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ASEAN GMF Testing Network Gene Editing Workshop

    July 12, 2021-July 14, 2021
    8:30 am - 12:45 pm
    (Virtual)
    Bangkok, Thailand

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute (AFSI), and the Department of Agriculture of Thailand (DoA) hosted an online workshop on the topic of gene editing in the context of plant breeding and agricultural biotechnology. This by-invitation-only event was supported by a grant from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, New Technologies and Production Methods Division and took place on July 12-14, 2021, in conjunction with the ASEAN GMF Testing Network meeting. The workshop facilitated practical exercises to help participants become familiar with scoping for risk assessment (referred to as problem formulation), in order to advance discussions related to risk assessment and regulation of gene edited plants and other organisms. The online event began with a gene editing webinar that provided informational presentations on key scientific and risk assessment topics, followed by a set of breakout group discussion exercises on the second day, with each group focusing on a different case study. The event concluded with a plenary recap and group discussion on the third day.

Agenda

Gene Editing Webinar

July 12, 2021 | 8:30 am - 12:45 pm (Bangkok - UTC+07:00)

The first day of the webinar will be held in a virtual seminar format to achieve a shared understanding of basic information that will facilitate the subsequent breakout discussions.

Time Presentation/Activity
Welcome Session
8:30 am Welcome Message from the Host Country
Director General, Department of Agriculture, Thailand
8:35 am Welcome and Introduction to ASEAN GMF Testing Network
Joseph Arbiol, ASEAN Secretariat
8:40 am Welcome Message from the United States
Melissa Brown, Chargé d’Affairs, U.S. Mission to ASEAN
8:50 am Introduction to the Workshop Agenda
Andrew Roberts, Agriculture and Food Systems Institute
Session 1: Putting Gene Editing in Context
9:00 am Genetic Variability in Plants
Dr. Robert Stupar, University of Minnesota
9:30 am Introduction to Gene Editing
Dr. Inez Slamet-Loedin (IRRI)
10:00 am Question and Answer for Session 1
10:30 am Break
Session 2: International and Regulatory Context
10:35 am Overview of Regulatory Approaches
Dr. Peter Thygesen, OGTR Australia & Chair, OECD Working Group on Harmonization of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology
11:05 am Economic and Trade Considerations
Dr. Ray Shillito, Senior Expert, BASF
11:35 am Question and Answer for Session 2
12:05 pm Break
Session 3: Introduction to Case Studies and Breakout Activities
12:10 pm Case Studies and Breakout Activities
Dr. Andrew Roberts, Agriculture and Food Systems Institute
12:30 pm Conclusion and Final Discussion
12:45 pm Adjourn Day 1

Breakout Group Discussion

July 13, 2021 | 8:30 am - 11:00 am (Bangkok - UTC+07:00)

Breakout groups will have 5-10 participants each. Each group will be assigned a different case study that will be their primary assignment, and participants will work through a set of discussion questions. If the discussion concludes early, additional case studies may be assigned.

Time Activity
8:30 am Welcome and Participant Introductions
8:50 am Review of Breakout Instructions
9:00 am Discussion of Case Studies
10:30 am Wrap Up and Conclusions for Presentation at the Plenary Recap
11:00 am Adjourn Day 2

Concluding Webinar

July 14, 2021 | 8:30 am - 10:45 am (Bangkok - UTC+07:00)

Time Presentation/Activity
  Plenary Recap
8:30 am Review of the Agenda
Andrew F. Roberts, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute
8:40 am Reports from the Breakout Group Discussions
Breakout Group Rapporteurs
10:00 am Plenary Discussion of Group Work
An opportunity for participants to discuss any lingering questions from the breakout groups or from the presentations on Day 1
Closing Session
10:30 am Closing Message from the United States
Dr. Susan Karimiha, International Economist, U.S. Department of Agriculture
10:35 am Closing Message from the Host Country
Director General, Department of Agriculture, Thailand
10:45 am Adjourn Day 3