EMBRIC WP2 mini-workshops on the long-term preservation of organisms and reproductive technologies
Tuesday 29th-30TH November
Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Plymouth
The objective of the WP2 of EMBRIC as a whole includes the identification of bottlenecks and gaps for making better use of marine biological resources in fundamental and applied science.
The goal of this workshop is to discuss the existing approaches/concepts/status of genetic resources, genetic containment, long-term preservation of marine organisms and reproductive technologies, and the future improvements needed to foster better utilization of marine genetic resources. The workshops will also contribute to assessing training needs and opportunities.
The outcome of the workshop will be a report detailing the state-of-the-art, best practice guidelines and perspectives for improvement of services.
DAY 1 – 29TH NOVEMBER
Marine Genetic Resources (GRs) & Tools
The EMBRIC consortium includes providers of genetically modified bioresources for a variety of applications. This first session will explore the diversity of these resources and their application, as well as explore current capabilities, demand and future ambition. From a practical perspective, future funding models for developing and supplying GRs will be discussed and issues around intellectual property.
9.00 / Welcome and Introduction / Nicolas Pade, MBA, UK9.20 / Marine Genetic Resources in EMBRC / Francois-Yves Bouget, Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
10.00 / Marine Microbial Genetic Resources (MIRRI) / Raquel Hurato Ortiz, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
10.20 / Finfish Genetic Resources (AquaExcel) / Brendan McAndrew, University of Sterling, UK
10.40 / Marine metabolites and derivatives from genetic resources (EU-Openscreen) / Martin Neuenschwander, Leibniz-Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Berlin, Germany
11.00 / Coffee break
11.30 / Roundtable:
· Current best practice, improvements needed and fulfilling the needs of future users of biological resources
· Economic Model: how to fund preparation of GRs?
· Intellectual Property: How to protect the work done by researchers? / Chair – Francois-Yves Bouget, OOB, France
12.50 / Wrap-up and agreed points for inclusion in report / Nicolas Pade, MBA, UK
13.00 / Lunch
Genetic Containment
The use of genetically modified organisms is a contentious topic and has a range of possible dangers associated with the accidental release of such organisms into the environment. It is therefore essential that research infrastructures have the appropriate facilities, procedures, and protocols in place to endure that such releases do not occur. This session will look at the current protocols applied in laboratories, environmental risk assessment, how they are accessed, future needs, and the pros and cons of different biosafety levels. In discussion, best practices and needs of laboratories and users will be assessed, as well as the ethical protocols in place for working on and using GRs.
14.00 / Welcome and Introduction / Nicolas Pade, MBA, UK14.10 / Setting up a CAT 2 biosafety lab: pros & cons / Ana Margarida Amaral, CCMAR, Portugal
14.50 / Disease trial facility: licensing, access, pros & cons / Dr Catherine Collins, Marine Scotland Science, UK
15.10 / ALGEBRA – ALGal Environmental and Biotechnological Risk Assessment / Dr Mike Allen, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK
15.30 / Coffee break
16.00 / Roundtable:
· Current best practice, future requirements and facilitating access to specialised facilities
· Ethics in GMOs / Chair – Dr Catherine Collins, Marine Scotland Science, UK
17.50 / Wrap-up and agreed points for inclusion in report / Nicolas Pade, MBA, UK
19:00 / Drinks and Dinner @ MBA, Citadel Hill
DAY 2 – 30TH NOVEMBER
Long-term preservation of marine organisms
The EMBRIC consortium includes a number of major microbial BRCs, it is hoped that in addition to representatives of these collections that those interested in the conservation of macroscopic organisms and stakeholders from both academia and the blue biotech sector will contribute to the program.
9.00 / Welcome and Introduction / John Day, SAMS, UK9.20 / What makes an accession a 'resource', commercial vs environmental imperatives / Brian Grout, Univ Copenhagen, SLTB
10.00 / Biobank development in the highly regulates stem cell sector / Glyn Stacey, NIBSC & UK Stem Cell Bank
10.20 / Conservation and supply of marine bacteria (tbc) / Carol Phillips, NCIMB Ltd, UK
10.40 / Coffee break
11.10 / Cryobanking of fish germ cells the Aquaexel tasks / Elsa Cabrita
Univ Algarve, Aquaexel, P
11.30 / Development of cryopreservation methodologies for marine bivalves and the transfer of that technology to human stem cell banking / Ian McFadzen
Plymouth Univ, UK
12.10 / What do users of marine microbial resources really need (tbc) / Michele Stanley, SAMS IBioIC, PhycoNet, UK
12.30 / Roundtable: Current best practice, improvements needed and fulfilling the needs of future users of biological resources / Chair - John Day, SAMS, UK
13:10 / Wrap-up and agreed points for inclusion in report / John Day, SAMS, UK
13.00 / Lunch
Reproductive technologies
The terms of reference for this workshop are rather loose, but initial discussions with various stakeholders have suggested a focus on algae, particularly macro-algae would be useful. This program is open to all in EMBRIC and issues associated with organisms other than algae and issues around the development and utilization of marine derived GMO’s would also be welcomed.
14.30 / Welcome and Introduction / John DaySAMS, UK
14.40 / Phycomorph: toward understand and controlling seaweed life cycles / Olivier De Clerk, U Ghent, Phycomorph, B
15.20 / Current model systems, gaps and future direction (tbc) / Coin Brownlee
MBA, UK
15.50 / Coffee break
16.20 / GMO in diatoms (tbc) / Amanda Hopes & Thomas Mock
UEA, UK
16.50 / Roundtable: Current best practice, improvements needed and fulfilling the needs of future users of biological resources / Chair - Michele Stanley
SAMS, IBioIC, PhycoNet, UK
17.30 / Wrap-up and agreed points for inclusion in report / John Day
SAMS, UK