Biosafety, Biosecurity and Biotechnology By Angela Binns Flinders University

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Biosafety, Biosecurity and
BiotechnologyBy Angela BinnsFlinders
University
School of MedicineSupport Services / Department
of Medical Biotechnology
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Flinders University
Inspiring Achievement
University Mission Think, Learn, Lead, Link
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Education Is The Key In Science
Cartoons
Practical classes
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Biotechnology at Flinders

• Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) 4 year
  Full-time course
• Masters in Biotechnology 2 years International
  Students mainly
• Combined with other degrees e.g. Law.
• Cross Faculty course Fac. Health Sciences and
  Fac. Science Engineering.
• First graduates Honours Program 1994
• Established a reputation as one of the foremost
  Biotech Degrees in Australia.
• All facets of Biotechnology are covered
  throughout the course as well as business and
  marketing topics

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What is Biotechnology?

• Biotechnology is essentially the use of living
  organisms (often minute micro-organisms) and
  their products for health, social or economic
  purposes.
• It is considered to be the growth technology
  of the 21st century.
• Applications are widespread.

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What is Biosafety?

• Biosafety refers to the development and
  implementation of administrative work practices,
  facility design and safety equipment to prevent
  the transmission of biologic agents to workers,
  other persons or the environment.

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What is Biosecurity?

• Security measures to protect the release of
  high consequence microbial agents, biological
  pathogens, toxins, critical information, pests or
  diseases as a result of theft or misuse.

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• The Past
• Major developments in science that have helped
  shape the world as we know it today.

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Immunization - History
Edward Jenner, noticed that milkmaids who
developed cowpox, did not develop the deadly
smallpox. In 1796, Jenner took the fluid from a
cowpox pustule on a dairymaid's hand and
inoculated an 8-year-old boy. Six weeks later,
he exposed the boy to smallpox, and the boy did
not develop any symptoms. Jenner coined the
term "vaccine" from the word "vaca" which means
"cow" in Latin.
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Francis Crick and James Watson

• Discovery in 1953 DNA molecule was a double helix
  
• DNA is the genetic blueprint for each cell and
  determines every characteristic of a living
  organism.

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Insulin

• First major product of Biotechnology
• From the 1920s Insulin could be isolated from
  the pancreas pigs cows
• Allergic reactions to bovine by some people
• Using Molecular Biology techniques an insulin
  producing gene was inserted into bacteria.
  (1970s)
• The bacteria then could produce human insulin.

Human Insulin (From U. of Arizona)
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Cloning Dolly and Beyond!!

• 1997 - First cloned sheep
• Since Dolly, mice, goats cows and other mammals
  have been cloned.
• The result of splitting an embryo into 2 at a
  very early stage results in mammal clones.
• Dolly was produced by a technique called somatic
  cell nuclear transfer. DNA from the nucleus of a
  cell from the body is put into another sheeps
  egg which had the nucleus removed. Then
  implanted. Only success in 277 attempts.
• Many ethical issues concerning human
  cloning!!!!!!!!

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• These past scientific developments have all
  helped initiate the need for Institutional
  Biosafety Committees (IBC)

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Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

• The role of the IBC varies from committee to
  committee.
• Often includes more than one institution
  Flinders University Flinders Medical Centre

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Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

• Qualities of a good IBC
• Important to have high quality researchers
• Reviewers from a broad range of scientific fields
• Strong and approachable Chairperson
• Committee that operates in a transparent manner.

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Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

• Roles of the IBC
• Direct contact with the Office of the Gene
  Technology regulator (OGTR). Legal obligations.
• Facility inspections and compliance
  responsibilities
• Biosafety manual regularly updated

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Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

• Roles of the IBC
• Training strategies Reviewing at present - on
  line training.
• Lecture given to 3rd year Medical Science
  students on Biosafety and IBC
• Material Transfer agreements (MTAs)
• May include control of radiation and hazardous
  substances within the area institution.
  (Radiation and Laboratory Safety Sub committee)

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Australasian Biosafety Association (proposal)

• Inaugural meeting to be held in conjunction with
  the Australasian Society for Microbiologys
  Annual Scientific Meeting July 9th.
• Workshop on laboratory Biosafety Standards and
  Guidelines
• Include developments in Biosafety and Biorisk
  Management Standards.
• Microbiologists, virologists, laboratory
  architects and engineers, Health and Safety
  professionals

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Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)( Biosafety
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• Immunization
• Biological Risks High risk microorganisms
• Pregnant personnel.
• Hazardous Substances
• Waste disposal
• Radiation registration

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Occupational Health and Safety

