FOR the third time the International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA) and the Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC) successfully convened the annual Asian Short Course on Agribiotechnology, Biosafety Regulation and Communication (ASCA).
While the pandemic forced the short course to adopt an online setting, it did not dampen the spirit of the delegates. In fact, ASCA saw an increase in participation compared the previous years with 43 Asian scientists, policymakers and regulators taking part in the 4-day online course that started on 23rd Nov.
As gene editing, synthetic biology and gene drive, collectively known as New Breeding Technologies (NBTs) are added into the toolkits of breeders and scientists, the negotiations on how these techniques should be regulated is getting intense at international meetings related to biosafety. ASCA creates the platform for scientists and regulators to understand the technologies and how risks can be assessed and managed based on science to harness their potential.
