Legislative aspect: Implications for Scientific Research in Colombia

The Proposal

In the frame of the synthetic biology competition International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM), Colombia’s Team from the Universidad de los Andes, as human practice activity, proposed to develop a high level forum with the goal to create spaces where opinions and ideas are exposed in order to promote discussion and contribute to the continuous search of solutions to the problematic related with scientific investigation within the legal frame in Colombia. The problematic consists in several inconvenients to obtain contracts that grant legal access to Genetic Resources and biological collections in our country and the long time waiting to obtain research and collect permits in order to investigate our own biodiversity.

The objectives

To discuss between the Colombian government and the scientific community, a factible and articulate proposal to resolve an important problematic in Colombia, concerning the rigorous process to obtain research and collect permits, contracts granting access to genetic resources and biological collections.

• To meet the governmental and no governmental figures and discuss about their position at this topic and proposals.

• To encourage the discussion between several figures involved in the scientific and legal frame in order to expose different points of view

• To obtain a generalized new proposal with the approbation of all parts.

Forum Investigation in Colombia: Obtaining Research Permits, Contracts for Access to Genetic Resources and Biological Collections

The preparations

For the event organization we contacted to Gonzalo Andrade from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, an expert about the topic, he was our assesor.

´ The Date event: September 3 of 2012, from 8:30am to 1:00pm. Registry since 7:30am.(4.5h) The Place : Universidad de los Andes. Building Mario Laserna Auditorium ML-A (Mayor) and Building Alberto Lleras Camargo Auditorium LL

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The Guests

We had 61 guests as special guests belonging to scientific community and to governmental institutions. We used several media for to guarantee the all institutions representation. We sent invitation letters and comments by Twitter, also electronic confirmations (by the forum email investigacionencolombia2012@gmail.com) and by phone. In adiction to this the forum was a open access event so we had general invitations for the general public interested in the topic. We had a total of 400 seats.

Invitations We sent 61 special invitation letters

We sent message to Minister by Twitter

In the scenario of International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, the iGEM-Colombia team has proposed, as a Human Practices' activity, to carry out a high level forum which encourages the discussion and proposition of solutions to current problems that afflict the scientific community in our country. The issues to treat in the forum are the related to the legal framework relevant to scientific research in the both the biodiversity and biotechnological development; more specifically the obtaining research permits, contracts for access to genetic resources and biological collections.

This forum is being at the Universidad de los Andes, on September 3rd from 8:30 to 13:00. We would like you to stay tuned with us through our USTREAM channel!

Live streaming

Follow the forum live in this website and participate in the discussion! http://www.ustream.tv/channel/11962459