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Life Sciences and Related Fields – Trends Relevant to the Biological Weapons Convention
(Web Page on Another Site)
During the last decade, national and international scientific organizations have become increasingly engaged in considering how to respond to the biosecurity implications of developments in the life sciences and in assessing trends in science and technology (S&T) relevant to biological and chemical weapons nonproliferation. The latest example is an international workshop, Trends in Science and Technology Relevant to the Biological Weapons Convention, held October 31 - November 3, 2010 at the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.
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Trends in Science and Technology Relevant to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention: Summary of an International Workshop
(Web Page on Another Site)
This report offers a summary of the substantive presentations during an international workshop, Trends in Science and Technology Relevant to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, held October 31 - November 3, 2010 at the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is meant to provide scientists and other technical experts with factual information about the range and variety of topics discussed at the workshop, which may be of interest to national governments and non-governmental organizations as they begin to prepare for the 7th Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) in 2011.
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Research in the Life Sciences with Dual Use Potential: An International Faculty Development Project on Education About the Responsible Conduct of Science
(Web Page on Another Site)
This report describes the outcomes of the planning meeting for a two-year project to develop a network of faculty who will be able to teach the challenges of research in the life sciences with dual use potential. Faculty will be able to incorporate such concepts into their teaching and research through exposure to the tenets of responsible conduct of research in active learning teaching methods. This report is intended to provide guidelines for that effort and to be applicable to any country wishing to adopt this educational model that combines principles of active learning and training with attention to norms of responsible science. The potential audiences include a broad array of current and future scientists and the policymakers who develop laws and regulations around issues of dual use.
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Six Party Symposia on Synthetic Biology
(Web Page on Another Site)
Under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), CSTL and the Board on Life Sciences (BLS) are organizing, in conjunction with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), Royal Society (RS), Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), three symposia on synthetic biology in 2011-2012.
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Brain Waves – Neuroscience, Conflict and Security (Module 4)
(Web Page on Another Site)
This 2012 report from the Royal Society considers some of the potential military and law enforcement applications arising from key advances in neuroscience.
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The Scope of Biosafety and Biosecurity in Uganda: Policy Recommendations for the Control of Associated Risks. A Consensus Study Report
(Web Page on Another Site)
This report from the Uganda National Academy of Sciences was published in 2010. It details the findings of a committee that was charged with reviewing and assessing "the current state of knowledge
pertaining to the meaning and scope of biosafety and biosecurity with a view to informing both policymakers and legislators in Uganda as they attempt to come up with a pertinent national policy and regulatory framework."
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Challenges and Opportunities for Education about Dual Use Issues in the Life Sciences
(Web Page on Another Site)
The Challenges and Opportunities for Education About Dual Use Issues in the Life Sciences workshop was held to engage the life sciences community on the particular security issues related to research with dual use potential. More than 60 participants from almost 30 countries took part and included practicing life scientists, bioethics and biosecurity practitioners, and experts in the design of educational programs.
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Joint Statement by Participants on Science, Ethics, and Appropriate Uses of Technology
(Web Page on Another Site)
Convened under the hospitality of the Fondation des Treilles, participants in the U.S.-France-Iran Workshop engaged in discussions on scientific ethics, limited to the areas of biotechnology, cyber technology, and nanotechnology. While differences in perspective, such as the foundations of ethics, should not be minimized, the participants were pleased at the mutual recognition of large areas of common understanding.
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Opportunities and Challenges in the Emerging Field of Synthetic Biology: A Symposium
(Web Page on Another Site)
On July 9-10, 2009, under the auspices of the National Academies (CSTL, BLS, STEP, and NAE), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the Royal Society, an international symposium was held in Washington, DC to bring together the scientific, engineering, legal, and policy communities along with members of the public to explore the opportunities and challenges posed by the emerging field of synthetic biology. The symposium featured invited presentations and discussions on the myriad of legal, policy, and ethical questions that synthetic biology raises in the global enterprise.
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Ethics Education and Scientific and Engineering Research: What's Been Learned? What Should Be Done? Summary of a Workshop
(Web Page on Another Site)
The workshop, summarized in this volume, discussed the social environment of science and engineering education; the need for ethics education for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in science and engineering; models for effective programs; and assessment of approaches to ethics education, among other topics.
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New approaches to biological risk assessment
(Web Page on Another Site)
This report presents the findings of an international workshop held at the Royal Society in February 2009. Held jointly with the International Council of the Life Sciences, it brought together a group of international experts on infectious disease, international security and risk assessment to explore new approaches to assessing the full range of biological risks.
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Establishing and Promoting Standards and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) for Running Safe, Secure, and Sustainable Laboratories in Africa. A Regional Workshop
(Web Page on Another Site)
This report from the Uganda National Academy of Sciences describes the results of a 3-day workshop that took place in January of 2009.
