Past Discussions 2013

Dear All,

Thank you for your participation and feedback. This discussion is now closed. We will post a summary of the main points raised in a few days.

As previously indicated the Secretariat will be organising a face-to face meeting with the view to work towards the objective of developing a strategy to address Parties’ needs regarding detection and identification of LMOs and develop recommendations for the consideration of the COP-MOP at their next meeting. Further details will be issued soon.

Best regards,
Dina

Thank you to all those who have shared their views in this discussion forum. While laboratories do have standardised and validated protocols that they are using for routine detection work a few participants have reported that they are actively engaging in research with the view to improve their existing protocols and introduce new methodologies that can aid in increasing throughput and sensitivity while decreasing cost per sample. An example of research that is currently taking place in this field includes this recently published paper by Cottonet et. al. which optimised a multiplex RT-PCR protocol to detect up to 47 LMO targets (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-013-7125-5). 

To facilitate the process of integrating novel protocols, participants placed emphasis on the importance of exchanging experiences and collaborating with other laboratories to share resources and information. Examples where the exchange of information among labs could have an impact includes how laboratories troubleshoot and improve their protocols. A possible solution noted during the discussion could be an extension of the portal that was suggested in the previous discussion on CRMs to also include information on other commonly used laboratory supplies, protocols, etc.  Furthermore, as previously mentioned in a earlier discussion, the availability of reliable CRMs poses a technical barrier that slows down the process of developing new methodologies. Finally novel methodologies would also need to evolve to keep up with the advent of novel LMOs, such as those that express modified protein expression through RNAi mediated technologies.

Thanks, once again, to all the participants. The next activity under the Network of Detection Labs will be a face-to face meeting amongst selected participants. The objectives of the workshop are to (i) develop an implementation strategy to assist Parties in achieving the outcomes of the Strategic Plan relevant to the detection and identification of LMOs, and (ii) draft a set of recommendations on the subject of detection and identification of LMOs for consideration by the COP-MOP at its seventh meeting. Further details and a notification will be issued soon.

Lastly, participants are further invited to share their methodologies through the on-going forum “Compilation of laboratory methods for the detection and identification of LMOs” (http://bch.cbd.int/onlineconferences/portal_detection/discussions.shtml#theme3).

Best Regards,
Dina