Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026
Genome-wide Surveillance of Transcription Errors in Eukaryotic Organisms
Published on: September 13, 2018
Increasing Gene Synthesis Security Risk Awareness Through Global Engagement and Collaborative Exercise Development
Amanda Kobokovich Mui1, Gigi Kwik Gronvall1, Oliver Shane R Dumaoal1
1Amanda Kobokovich Mui, MPH, is Managing Senior Analyst, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, and Senior Research Associate, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Gigi Kwik Gronvall, PhD, is Professor, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Oliver Shane R. Dumaoal, RMT, MSMT, is Director of the School of Health Sciences, UST General Santos, General Santos City; Academic Staff, University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila; and Vice President, BioRisk Association of the Philippines, Quezon City; all in the Philippines. Viswanadham Duppatla, PhD, is Vice President, IKP Knowledge Park, Genome Valley, Hyderabad, India. Benard W. Kulohoma, PhD, is Director of Organization Capacity Development, IAVI, Nairobi, Kenya. Damaris Matoke-Muhia, PhD, is a Senior Principal Research Scientist, Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya. Margaret W. Muturi, PhD, is an Associate Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. Shambhavi Naik, PhD, is Head of Research and Chairperson, Advanced Biology Programme, Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru, India. George Ogello Obiero, PhD, is an Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Nairobi, Kenya. Dorington O. Ogoyi, PhD, is an Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. Julie E. Fischer, PhD, is Technical Director for Global Health, CRDF Global, Arlington, VA.
None:
Gene synthesis technologies are broadly useful and increasingly ubiquitous tools for life sciences research and development of medical countermeasures. The growth of the global commercial nucleic acid synthesis market has raised concerns that these technologies might undermine measures intended to reduce biological risks, including by preventing the theft, diversion, or misuse of high-consequence pathogens. Although the members of the International Gene Synthesis Consortium have voluntarily adopted sequence and customer screening for commercial gene synthesis orders, national frameworks and institutional capacities to assess and mitigate the potential risks of misuse of gene synthesis vary widely. In this case study, we describe the use of collaborative development of simulation exercises as an approach to raise awareness among key stakeholders of potential biosecurity risks associated with use of gene synthesis, while identifying context-specific, multilayered approaches to biosecurity that can be implemented at the national and institutional level. Experts from India, Indonesia, Kenya, and the Philippines worked in mentored, virtual breakout sessions to develop simulation exercises based on first-hand knowledge of local context to inform appropriate, sustainable approaches to measures to enhance oversight of nucleic acid synthesis procurement at the institutional level or to promote adoption of national frameworks. This project reinforced the proof-of-principle that collaborative exercises can be used to address a broad variety of research governance gaps to enhance national and institutional biosecurity.
Related Concept Videos
02:55Synthetic Biology
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...
00:49What is Genetic Engineering?
01:20Genetic Material
00:59Gene Therapy
01:28Global Regulatory Systems
02:38S-Cdk Initiates DNA Replication
Two states at the origin of replication
In eukaryotes, the initiation of replication occurs at many sites on the chromosomes, called the origins of...