Central and Eastern European Workshop on the Detection and Identification of LMOs

Dear Forum Participants,
Welcome to the online discussion of the Central and Eastern European Workshop on the Detection and Identification of LMOs. The aim of this discussion is to allow participants the opportunity to introduce themselves to and share their background and experiences with LMO detection and identification, including:

a. Current scope of laboratory activities;
b. Experiences with DNA techniques (e.g. extraction, PCR);
c. Experiences with detection and identification of LMOs;
d. Expectations from the workshop and how you foresee the workshop will be useful to you.

Participants may also feel free to pose any questions topics that will be discussed in the workshop as outlined in the Annotated Agenda (http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/bs/bsdiws-2016-01/official/bsdiws-2016-01-01-add1-en.pdf) and Provisional Agenda (http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/bs/bsdiws-2016-01/official/bsdiws-2016-01-01-en.pdf) .

We look forward to fruitful discussion.
Kind regards,
Dina

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Dear Forum Participants,
Further to my opening message, I would like to remind you that the online discussion of the CEE Workshop on the Detection and Identification of LMOs is still open. The aim of this discussion is to allow participants the opportunity to introduce themselves to and share their background and experiences with LMO detection and identification.

I would therefore like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the group, my name is Dina I have been working with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity for almost 4 years focusing on the technical and scientific aspects of the Protocol. I have a background in biochemistry and prior to joining the Secretariat I used to work in a service laboratory focusing on the forensic identification of wildlife.

I look forward to meeting you next week at the workshop.
Kind regards,
Dina

Dear All,
We provide the qualitative and quantitative testing GMOs in food products by real time PCR.
  We use kits AmpliSens (Russia).

Dear Colleagues,
My name is Krasimira Ivanova
I am from Bulgaria
Our laboratory is part of the Executive Environment Agency
Department"Biological Monitoring”,
GMO Testing Laboratory It belongs to the Ministry of Environment and water
We are part of the ENGL group
We work mainly with plant materials- qualitative PCR
In our country there are two responsible bodis about GMO - Ministry of  Environment and water and Ministry  of Agriculture and food
We have a national program for monitoring of GMO- we take samples from the field, prepare them and analyse.
The topic about  Detection of LMOs Unintentionally Released into the Environment and Unauthorized LMOs is very intersting for me
Another task of our is contained use- we need info and training about this topic

My personal background is molecular methods for diagnostic. I firs started with human diseases,  than work with animal diseases- avina influenca, clasical svine fever, bluetonge virus ect.
I also was in a trade company- as an application and training assistant.we were ofical distributor for Applied Biosystems, Eppendorf and some others
Now plants- are my favorit
I am looking foreword to meet you
Regards
Krasimira

Dear all,
I am Simona Pileviciene from Lithuania. I am biologist at the Molecular Biology and GMO Unit of the National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Intstitute.   The unit carries out qualitative and quantitative research for identification of genetic modification of all genetically modified foodstuffs, veterinary preparations and industrial feedstuffs. Routine  work on GMO testing based on qualitative and quantitative real - time PCR. To date in our laboratory screening tests are based on the detection of 35S promoter (p35S), tNOS and epsps. These targets have been widely applied and thus cover a large number of GM events. Real-time PCR methods based on quantitative analysis of specific genes. We can detect and quantify GM soy (A2704, GTS40-3-2), GM maize (MON810, TC1507, NK603, MON863, GA21, Bt176, Liberty Link – T25, MIR 604, MON 88017), GM rape (GT73, MS8, Rf3, T45), GM rice (BT63, LL601, LL62), GM potatoes ( EH92-527-1), GM cotton. Also we are trying to implement duplex Real-Time PCR screening  method for GMO.
Also department successfully cooperates with food microbiological, bacteriological , virological , serological , pathological anatomical and histological sections.
In our country  responsible for GMO is Ministry of Enviroment.
Several years we have monitoring program for rape from Lihuaniain fields, and monitoring for seeds( corn and rape).
My personal background is molecular methods not only for GMO, also I am interesting in diagnostic methods for viruses (etc. African swine fever, clasical svine fever, FMD,  SVD and others)