• Identify the Risks (Risk Assessment)
• Minimize the risks
• Safe Operating Procedures
• Monitor the Risks
• Spill / Exposure contingency plans
• Inductions
• Training
• Good laboratory practice

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Biosecurity

• No formal Biosecurity committee requirements as
  yet.
• Microorganisms could be removed from a laboratory
  and cultured with no-one knowing.
• Bioterrorism - real threat to the modern world.
• Biosecurity protocols should be included in the
  development of any new procedures.
• Awareness of practices in the laboratory are
  crutial.
• Record Keeping

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• The Present
• Examples of current applications

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Avian Flu
A Natural Mutation
Biosafety Biosecurity procedures extremely
important
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DNA fingerprinting
DNA fingerprinting can help investigators
identify the suspect in a crime. The pattern of
bands represents a person's genetic makeup. In
the blood sample shown Suspect S2 matches the
evidence (E)
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Genetic Engineering

• Has the potential to improve human health,
  nutrition and comfort
• but.
• It carries social, ethical and environmental
  risks, many of which may be presently unforeseen
• How can we manage such a huge and complex issue?

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Regulation
FOOD
STANDARDS
Australia New Zealand
Institutional Biosafety Comittees (IBC)
OHS
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Current and potential benefits of gene technology

• Medicine
• Delivering vaccines
• Gene therapy
• Agriculture
• Resistance to insects or viruses reduced need
  for insecticides
• Tolerance to herbicides
• Reduced need for irrigation
• Resistance to frost (tomatoes), salinity
• Bioremediation
• bacteria that consume e.g spilled oil

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Genetic engineering Are there negatives??
Unknown side effects
No long term testing
Toxins
Gene pollution
Antibiotic resistant bacteria
Crop failure
Allergies
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Stem Cell Research
The Debate Continues!!!

• Non specialized cells that have the ability to
  produce specialized cells for various tissues in
  the body.
• Embryonic stem cells are originally harvested
  from an embryo.
• Expected advances in the treatment of cancer,
  Parkinsons and Alzheimers

Source University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Biosafety protocols must be paramount
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Nude Mice Mutant mice

• First bred by distinguished Czech immunologist
  Miroslav Holub.
• Nude mice are hairless due to a mutation.
• Have no thymus gland and T lymphocytes hence
  cannot reject tumours or transplants of cells
  from humans or other animals
• Used to gain insights into the immune system,
  leukaemia, solid tumours, AIDS

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Utilization of Micro-organismsin Biotechnology

• Micro-organisms are used to
• Turn milk into cheese and yogurt.
• To ferment beer and wine.
• Yeast is used in bread to make it rise.

Yes Biosecurity risks are associated with these
products as well!!!
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• Research projects that could change the world

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Edible Vaccines

• Various fruits are currently involved in research
  for delivering edible vaccines using transgenic
  plants.
• Especially useful in developing countries
• An edible vaccine doesn't need sterile syringes,
  costly refrigeration, or multiple injections.
• Millions of children die worldwide each year from
  diarrhoea that can be prevented easily with
  vaccines.

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Plants that detect land mines by changing colour
When the roots of these GMO plants hit nitrogen
dioxide (which leaches into the soil from buried
land mines), the plant changes colour.
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Kevlar - many times stronger than steelUsed in
Bullet proof vests.
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Spider silk - many times stronger than Kevlar!
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Applications of spider silk

• ? bullet-proof clothing
• ? wear-resistant light weight clothing
• ? ropes, nets, seat-belts, parachutes
• ? biodegradable bottles
• ? bandages, surgical sutures
• ? artificial tendons
• ? supports for weak blood vessels

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Milk Silk!
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Bacterial Resistance
Increasing Problem

• MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus
  Aureus) bacterium, is an antibiotic-multi
  resistant bacterium.
• It has been responsible for the contamination of
  numerous hospitals

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The Future

• Biotechnology Graduates and Laboratory
  Technicians could work on any such research
  projects anywhere in the world.

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Conclusion -21st Century

• Laboratory Technicians are often the main contact
  for post graduate students and researchers
  often of International origin whose native land
  has vastly different regulations to Australia.
• Numerous challenges in both occupational health
  and safety issues and regulatory compliance.
• Enormous diversity in the field of science and
  the extensive collaborations that exist today
  between researchers emphasizes the importance of
  providing laboratory personnel with all the
  relevant information.
• High quality support and a good communication
  system are critical to ensure that best practice
  is achieved by all

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Mike Lane, Caglecartoons.com
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Government, Scientists And The Community Need To
All Work Together
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Acknowlegdments

• Thanks to
• Flinders University- Staff Development Unit
• Flinders University Faculty of Health Sciences
• Prof. Rose Ryall Chair Flinders IBC