National Series Lecture 1 Introduction Jordan

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National SeriesLecture 1IntroductionJordan

• Bradford Disarmament Research CentreDivision of
  Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK

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Outline

• Where we are in the early 21st century
• Outline of the following lectures
• What we should know (learning outcome)
• What we can do (policy contribution)

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What is Life Science?

• Any field of science that is leading to or has
  the potential to lead to an enhanced
  understanding of living organisms, especially
  human life.
• E.g. Biology, proteomics, genetic engineering,
  nanotechnology, aerosol technology, chemistry and
  mathematics
• (National Research Council, 2006 27)

• Applied in
• Public health, Medicine, Agriculture, Energy,
  Environment and National security studies

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Biotechnology An integral part of national
strategy in the 21st Century
A growing market in Biotechnology the
pharmaceutical market (National Research
Council, 2006 85)
Region Annual Worth Share
North America 204 Billion 51
Europe 102 Billion 25
Japan 47 Billion 12
Asia, Africa, Australia 32 Billion 8
Latin America 17 Billion 4

• Similar results in number of researchers and
  the amount of private investment for RD in the
  life sciences
• Rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle
  East
• (ErnstYoung 2011, FrostSullivan 2010)

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Jordan Royal Scientific Society (RSS)

• The Royal Scientific Society (RSS) of Jordan was
  established in 1970 by a Royal Decree as a
  national, not-for-profit, non-governmental,
  applied research institution designed to support
  the continuous socio-economic development of
  Jordan.
• The RSS is mainly an applied research
  institution, though it has an academic extension.
  Young scientists are appointed as per the
  regulations women represent around 30 of the
  staff which totals around 584. The Society is
  active in the Natural Sciences, as well as in
  Health and Engineering.
• (IAP 2012)

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Jordan Science Outlook

• Higher Council of Science and Technology
• Science, technology innovation profile of
  Jordan
• (Elshuraydeh, 2006)
• Science and Technology sector in Jordan can be
  best described by some synthetic indicators. A
  study conducted by the Higher Council for Science
  and Technology, during the period 2002-2003
  Science and Technology Requirements Survey
  revealed that there were 835 national
  institutions dealing with ST activities in 2003
  to be compared with 524 in 2006.
• The total number of employees working on ST
  activities in 2003 was 42,151. The number of
  Engineers Scientists in RD amounted to 1,464
  FTE (Full Time Equivalent), equivalent to 2.7
  percent of 10,000 populations.

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Jordan Life science outlook

• The Testing Sector of the RSS aims to maintain
  and expand upon set standards for food safety,
  health, and environment and raise these standards
  and specifications for both imported and locally
  produced products, including chemical and
  biosafety.
• On biosecurity, annual Biosafety and Biosecurity
  International Conference (BBIC) has been
  organized since 2009.
• (RSS 2012)

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Princess Haya Biotechnology Center

• The center is located in King Abdullah University
  Hospital building. It comprises a total of
  sixteen research laboratories and occupies
  approximately 1,500 square meters.
•  
• The center provides faculty members, graduate
  students, and regional organizations with a
  robust and excellent scientific infrastructure to
  support important experimental research in
  biotechnology, particularly in the fields of
  genomics and proteomics.
• One of the major objectives of Princess Haya
  Biotechnology Center (PHBC) is to establish a
  multidisciplinary research foundation and a
  fundamental training center in the areas of
  genomics and proteomics. Currently, the center is
  seeking a high-throughput DNA sequencer and
  MALDI-TOF machines for high throughput genomics
  research and protein sequencing.

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King Hussein Institute for Biotechnology and
Cancer

• King Hussein Institute for Biotechnology and
  Cancer (KHIBC) is a not-for-profit
  nongovernmental organization established in
  concordance with His Majesty King Abdullah II's
  vision of transforming Jordan into a regional and
  international center for healthcare and research
  Furthermore, the Institute aims to advance life
  sciences and biotechnology and their contribution
  to medicine in the world through innovative
  research and scientific discoveries.
• The Center for Health Policy under the Office of
  Science, Health and Research Policy at King
  Hussein Institute for Biotechnology and Cancer
  assesses Jordan's governance on research and
  development in the field of biosciences and
  biotechnology. It is also currently working with
  key stakeholders and international organizations
  on developing the National Medical Biotechnology
  Strategy for Jordan. 

