Applications of Converging Technologies for Biosecurity

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Applications of Converging Technologies for
Biosecurity

• Greg Tegart
• CSES Victoria University

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Background

• Threat of emerging infectious diseases a major
  biosecurity issue
• E IDs cause illness and death, drain economies
  through cost of treatment, generate indirect
  costs from lost work and reduced purchasing power
  and lead to trade sanctions which hinder economic
  growth.
• More new diseases in last 20 years than in
  previous 50-75 originated in wildlife as
  wilderness habitats invaded and production
  systems more intensive leading to animal to human
  transmission
• Particular relevance to Asia-Pacific region in
  view of recent outbreaks of SARS , avian
  influenza and swine flu
• National and regional concern since diseases know
  no national boundaries!

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Time for a New Approach

• Need for an accelerated technological response to
  combat EIDs in region and thus reduce risk to
  public and animal health and to limit damage to
  environment and trade
• Complex set of factors to be considered-social,
  economic and technological
• Need to systematically draw on wide variety of
  inputs across disciplines
• Concept of converging technologies based on
  nanotechnology,biotechnology,information
  technology and cognitive science has emerged in
  recent years as a useful tool.

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Converging Technologies in Biomedicine
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Australian example in 2007

• Organised by ATSE and Australian Biosecurity CRC
• Brought together about 40 regional experts from
  diverse disciplines nanotechnology, human
  health, veterinary science, bioinformatics,
  communications, modelling, risk analysis and
  policy development-normally would not meet
• Information flow seen as key to improved
  responsiveness information generation and
  collection, information management, information
  analysis, use of analysis

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Outcomes of Workshop

• Identification of areas for urgent
  attention-improved generation, collection and
  management of data, better integration of
  diagnostic techniques into management, greater
  sharing of information, better links to
  policymakers
• A better understanding among researchers of the
  social and cultural issues involved and the need
  for operational people to make decisions in
  absence of all the required information
• Networking needed to promote interaction between
  different disciplines

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APEC example in 2008

• Carried out by APEC Center for Technology
  Foresight in Bangkok with support of APEC
  Industrial Science and Technology Working Group
  and APEC Health Task Force
• Brought together a wide range of experts( some
  200 in total) from many fields from across region
  in a series of structured workshops in Thailand,
  Japan and Taiwan- again these experts would
  normally never meet!
• Used techniques of scenario creation and
  technology roadmapping
• Time frame-short term 2007-2012, medium term
  2012-2017, long term beyond 2017

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Methodology
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Scenarios

• Scenarios were used as ways of developing
  internally consistent stories about possible
  futures,recognising that the future is
  complex,uncertain and ambiguous.
• Drivers of change were identified and also key
  uncertainties.
• 4 scenarios were developed which showed that
  ubiquitous computing, treatment and diagnosis
  were critical areas.Within these a number of
  topics were identified.
• A major outcome was an EID life cycle model.

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EID Life Cycle Model
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Technology Roadmapping

• A roadmap is an extended look at the future of a
  chosen field of enquiry composed from collective
  knowledge and imagination of significant drivers
  of change
• Basic elements-identify key technologies to
  respond to needs, define scope of applications in
  the defined time frames, identify political and
  economic challenges, identify RD needed to
  achieve goals
• The workshops identified six technology domains
  as critical to combating EIDs - ubiquitous
  computing, diagnostics, drugs, modelling,
  vaccines and tracking. Roadmaps have been
  developed for each of these to provide the basis
  for national and regional strategies.

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Role of Technologies in Combating EIDs
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Significant Conclusions of the Roadmaps (1)

• Vaccines-development, production and delivery of
  vaccines are essential components of any
  strategy-new approaches based on genetic
  manipulation and molecular design will allow more
  rapid development
• Diagnostics-range of tools to enhance diagnostic
  capability must be developed for Asia-Pacific
  region-must be low cost, portable with rapid
  information flow
• Ubiquitous computing-integral part of new
  processes and tools in all domains-new approach
  needed for automated analysis of surveillance
  data to detect outbreaks

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Significant Conclusions of the Roadmaps (2)

• Modellingavailability of realistic models can
  assist policymakers in developing options for
  response-lack of real-time data limits use in
  outbreaks
• Drugs- more effort needed on development of
  therapeutic drugs for more effective risk
  management
• Tracking-miniaturised systems are being developed
  but need standards and protocols for trans-border
  application

Tracking-
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Some Social and Ethical Issues

• Reporting of outbreaks-threat to livelihood,
  cultural barriers, tracking sensitivity
• Transmission of data-privacy, corruption of data
• Diagnosis-lack of local and regional facilities
  due to political decisions, national sensitivity
  over ownership of data for vaccine production
• Use of information in policy-local, regional and
  national sensitivity over control measures which
  damage economy

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Conclusions

• Converging technologies approach has been vital
  to tackle complex problem of EIDs as a
  biosecurity issue
• Identification of significant changes needed to
  existing systems and of new areas for RD
• Need for collaboration and cooperation between
  traditionally separate fields of study
• Recognition of complex cultural and ethical
  issues involved in all aspects from detection to
  control