Ecological Modeling in Risk Assessment of Gene Drives

Hector Quemada and David O'Brochta,  ,  2021.

GeneConvene Global Collaborative

Webinar Series:

Ecological Modeling in Risk Assessment
of Gene Drives

GeneConvene Global Collaborative Logo

March 10, 17, 24, 31 
11 am- 12:30pm
(Washington, D.C.)

Risk assessment of gene drive organisms will require the development of new tools to complement established risk assessment methodologies for genetically modified organisms with the paradigm for risk assessment agreed to by most countries in the world being the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. One recognized need is the use of models to help predict the ecological consequences of released gene drive organisms. Unlike non-gene drive organisms, which can be limited in time and space and therefore provide data in small scale tests that can be relevant to large scale releases, the potential for large-scale spread gene drive-containing organisms even from a limited release and even in well-isolated trials, means that risk assessors will need to consider models and forecasts in their decision-making.

To date, this work has only started to receive attention. This series of four presentations deals with the development and use of models in ecology generally and some of these presentations will also deal with the use of models specifically to assess the ecological impacts of gene drive organisms.

Each seminar will be 45-50 minutes in length followed by questions and answers.

Not a convenient time?  Each webinar will be recorded and promptly posted on the GeneConvene Virtual Institute, and questions will be taken for 48 hours after the initial presentation. The speaker’s responses will be attached to the original presentation.

March 10, 2021

Use of models in environmental risk assessment for gene drive insects

Speakers: Drs. John Mumford1 and Michael Bonsall2,
1Imperial College, London
2Oxford University

 


March 17, 2021

Qualitative Mathematical Modelling of Complex Systems

Speakers: Dr. Jeffery Dambacher, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization

 


March 24, 2021

Embracing dynamic models for gene drive management

Speakers: Drs. Kim Pepin and Andrew Golnar, USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

 


March 31, 2021

The application of quantitative ecological risk assessment to the release of gene drives

Speaker: Dr. Wayne Landis, Western Washington University