Research project BL/50/IN14 (Research action BL)
'In the European Union (EU), well established legislative framework functions for the approval and detection of GMOs. Methods for detection of authorised GM events are available and implemented by the enforcement laboratories in function of official controls.
New challenges which the control laboratories are facing and technical solutions for these challenges are searched: Although methods for detection of EU authorised GMO are available, the number of GM events to be detected in unknown samples is increasing. This requires optimisation of the analytical approaches and strategies in order to make the analysis cost and time efficient.
Another challenge is the presence of unauthorised GMO (UGM) in products on the EU market. Technical solutions for detection of UGM are needed. However, this is based to a great extent on the knowledge on the sequences used. Many new GM events are developed by organisations in Asia, e.g. India, China and are not submitted for authorisation in the EU and forming a risk to occur in products at the EU market as UGM.
*The GMO lab of the Scientific Institute of Public Health is one of the leading EU laboratories for development of new qPCR methods and analytical strategies based on the application of DNA walking, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) have been developed, based on which new qPCR methods for detection of UGMs have been developed and validated at EU level.
*The GMO detection laboratory of ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources - Division of Division of Genomic Resources4 (ICAR-NBPGR), New Delhi, India has more than 10 years’ experience in this field and is developing and validating rapid and cost-effective DNA-based GMO detection technologies for testing of GM planting material. The laboratory has participated in 13 EU Comparative Tests programme since 2010. The laboratory also participated in the ring trial for detection and quantification of Golden Rice 2 event organized by EC-JRC, Italy.
In India, there is also need of development and validation of efficient GM detection technologies to check for authorised and unauthorised GM events with unknown transgenic constructs. Both laboratories have significant background in the GMO testing and common research interests. By means of different tools e.g. meetings, exchange of scientific information and bench-learning visits both laboratories will enlarge their knowledge and will complement their technical expertise in several topics: 1/ new GM events, developed in Asia and not authorised in the EU, 2/ implementation of new technologies e.g. Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR), NGS in the field of the GMO detection with special interest on detection of UGM, 3/ sharing experience in validation and implementation of cost-efficient PCR methods for detection of GMO incl. UGM.
The project will establish a specific cooperation on exchange of information and scientific expertise between WIV-ISP and NBPGR resulting in:
- Establishing a basis for exchange of information and experience in the UGM detection between both scientific institutions.
- Submission of scientific research proposal(s) on development of novel analytical tools.
- Preparation of common scientific publication(s).
