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 January 2000 | |
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January 2000 | |
IN THIS ISSUE:
The ISB News Report is featuring a Special Topic issue this month
devoted to agricultural biotechnology Internet resources. We have provided
an annotated list of national and international Web sites pertaining
primarily to biotechnology research, biosafety, regulatory oversight,
environmental, and GM food issues. We have also included sites devoted to gene
patenting and biotechnology industry matters, as well as pertinent listservers,
discussion groups, and news groups in which readers may participate. Many if
not most of the sites provide additional links, which expand Web users'
electronic resources immeasurably. As always, we invite readers to alert us
to useful sites we may have overlooked.
Best wishes to all our friends and readers for the New Year and Millennium.
Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (UK)
Ag-West Biotech
AgBioForum Magazine
AgBioS - Agriculture & Biotechnology Strategies (Canada) Inc.
AgBiotechNet
AGCare
Agri-Food Risk Management & Communication
Agricultural Biotechnology for Sustainable
Productivity Support Project (US)
Agricultural Genome Information System (US)
American Crop Protection Association
Belgian Biosafety Server
BioGuide
Bioline Online Journal Biosafety
Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)
Biosafety Information Network and Advisory
Service (BINAS)
Biosafety Information System (BIS)
Biosafety Research and Assessment of Technology Impacts
BIOTECanada
Bio-Tech Infonet
Biotechnology and Development Monitor
Biotechnology: Food Security and Safety
Biotechnology Industry Organization
BioTrack Online
CamBioTec
Canada Food Inspection Agency—
Plant Biotechnology Office
Center for International Development
at Harvard University
CGIAR Research Centers
CIMMYT
CONABIA
Convention on Biological Diversity
CSIRO: Genetic Engineering for Plant Improvement
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
EFB Agri-Biotechnology
EFB Task Group on Public Perceptions of Biotechnology
Electronic Journal of Biotechnology
European Plant Biotech Network
Food Animal Biotechnology Center
Food Biotechnology Communications Network
Gene Technology Information Unit (GTIU)
Genetic Engineering and Intellectual Property
Rights Resource Center
Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee (GMAC)
GrainGenes
Green Industry Biotechnology Platform (GIBiP)
ICGEB Biosafety Web Pages
Info AgBiotech
Information Systems for Biotechnology
Institute for Biotechnology Information (IBI)
International Field Test Web Sites
International Food Information Council: Food Biotechnology
International Information Program: Global Issues
on Biotechnology
International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)
IRRO Databases on Environmental Releases
ISNAR Biotechnology Web Site
Joint Research Centre - European Commission
Life Sciences Knowledge Center
National Agricultural Biotechnology Council (US)
National Biotechnology Information Facility
National Center for Biotechnology Education
NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules
Novartis Foundation
OECD's Database of Field Trials
OECD Biotrack Online
On-Line Courses in Biotechnology
Performance Standards for Safely Conducting
Research With Genetically Modified Fish and Shellfish
REDBIO/FAO
Robert Koch Institute (RKI) - Center for
Gene Technology
The Royal Society - Genetically Modified Plants for Food Use
Rural Advancement Foundation International
US Food and Drug Administration: Biotechnology
Union of Concerned Scientists — Agriculture Biotechnology
United Nations Environment Programme International Register on Biosafety
United States Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology
US EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Office
of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
USDA National Agricultural Library
Biotechnology Information Center
USDA Agricultural Biotechnology Information
USDA Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants (BRARGP)
USDA/APHIS Biotechnology and Scientific Services
USDA/APHIS Transgenic Arthropod Team
Ruth Irwin
One of the most interesting feature of the Internet is
its interactivity. News groups and listservers provide one-
or two-way avenues for discussion. These groups are
very useful for professional biotechnologists and students to
find answers to technical questions, obtain
career-related information, promote networking and exchange ideas
with colleagues across the world. Often discussion groups
host debates on topical issues such as the ethics of cloning
or biosafety of transgenic plants. Many professional
collaborations and friendships, often across continents, have
been forged through news groups and listservers.
News Groups
Also called USENET, news groups are accessed through
a news server (check with your internet service provider
if you don't already have access; not all servers carry
all news groups). There are fifteen thousand news groups
on the net, with more added every day. A news group can
be thought of as a public email box that anyone can browse
or send email to. Messages are not sent directly to your
email box; you must connect to the news group (or
subscribe) and retrieve the messages yourself, allowing you to
pick and choose the messages you want to read. Subscribing
to a news group is different than subscribing to a
listserver. Subscribing essentially means selecting a particular
news group for ready access the next time you want to
browse news groups, and involves nothing more than clicking
on the subscribe button in your news reader or
browser, depending on your software.
