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Potential Risks and Benefits of Gain-of-Function Research Summary of a Workshop (2015) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
Pages 1-6

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From page 1...
... , which was defined by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity in 2007 as research that, "based on current understanding, can be reasonably anticipated to provide knowledge, products, or technologies that could be directly misapplied by others to pose a threat to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the environment, or materiel" (NSABB, 2007:17)
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From page 2...
... . In addition, in response to the laboratory incidents revealed in July 2014, White House Science Advisor John Holdren and Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Monaco issued a memorandum in August 2014 on Enhancing Biosafety and Biosecurity in the United States that "urged departments and agencies to take specific steps to strengthen safety and security" in federal laboratories (Hebbeler, 2014)
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From page 3...
... s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c134018fd1d008c582b7755be1fc1c06&tab= core&_cview=0. 5  The National Academies is the collective name of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council.
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From page 4...
... • Alternative methods that may be employed to yield similar scientific insights and/or potential benefits, while reducing potential risks. The two-day symposium will invite participants with a wide range of perspec tives and expertise, including public health, biosafety, public health surveillance, research, security, drug and vaccine development, and experts from regions of the world where pathogens with pandemic potential are endemic.
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From page 5...
... The USG intends for these efforts to occur as expediƟously as possible, and dates are subjects to change based on the deliberaƟve process. FIGURE 1-1  Flow chart showing timeline for deliberative process regarding monitoring and regulation of GoF research.
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From page 6...
... The planning committee's role was limited to planning and convening the workshop. The views contained in the report are those of individual workshop participants and do not necessarily represent the views of all workshop participants, the planning committee, or the National Research Council. It offers a summary of the key issues and ideas identified during the symposium, but offers no consensus conclusions or recommendations and is intended to reflect the discussions during the meeting.
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Key Terms

  • potential risks
  • avian influenza
  • research involving
  • altered gene
  • pathogenic avian

  • usg policy
  • gene product
  • sciences dual
  • committee established
  • respiratory syndrome

  • highly pathogenic
  • planning committee
  • molecular function
  • gof experiments
  • major potential

  • internal national
  • reducing potential
  • policy discussions
  • policy governing
  • public conferences

  • government policy
  • policy recommendations
  • biotechnology research
  • public debate
  • public symposium

  • draft policy
  • science advisor
  • policy initiatives
  • house science
  • allow science


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