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CAS/IAP/OECD Workshop on Biosecurity held in IMCAS
(Web Page on Another Site)
Sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Interacademy Panel on international issues (IAP), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the international workshop on biosecurity was held in the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences on 7-9 December, 2008.
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The 2nd International Forum on Biosecurity: Summary of an International Meeting, Budapest, Hungary, March 30 to April 2, 2008
(Web Page on Another Site)
The 2nd International Forum on Biosecurity, represents the efforts of a number of individuals and organizations, over the last five years, to engage the international community of life scientists in addressing how to reduce the risk that the results of their work could be used for hostile purposes by terrorists and states. The participants who gathered in Budapest were already engaged in this challenging task, and, therefore, the focus of the meeting was on what had been accomplished and what challenges remained. There was no attempt to achieve consensus, since there exist real and important differences among those involved concerning the appropriate policies and actions to be undertaken. But there was a serious effort to identify a range of potential next steps, and also an effort to identify opportunities where international scientific organizations could make substantive contributions and offer their advice and expertise to policy discussions.
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Académie des sciences (France): Les Menaces Biologiques - Biosécurité et Responsabilité des Scientifiques (2008)
(Web Page on Another Site)
This report from the French Academy of Sciences describes the responsibility of scientists in biosecurity.
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Royal Society activities on reducing the risk of the misuse of scientific research
(Web Page on Another Site)
This paper summarises activities undertaken by the Royal Society on reducing the risk of the misuse of scientific research. It begins by describing activities undertaken by the Society in the UK and at the international level, and then discusses some of the major themes and challenges that have emerged. (21 August 2008) In includes an update from 2010 on Assessing the Threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction and The Role of Independent Scientists.
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The Advancement of Science and the Dilemma of Dual Use: Why We Can't Afford to Fail
(Web Page on Another Site)
The Polish Academy of Sciences organized this international conference which took place on November 9-10, 2007, at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. The conference participants represented a range of disciplines and nationalities. (See also, this special issue section of Science and Engineering Ethics, 16:1 (March 2010))
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Multiple Uses of Chemicals: Clear Choices or Dodgy Deals?
(Web Page on Another Site)
This website provides resource materials to help teachers and students understand the multiple uses of chemicals, learn about the Chemical Weapons Convention, and develop codes of conduct to prevent harmful uses. It was developed from project of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).
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Impact of scientific developments on the Chemical Weapons Convention
(Web Page on Another Site)
A Technical Report of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), this report summarizes the findings and recommendations of an international workshop that was organized jointly by IUPAC and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and held in Zagreb, Croatia, from 22 to 25 April 2007.
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Code of Conduct for Biosecurity for the Netherlands.
(Web Page on Another Site)
The purpose of this code is to prevent education and research in the life sciences from contributing to the misuse of biological organisms.
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IUMS Code of Ethics against Misuse of Scientific Knowledge, Research and Resources
(Web Page on Another Site)
In light of the increased potential for dual application of scientific knowledge for beneficial or malicious purposes, the IUMS reaffirms its major goal is to promote research and the open exchange of scientific information for advancement of the health and welfare of humankind and the environment and strongly discourages any uses of knowledge and resources to the contrary.
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Report of the RS-IAP-ICSU international workshop on science and technology developments relevant to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
(Web Page on Another Site)
This workshop, held on 4–6 September, 2006, brought together 84 leading international scientific and policy experts from 23 countries to discuss scientific and technological developments most relevant to the operation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC). Developments addressed included synthetic biology, post genomic technologies, immunological research, drug discovery and delivery, agricultural and environmental biotechnology, and diagnosis and surveillance of infectious diseases.
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Globalization, Biosecurity, and the Future of the Life Sciences
(Web Page on Another Site)
Auhored by the Committee on Advances in Technology and the Prevention of Their Application to Next Generation Biowarfare Threats and the National Research Council, this report examines current trends and future objectives of research in public health, life sciences, and biomedical science that contain applications relevant to developments in biological weapons 5 to 10 years into the future and ways to anticipate, identify, and mitigate these dangers.
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Code of Ethics of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
(Web Page on Another Site)
The mission of the IUBMB is to foster and support the growth and advancement of biochemistry and molecular biology as the foundation from which the biomolecular sciences derive their basic ideas and techniques in the service of mankind. This code describes the obligations of members to the public, to other investigators, and to trainees.
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IAP Statement on Biosecurity
(Web Page on Another Site)
This statement presents principles to guide individual scientists and local scientific communities that may wish to define a code of conduct for their own use. These principles have been endorsed by numerous national academies of science, working through the InterAcademy Panel.
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Do no harm: reducing the potential for the misuse of life science research
(Web Page on Another Site)
This is a report of a Royal Society - Wellcome Trust meeting held at the Royal Society on 7 October 2004
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Biotechnology Research in an Age of Terrorism
(Web Page on Another Site)
This report was compiled by the Committee on Research Standards and Practices to Prevent the Destructive Application of Biotechnology, National Research Council in 2004.