Though there may be a few nuggets of useful
information in newsgroups, they are often a jumble of messages
which may or may not pertain to the subject matter the
title suggests. They are, after all, completely public. For
instance, a recent look at alt.agriculture.technology had
only one message promoting a business partner in South
Africa. Some of the news groups to explore are:
Additionally there are Web sites which list the news
groups in different formats. Many newsgroups and
Usenet archives can be searched through http://www.dejanews.com
Listservers
A listserver is an email service which can be thought of
as a restricted email box to which you must
specifically subscribe before you can view or send messages.
Messages from listservers are automatically sent to all
subscribers' email addresses. Listservers can be
configured either to allow any subscriber to post messages which
are then distributed to all subscribers, or to restrict
posting rights to only one or a few accounts (like the ISB
News Report listserver, which does not allow subscribers to
post messages - it only allows us to send out the News Report).
Visit http://microbiol.org/mailist.htm for a list of many listservs related to biotechnology.
You can subscribe to most of these listservers by
sending an email and typing SUBSCRIBE `group-name'
`Your Name' in the message section. Remember to leave
the Subject line blank and to turn off your signature file.
Many listservers can also be subscribed to and read on the
World Wide Web, while others can be accessed through
News Reader software on the Usenet server.
A few points to remember with listservers:
• The email address for subscribing (and unsubscribing)
listservers is always different from the address
for posting the messages. Check carefully. The
subscription address often starts with listserv, majordomo, listproc
or Mailserv, while the message posting address
always begins with the list name (e.g., plant-tc or biotech).
• Save the automated message that you get when you
subscribe. It will tell you how to `unsubscribe' from
the group, customize message delivery, and search
the archives for previous postings.
• Although certain lists are moderated and thus filter out
frivolous postings and junk mail (spamming), most
are not. Thus, be prepared to tolerate some mail box clutter.
• Exercise caution when you use `Reply' to respond to a
message. Your reply is not private and may be
distributed instantly to thousands of people around the world.
• Many listservers do not allow you to post messages
unless you are a subscriber. Think before you
post questions. Can you get that information simply
by searching the Internet, or spending a few minutes
at your campus library?
• Avoid sending file attachments to the listserv. Many
consider them annoying as they download slowly,
often spread computer viruses, and cannot be opened
by everyone.
Some Useful Listservers
General Biotechnology (University of Maryland)
General Biotechnology (Texas A&M University)
Plant Tissue Culture
Business Aspects of Biotechnology
Bioassess: Biosafety Information
Environmental Biotechnology
DNA Markers and Genome
GENTALK (Educational aspects of biotech).
Doug King
The World Intellectual Property Organization
PCT Database
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office
US Patent and Trademark Office Website
USPTO Web Patent Database
Esp@cenet
The IBM Intellectual Property Network
Ag Biotechnology Patents and New Technologies
DNA Patent Database
The European Patent Office
Japanese Patent Office Home Page
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) Toxin Resources
US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Website
Phillip B. C. Jones, PhD., J.D.
Two years ago, I wrote an article describing some of
the elements that are involved in business development
in biotechnology, and presented some related internet
resources. Upon reviewing that article's content, I note
that the elements of business development are still
relevant, as are all of the internet resources described. In
fact many, if not most, of the internet sites described are
still considered to be some of the key web-based
information tools for business development available today. In light
of this, I refer you to that article to learn more about how
to use the internet to assist in business development
I have also provided an updated list of some
additional internet sites (not mentioned in the previous article) that
you may find valuable to your business development pursuits.
I have attempted to categorize the sites, but some
provide information across multiple categories.
Gateways
BioSpace
Community of Science
National Biotechnology Information Facility (NBIF)
Technology Transfer and Licensing
Technology Transfer Information Center (TTIC)
TechEx
Licensing Executives Society
Company Information
Hoover's Online
Wall Street Journal
Competitive Intelligence
Society for Competitive Intelligence Professionals
Lexis-Nexis
PR Newswire
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
William O. Bullock
ISB News Report
The material in this News Report is compiled by NBIAP's Information Systems for Biotechnology, a joint project of USDA/CSREES and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or of Virginia Tech. The News Report may be freely photocopied or otherwise distributed without charge.
Ruth Irwin, Editor (rirwin@nbiap.biochem.vt.edu)
To have the News Report automatically emailed to you, send an email message to
news@nbiap.biochem.vt.edu
and type subscribe newsreport [your_name] in the message section. Do not include a signature file or additional text.
Connect to http://www.isb.vt.edu for internet access to ISB News Reports, textfiles, and databases.
