that biotechnology research in agriculture is performed in a safe and appropriate manner. ISB continued to upgrade and expand its web site (http://www.isb.vt.edu) by expanding the information contained within the ISB GMO field test database and petitions for deregulation database and to cross-index the two. The ISB monthly News Report continued to report on timely topics of interest to the agricultural and environmental biotechnology research, regulatory and business communities.
Impacts Recommendations from the Risk Assessment Research Grants symposium identified areas of concern and contributed to determining which risk assessment projects should be funded by the program. The workshop on biosecurity raised issues which were further examined by CSREES and taken under consideration in policy-making decisions and forms modification. The ISB web site and News Report act as a clearinghouse for the agbiotech research community to disseminate research results, risk assessment issues and regulatory policy changes to the community as a whole.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs Information Systems for Biotechnology (ISB) acts as a clearinghouse for information pertaining to agricultural and environmental biotechnology research. One of two important objectives of ISB is to add value to existing information; the other objective is to develop recommendations through workshops, conferences and symposia. Under the first objective, ISB maintains a web site (http://www.isb.vt.edu) that makes available data to any interested party. The ISB web site is the repository of the only easily searchable database of field tests of genetically modified plants available online and worldwide. This database is routinely updated with the latest records as provided by APHIS. The database format was re-structured to reflect changes in APHIS's database. In addition, new records are added to the petitions for deregulation database from APHIS. These two databases have been linked for easier reference between the two. The ISB News Report continues to provide to any
interested party information concerning, among other areas, scientific, regulatory and legal developments in agbiotech research. A database of worldwide field tests and a list of links to other relevant web sites are also routinely kept current. Under the second objective, ISB co-sponsored through funding and in-kind services a workshop specifically requested by CSREES, entitled 'Workshop to Evaluate Agricultural Research for Its Potential Use in Terrorist Activities'. Additional printings of ISB's publications were ordered to fulfill continuing demand. Work has begun on updating the publication 'A Practical Guide to Containment: Greenhouse Research with Transgenic Plants and Microbes' to incorporate the latest developments in that area.
Impacts The overall impact remains the same. The online field test and petitions for deregulation databases receive high marks from government, industry, academia and NGOs for providing valuable information in a timely, easily obtainable manner, with over 21000 searches performed thus far in 2005. The News Report continues to attract new subscribers, now numbering over 2300, daily from over 45 countries. The information in the News Report is designed to assist researchers worldwide in furthering their own work in a safe and effective manner.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs To increase awareness and accessibility of peer-reviewed journal articles with data addressing environmental and ecological impacts of transgenic organisms, Information Systems for Biotechnology compiled an annotated bibliography with abstracts. Science Citation Index was queried using a series of broad search terms. Abstracts were sorted into three categories: data papers (empirical or theoretical), issue papers (no data), and papers on other topics. ISB is co-sponsoring and organizing a workshop on biosecurity issues affecting USDA's field testing procedures to be held in March 2005. A steering committee has been meeting, participants have been invited, and an agenda is being finalized. ISB continues to publish a monthly News Report containing articles addressing new research with plants, animals and microorganisms, regulatory affairs business developments, new technology, upcoming meetings and other events. The web site continues to provide bi-weekly updates to the
database of US field tests, international field test resources, monthly updates to agbiotech-related meetings, links to agbiotech web sites, and other items. The web site has been updated to include a searchable cross-index between the field tests and the petitions they support.
Impacts The workshops sponsored by ISB critically examine potential risks associated with the research and development of transgenic organisms, evaluate possible tools to assist in mitigating those risks, and assist in identifying critical areas for risk identification and management funding and the ISB project is the only source for efficiently searching the USDA/APHIS database of field test permits. The workshops and publications produced through ISB, often with funding from other sources, have received high marks on evaluations by attendees and participants. The News Report is committed to providing unbiased information concerning agbiotech research developments funded by the Federal Government. ISB has become a source of information locating resources or information not readily available elsewhere.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs This grant, initiated in June, 2003, funds work that is a continuation of that funded by grant number 4-28927. Information Systems for Biotechnology provides information about agricultural biotechnology research developments to any interested party. ISB has developed and improved a web-based prototype of the complex model for testing by researchers. The model can be accessed at http://www.isb.vt.edu/nfca/nfca1.cfm. ISB continues to publish a monthly News Report containing articles addressing new research with plants, animals and microorganisms, regulatory affairs business developments, new technology, upcoming meetings and other events. The web site continues to provide bi-weekly updates to the database of US field tests, international field test resources, monthly updates to agbiotech-related meetings, links to agbiotech web sites, and other items. The web site has been updated to include a searchable cross-index between the field tests and the petitions they
support.
Impacts The workshops sponsored by ISB critically examine potential risks associated with the research and development of transgenic organisms, evaluate possible tools to assist in mitigating those risks, and assist in identifying critical areas for risk identification and management funding and the ISB project is the only source for efficiently searching the USDA/APHIS database of field test permits. The workshops and publications produced through ISB, often with funding from other sources, have received high marks on evaluations by attendees and participants. The News Report is committed to providing unbiased information concerning agbiotech research developments funded by the Federal Government. ISB has become a source of information locating resources or information not readily available elsewhere.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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