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PubMed search with Jordan Middle East
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Scientific Journal in Jordan

• Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences
• The Jordanian Ministry of Higher Education and
  Scientific Research in corporation with the
  Hashemite University will publish a new
  high-quality journal devoted to biological
  sciences
• Mainly welcome are contributions dealing with
  cell biology, genomics, microbiology, immunology,
  molecular biology, biochemistry, embryology,
  immunogenetics,cell and tissue culture, molecular
  ecology, genetic engineering and biological
  engineering, bioremediation and biodegradation,
  bioinformatics,biotechnology regulations, gene
  therapy, organismal biology, microbial and
  environmental biotechnology, marine sciences. 

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Industrial Efforts

• MONOJO
• MONOJO was established in 2005 as a result of
  four years of efforts and hard work between
  public and private sectors, the company now
  represents the new concept of knowledge base
  economy and considers the trigger the
  biotechnology industry in Jordan.
• MONOJO is currently a member wihin UK BioIndustry
  Association the association has enhanced
  MONOJOs visibility, network, and relationships
  with business decision-makers in the UK and
  Europe bioscience industry. We operate in two
  main countries The MONOJO in Jordan,in which
  it constitutes the main companys RD and its
  global business development and marketing
  operations department for its innovative
  bioproducts. The second main country is in the
  United States of America (USA) by MONOJOs first
  subsidiary The Columbia Biotech, this
  subsidiary is a complementary for MONOJOs RD
  department and its business development and
  marketing operations. 

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Nanotechnology in Jordan

• Jordan University of Science and Technology
• Nanotechnology Center
• The center was founded  to participate in the
  national and international efforts towards
  achieving nanotechnology based solutions to
  problems related to energy, healthcare and water
  treatment.
• The center aims to
• provide research and development environment for
  researchers from Jordan and the region in micro
  and nanotechnology.
• Have a significant impact on education and
  research in the area of nanotechnology and
  promoting its advantages in finding solutions to
  real life problems that otherwise will not be
  possible.
• Create a pool of researchers and trained experts
  in nano-applications.
• Attract local and international researchers and
  investors from industry.
• Put JUST and Jordan on the map of this
  cutting-edge technology.

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Why do we care? Should this be an issue for us?

• The dual-use nature of science and technology
• Every major technology metallurgy, explosives,
  internal combustion, aviation, electronics,
  nuclear energy has been intensively exploited,
  not only for peaceful purposes but also for
  hostile ones.
• Must this also happen with biotechnology,
  certain to be a dominant technology of the
  twenty-first century?
• Matthew Meselson Professor of Molecular Biology
  at Harvard University
• (Meselson, 2000 16)

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Meselsons Forecast in 2000

• Ability
• Our ability to modify fundamental life processes
  continues its rapid advance
• We will be able not only to devise additional
  ways to destroy life but will also become able to
  manipulate it
• Dilemma
• This has a Vast potential for beneficial
  application and could have inimical consequences
  for the course of civilization.

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Meselsons Forecast in 2000

• At present, we appear to be approaching a
  crossroads a time that will test whether
  biotechnology
• Will come to be intensively exploited for hostile
  purposes, or
• Our species will find the collective wisdom to
  take a different course.

