4^th Annual South Asia Biosafety Conference

Plenary Session 1: Regulation of Biotechnology in South Asia

Strengthening Environmental Risk Assessment in Indian Biosafety Regulations
Dr. K. Veluthambi, Madurai Kamaraj University, India

Update on Biosafety Regulation in Bangladesh
Mr. Mohammed Solaiman Haider Department of Environment, Bangladesh

Update on Biosafety Regulatory Framework in Bhutan
Mr. Jamyang Phuntsho, Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA), Bhutan

Update on Biosafety Regulation in Pakistan
Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik, Forman Christian College, Pakistan

Update on Biosafety Regulation in Sri Lanka
Ms. Himali De Costa, Ministry of Mahaweli Development & Environment, Sri Lanka

There and Back Again: Reversal by the Supreme Court on the Constitutionality of GM Crop Regulations
and the New Challenge to the Philippine Biosafety System
Mr. Abraham Manolo, Biotech Coalition of the Philippines

Parallel Session: Research Efforts to Address Climate Change

National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture
Dr. Srinivasa Rao, Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), India

Developing Plant Resources for Stress Tolerant Molecular Breeding in Rice
Dr. Zeba Seraj, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Transgenic Strategies for Enhanced Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Grain Legumes: Retrospect and Prospects
Dr. Pooja Bhatnagar, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India

Water Efficient Maize for Africa
Dr. Sylvester Oikeh, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Kenya

Plenary Session 2: New Technologies in Genetically Engineered Development

Introduction to New Technologies
Dr. Andrew Roberts, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute, United States

CRISPR/ CAS 9
Dr. Amitabh Mohanty, DuPont Pioneer, India

Biosafety Considerations for the Use of Gene Drives in Anopheles gambiae for Malaria Control
Dr. Andrew Roberts, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute, United States

Genetic Biocontrol for Snails Utilizing a Cas9-Mediated Gene Drive
Dr. John Teem, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute, United States

Plant Breeding Innovation: Towards Consistent Global Policy
Dr. Usha Barwale Zehr, Mahyco, India and Chair, Breeders Committee, International Seed Federation, India

Plenary Session 3: Meeting Regulatory Challenges and Approaches to Regulatory Support

South Africa’s Evolving Biosafety Regulatory System
Dr. Hennie Groenewald, Biosafety South Africa, South Africa

India’s Regulatory Framework: Evolution and Reforms
Dr. S.R. Rao, Department of Biotechnology, India

Biosafety Regulatory Framework in Kenya: Challenges and Approaches
Dr. Willy Tonui, National Biosafety Authority, Kenya

Guidance for the Biosafety Regulatory Process in Bangladesh
Ms. Khorsheda Yasmeen, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Bangladesh

Regulatory Challenges for Small Companies
Dr. Keith Redenbaugh, Arcadia Biosciences, United States

Addressing Regulatory Challenges in a Federated System: An Australian Plant Science Industry Perspective
Mr. Osman Mewett, CropLife Australia, Australia

Plenary Session 4: Dossier Preparation: Planning and Generation of Regulatory Data

Regulatory Data Generation, Analysis, and Interpretation
Dr. Donald MacKenzie, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines

Writing Regulatory Dossiers: Good Reports, Good Dossiers, Good Stories
Dr. Monica Garcia-Alonso, Estel Consult, United Kingdom

Development of a Genetically Engineered Virus Resistant Fruit Tree – From Concept to Product Release
Dr. Ralph Scorza, United States Department of Agriculture (Retired), United States

Testing of GE Silk Moths: Challenges in Interpreting Regulatory Requirements
Dr. P.J. Raju, Andhra Pradesh State Sericulture Research and Development Institute, India
Dr. V. Satyavathi, Centre of Excellence for Genetics and Genomics of Silkmoths, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, India

Building Support for our Science: Four Keys to Successful Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
Ms. Jill Kuehnert, Seed Stories, United States

Poster Session

The 4^th Annual South Asia Biosafety Conference Poster Program provided an opportunity for individuals to share their research, findings and achievements with colleagues at the conference. Presenting a poster is a noteworthy way to share expertise or accomplishment, and poster presenters had a dedicated time to present and discuss their work with the diverse group of conference attendees.

First Place Winner

The first place winner was: Lourdes D. Taylo, Joseph C. Banasihan and Desiree M. Hautea for their poster on “Baseline Susceptibility to Bt Cry1Ac Protein of Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer (EFSB), Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée (Lepidoptera:Crambidae) in the Philippines.”

The first place winner was sponsored to participate in the 14^th International Symposium on the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms (ISBGMO), held in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2017. ISBGMO was a biennial, international meeting organized by the International Society for Biosafety Research (ISBR), which offered a unique opportunity to share information and experiences, as well as engage in open and meaningful dialogue on biosafety research, risk analysis, policy, and regulatory matters. This 1^st place prize included:

• Economy class airfare to Guadalajara
• Standard hotel accommodations during ISBGMO
• Per diem allowances
• Payment of the winner’s ISBGMO registration fee
• A two-year membership to ISBR

Second Place Winner

The second place winner was: Mark Gabriel S. Sagarbarria, Joane Rachel C. Mosico, John Carlo M. Marasigan, Lourdes D. Taylo and Desiree M. Hautea for their poster on “Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) DNA Sequence and Morphometric Traits of Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Southern Luzon, Philippines.”

The second place winner of this competition received a USD $100 cash prize and a two year membership to the International Society of Biosafety Research. The International Society for Biosafety Research, ISBR, aims to promote scientifically sound research that supports biosafety assessment by improving communication among scientists who study plants, animals, and microbes with new characteristics due to altered DNA and produced using modern biotechnology.