Best Regards
Simona

Dear All,

My name is Petra Beringer.  I have been working at the GMO laboratory of the National Food Chain Safety Office, Hungary since 2014. As the national reference laboratory, we are responsible for the monitoring of GMO presence in food and feed samples. I take part in sample preparation, DNA extraction and real-time PCR processes. I also work on the adaptation of new screening methods for GMO detection.
I would say that I am a beginner in this field since I finished my studies as a bioengineer in 2014. So it will be certainly useful for me to take part in this workshop and share experiences.

I look forward to meeting you.

Kindest regards,

Petra

Dear all,
I am Emine Anayol  from Turkey. I am Agriculture Engineer  at the Ministry of Food Agriculture and Livestock, Central Research Institute for field Crops, Biotechnology Research Center now. I worked Provencial Control Laboratory GMO Unit up to 2002-2009. My master subject is about Genetic Analysıs and Conjugal Transfer Of Nısın Productıon In Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis EYL 38. My Phd subject is about In Vıtro Shoot Regeneratıon and Agrobacterium Tumefaciens Medıated Gene Transfer In Dıfferent Cotton Cultıvars.

The first reason to participate this meeting;  To have a word of my country about biotechnology research subjects in the world and to increase my knowledge on the detection of gene transfer and gene transfer . I would like to learn about scientific studies, new method development, application and  to observe able to ability of these issues for my country.

Best Regards,
Emine

Dear Colegues,

My name is Mariam Sulkhanishvili I'm from Georgia, currently I work in Environmental Supervision Department of Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, in the service of GMO control, this is new service so I have only been working on this subject only for 4 month, our main job is to prevent introduction of GMO in environment and identify if anyone in the country has planted living modified organisms on their lands.

looking forward to meeting you in Ljubljana,

Best Regards
Mariam

Dear All,
My name is Miroslava Feketová, I am working at the Department of Molecular Biology and National Reference Laboratory according to REGULATION (EC) No 882/2004 for GMO testing. Department of Molecular Biology is one of Departments of Division of Laboratories Activities of Central Control and Testing Institute of Agriculture in Bratislava, Slovakia.
I was appointed Head of Department of Molecular Biology and National Reference Laboratory REGULATION (EC) No 882/2004 for GMO testing in 1st of February 2015.
Department of MB and NRL provides official state control in accordance with national and EU legislation regarding detection of GMO in the agriculture products, detection and identification of phytopathogens and variety testing.
As head of the laboratory in the period 1999-2014 I contributed to building the Department of Molecular Biology, building a quality system and accreditation of laboratories to achieve the position of NRL, flexible accreditation, inclusion in the EU Network of GMO Laboratories ENGL EC and I have cooperated with EURL GMFF EC JRC Ispra and JRC EC Sevilla.
Concerning to detection and identification of LMO/GMO, we have experiences with detection, identification and quantification of GMO in seed and plants material.
We use modified CTAB methods for extraction and isolation of DNA (DNAExtractor, eurofins GeneScan) and Biomed JetQuick PCR purification spin kit for purification of DNA.
Because our laboratory is a member of EU Network of GMO Laboratories we use methods for detection of GMO from databases of ENGL. We provide internal verification of these methods and consecutively use it for identification and quantification of GMO.
One of my many expectations from the workshop is acquirement of new information, knowledges and help with isolation of DNA from another matrix (for example rice etc.) and sharing experiences with removing of inhibitions of DNA.

Miroslava

Thank you everyone for introducing yourselves. It is great to see such a vast array of experiences and perspectives that will be coming together at the workshop. It will undoubtedly make for a rich exchange of knowledge amongst the participants.
I wish you all a safe trip to Ljubljana and I am looking forward to meeting everyone on Monday.
Kind regards,
Dina