Information Systems for Biotechnology, 120 Engel Hall, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, tel: 540-231-2620, fax: 540-231-2614, email:
isb@vt.edu
New Millennium Greetings from ISB
Annotated List of Web Sites
Biotechnology Discussion Groups Online
Patent Web Sites
Update: The Internet as a Tool in Biotechnology Business Development
Summary records for experimental releases in the UK; Environmental
impact discussion papers; GMO Public Register Index; Index of Applications to
market GMOs in Europe; International Agreements regarding environmental
releases; Advice to the Secretary of State and Ministers.
http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/acre
Supports the development of the Saskatchewan agricultural
biotechnology industry through agricultural genomics and development of new crops
with special nutritional attributes; Maintains an agricultural biotechnology
information service and public demonstration laboratory, SABIC, which responds to
the information needs of consumers in Canada and North America.
http://www.agwest.sk.ca
Publishes articles that provide unbiased, timely information and new ideas
leading to socially responsible and economically efficient decisions in science,
public policy, and private strategies pertaining to agricultural biotechnology.
http://www.agbioforum.missouri.edu
Provides scientific and regulatory expertise in environmental
risk assessment, integrated pest management, and agricultural
biotechnology; Offers basic information about plants with novel
traits, including genetically engineered crop species, and other
general agricultural biotechnology related information.
http://www.agbios.com/default.asp
Publishes current information about biotechnology and
biosafety for researchers and policy makers; Provides access to
information on genetic engineering, in vitro culture, biosafety,
intellectual property rights, and other key issues in agricultural
biotechnology; A project of CAB International and the Agricultural
Biotechnology Support Project.
http://www.agbiotechnet.com
Provides information to consumers, farmers, and researchers
on the impact and benefits of biotechnology on the agri-food system
in Canada, including agricultural pesticide use, crop
biotechnology developments, and other related environmental issues.
http://www.agcare.org
Maintains FSnet (on Food Safety), Agnet (on plant
agriculture), and AnimalNet (on animal agriculture), which are
electronic communications tools intended to assist in risk analysis
activities, identify issues for risk management and communication
activities, promote awareness of public concerns in scientific and
regulatory circles; and exchange timely and current information for
direction of research, diagnostic, or investigative activities.
http://www.plant.uoguelph.ca/riskcomm
Takes an integrated approach, combining applied research,
product development, and policy development—primarily biosafety
and intellectual property rights (IPR)—to help developing countries
use and manage biotechnology.
http://www.iia.msu.edu/absp
Provides genome information for agriculturally important
organisms, encompassing mostly crop and livestock animal species,
and databases with germplasm and plant gene nomenclature
data. AGIS is a cooperative effort between the Department of
Plant Biology, University of Maryland, and the USDA's National
Agricultural Library Genome Informatics Group.
http://probe.nalusda.gov:8000
Promotes the environmentally sound use of crop
protection and plant biotechnology products for the production of
food, fiber, and other crops. Studies and promotes the technical
fit and environmental soundness of plant biotechnology as
part of integrated crop production, including trade,
labeling/segregation, and insect resistance management.
http://www.acpa.org/public/issues/biotech/about_plant_biotech.html
Regulatory information for Belgium, Europe, and
other countries; Risk assessment data; Biosafety related
meetings, conferences, and courses.
http://biosafety.ihe.be
An interactive guide to biotechnology support and
regulations in the UK; Includes current information on the
UK's main trade associations, universities, and European
standards of work for biotechnology.
http://dtiinfo1.dti.gov.uk/bioguide/bioguide.htm#contents
Original papers on the effects of GMOs and
introduced species on people and the environment; Containment
of potentially hazardous organisms; Biosafety reviews;
Accounts of risk assessment and hazard analysis and
follow up monitoring.
http://www.bdt.org.br/bioline/by
A component of the Clearing House Mechanism for
Biosafety protocol information transfer; Based on the
current text of the draft Protocol, and revised as the
negotiation process and adoption of the Biosafety protocol occur.
http://www.biodiv.org/biosafe/biosafety-ch/biosafety-ch.html
A service of the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO). Global developments in
regulatory issues in biotechnology; Regulations and guidelines
from many countries; Publications dealing with regulatory
policy and issues pertaining to biological risk assessment;
DTree-Lite, a pilot decision support system for safety
assessment of GM crop plants.
http://binas.unido.org/binas/index.shtml
A technical data resource providing biosafety information
to researchers, institutions, and governments covering
various safety aspects of biotechnology; Includes information
on field trials of GMOs in Brazil, national and
international biosafety regulations and guidelines, and biosafety
news.
http://www.fiocruz.br/cict/oquee/estrut/dect/bis/bis.html
Published by the Swiss Priority Program from the
Swiss National Science Foundation. