Project Proposal

Project title: Improvement for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Analysis in DPRK

Implementing Agency:

Centre for Biosafety Management

Branch of Biotechnology of State Academy of Sciences, DPR Korea,

US-DPRK Science Engagement Consortium

Project venue: DPR Korea

Duration: 3 years (36 months)

Budget:

1. Background and justification

GMOs(Genetically Modified Organisms)

In recent years transgenic techniques have been distributed in developing countries

and GMO cultivation area is expected to be continuously increased in relation

to the worldwide solution of food shortage.

The safety evaluation of GMO has already been discussed with its development.

Although the approved transgenic crops were said to be fully inspected, the data

in some countries that GMOs contained a potential possibility of danger to human

health and ecological environment are giving rise to serious concern on a global scale.

But in condition that there is still no consensus to the safety of GMO foods and

no one give clear answer to a negative effect in future, the establishment of b

iosafety system for GMOs and their products is considered to be a great issue.

During the last period the State Academy of Sciences of DPRK has become

a administrative organization of the National Biosafety Framework keeping

in close contact with UNEP.

And the Centre for Biosafety Management of Branch of Biotechnology,

the State Academy of Sciences has become a subordinate executive organ of

the National Biosafety Framework with Capacity Building for Compliance with

the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety which can deal with the assessment and

management of GMOs.

The State Academy of Sciences of DPRK

The Centre for Biosafety Management of Branch of Biotechnology

The activity has some barriers to introduce as follows;

• Very few chance for training in which the advanced technology and experience

can be acquired from other countries and lack of technical data.

• Poor facility environment for analysis which have not overcome false positive

and not given reliable results.

• Lack of instruments and reference materials which can quantify and evaluate

the results.

The Centre for Biosafety Management of Branch of Biotechnology

2. Project Objectives

This project aims at strengthening the national biosafety framework of DPRK

by supplementation of material and technical means of biosafety capacity building

in Centre for Biosafety management of Branch of Biotechnology, acceleration of

its operation ability and improvement of the activity qualification of managing officials

and scientists.

3. Outputs

- The management officers and scientists with high ability for GMO analysis

will be trained.

- International books and journals for GMOs management will be provided.

- One direction flow laboratory facility to overcome false positive will be built.

- Equipments and reference materials for qualitative and quantitative assay

will be provided.

- Standard local guidelines and protocols will be created.

4. Activities

4.1 Training the officers and scientists with high ability

- Participitation of global conference and international symposium and

experience exchange

- Study tour to well-equipped GMO inspection facilities in other countries.

- Promoting the exchange about the techniques and experiences achieved

in GMO analysis.

- Organizing the abroad training for officers and scientists.

4.2 Purchasing the materials

- Selecting and purchasing the suitable books and journals.

- Global data on development, production and commercialization of GMOs.

- Connection to the global internet database.

4.3 Establishment of the most effective and suitable assay methods and

framing up of technical guidelines - Establishment of qualitative and quantitative methods using standard

instruments and reference materials.

- Development of rapid methods suitable for on-the-spot assay.- Framing up of standard technical guidelines and protocols.

4.4 Building up of GMOs analysis laboratory well equipped. - Making a list of building materials and furnitures necessary for one direction

flow laboratory.- Making a list of instruments and regents necessary for qualitative and

quantitative assay.- Purchasing and delivery of the issues.

4.5 Project monitoring and evaluation

- Selecting the criteria for assessing the project implementation.

- Developing the project progress report and final report and their submitting.

5. Expected Budget:

5.1 Global conference and international symposium- The 3rd Global Conference for GMO analysis organized by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission to be held in 2012. The 14th International Symposium on the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms organized by the International Society for Biosafety Research(ISBR) to be held in 2014.

5.2 Study tour and visit- Study tour Advanced Biotechnology and Breeding Center, Biological Research Division, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.- Study Visit Reference Laboratory for the GMO Identification and DNA fingerprinting, Research Institute of Crop Production, Prague, Czech Republic.

5.3 Training abroad

- Short-term training

Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR), Hyderabad, India.

Biosafety Unit, the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and

Biotechnology (ICGEB), Area Science Park, Padriciano, Trieste, Italy.

- Long-term training

The Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, School of Life Science

and Biotechnology of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.

European Commission / Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and

Consumer Protection, Via E. Fermi 1, Ispra (VA) Italy.

5.4 Books, journals and internet accession

- Books(Electric copies)

- Speech papers of international conventions and symposiums (Electric copies)

- Journals(Electric copies)

- Internet database accession

5.5 One direction flow laboratory equipped with necessary instruments- Building materials . Metal and Plastic frames, Glass plates, Air Fresh System - Instruments and devices . A Real-time Thermal Cycler, An ELISA Instrument . A Polyacrylamide Electrophoresis System (Gel Casting Size: 30 x 40 Cm) . A Spectrophotometer, An Ultra-freezer (-75 )℃ . Five Various Specifications of Rotary Crusher . An Eppendroff tube Pulverizer with Liquid Nitrogen . Two Autocleave Venches, Two Thermal Cyclers, Two Vortex Shakers . Two Thermo Shakers, Two Computers(CORE II DUAL 3G/2G/250G/) . Five Sets of Pipetman, Two V-F sterbilizers(SVC 10KW) . Two UPSs(2 KW), A Thermal Shaker with Eppendroff tube . An Autowasher, Ten Swivel Chairs, Two Multi-purpose Experimental Desks . One hundred bottles for reagent- Various reference materials and reagents