June 16, 2021

ISAAA, in partnership with the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research and the Biotechnology Information Centers, will be conducting the second session of the Gene Drive Webinar Series. The next session titled Could gene drive approaches be used to protect nature and recover biodiversity loss? will be held on June 24, 2021 at 2 PM Manila (7 AM London/4 PM Sydney) via Zoom.

The potential uses and impacts of gene drive technologies are a topic of growing interest at the international and national levels in many countries. The Gene Drive Webinar Series aims to help promote a productive and balanced conversation on the benefits and risks of possible gene drive applications, providing factual and accurate information that can help place the discussion under the Convention on Biological Diversity in context.

During the second webinar of the series, experts will walk you through:

• - protecting biodiversity with gene drive
• - what gene drive can do to prevent invasive alien species
• - usefulness and limitations of gene drive approaches for conservation purposes

The resource speakers include Dr. Patty Baiao, US Head of Operations at the Island Conservation; Dr. Owain Edwards, Group Leader of the Environmental and Synthetic Genomics at CSIRO Land & Water; and Dr. Andrew Veale, wildlife ecologist and geneticist at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Ms. Aroha Mead, Chair Emeritus of IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy will serve as the moderator of the discussions.

The webinar is hosted by the ISAAA SEAsiaCenter and co-organized with the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research and the ISAAA Biotechnology Information Centers. Registration to the webinar is free and open to all.

Register now to the webinar.