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Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
(BTWC)1972

• Article I
• Each State Party to this Convention undertakes
  never in any circumstances to develop, produce,
  stockpile or otherwise acquire or retain
• 1. Microbial or other biological agents or toxins
  whatever their origin or method of production, of
  types and in quantities that have no
  justification for prophylactic, protective or
  other peaceful purposes.
• This applies not only to states but also to
  non-state actors

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Science and Security Dual-Use

• The need for a broader conceptualisation of
  dual-use
• Biological agents and toxins can be used for
  hostile purposes without weaponization and
  technology is typically diffused globally for
  peaceful purposes
• Hostile use can take the form of criminal acts or
  terrorist acts (non-state level) in parallel to
  military application (state level),
• The BTWC prohibits the misuse of the life
  sciences by both states and non-state actors

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Jordan and international regimes

• WMD
• Jordan is not known to possess nuclear, chemical,
  or biological weapons programs, or ballistic or
  cruise missile systems. The country is a member
  in good standing of all relevant nonproliferation
  treaties and organizations, ...and Jordan is a
  strong supporter of establishing a WMD-Free Zone
  in the Middle East.
• BTWC
• Signature (10 April 1972) Ratification (30 May
  1975)
• Since 2004, Jordan has launched several
  initiatives to develop its biotechnology sector,
  including establishing a National Center for
  Biotechnology to serve as a central coordinating
  institution for both domestic and international
  biotechnology activities.
• (Nuclear Threat Initiative 2012)

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Jordan and international regimes

• CWC
• Accession (29 October 1997)
• Amman has consistently been found in compliance
  with its CWC commitments, and is not believed to
  have pursued a chemical warfare capability.
• However, Jordan shares borders with several
  states suspected of chemical weapons activities,
  and as such requires robust border security and
  export controls to prevent its territory from
  being used as an illicit transshipment route.
• Jordan has invested heavily in counter-terrorism
  efforts and has received training and other
  assistance from the United States to secure its
  borders against illicit trafficking.
• (Nuclear Threat Initiative 2012)

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National Series Lecture Outline

• 2. Biosecurity Threats
• 3. The Web of Prevention
• 4. National Measures
• 5. Responsibility of Scientists

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Reviewing threats (Lecture 2)
Natural outbreaks of infectious disease
Safety/accidental risks at laboratories
Manmade threats warfare, crime and terrorism
Unpredictable future of the life sciences

• No single focal point of threats
• Potential actors, material and information, which
  can be related to dual-use issues, exist at
  international, regional, national, local and
  individual levels.

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The Web of Prevention (WoP) (Lecture 3)

• To address natural outbreaks of infectious
  disease
• Public health preparedness and response planning
• To address safety/accidental risks
• Laboratory regulations to safely manage
  dangerous pathogens and toxins, to prevent an
  accidental release into the environment and
  unauthorized access
• To address manmade threats
• Strong international arms control agreements with
  effective national implementation
• Internationally coordinated export controls
• Intelligence
• Biodefense
• To address the unpredictable future of the life
  sciences
• Oversight Review of security-sensitive science
  and technology developments
• Responsible conduct in research through education

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Natural threats
Safety risks
Manmade threats
Governance of science
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National implementation (Lecture 4)
To National Context
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National implementation (Lecture 4)
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Worldwide engagement of life scientists with the
WoP will
The need for responsible conduct in
research(Lecture 5)

• Effectively strengthen biosecurity measures by
  requiring the engagement of practicing scientists
• Prevent unnecessary restriction of scientific
  freedoms

Engagement of informed life scientists about
biosecurity issues is key to successful security

• Education of, and capacity building among,
  scientists on biosecurity issues is necessary for
  successful security
• Uninformed scientists no effective science
  policy inputs to the WoP

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Biosecurity Definition issues

• The term biosecurity has been conceptualised
  differently across various scientific and
  professional disciplines
• Areas The term has been used in ecology,
  agriculture, food supply, arms control and public
  health contexts, with different meanings and
  conceptualisations
• Policy processes these overlap with
  interdisciplinary areas such as biosafety,
  counter-terrorism, agricultural biosecurity and
  biodiversity
• Linguistic In addition to these conceptual
  complications, biosecurity has also experienced
  linguistic complications
• (Fidler and Gostin 2007, Sunshine Project 2003,
  Barletta 2002)

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National SeriesWoP Biosecurity Education
Biosecurity Competency
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References

• The references cited in this lecture are viewable
  in the Notes section of this presentation.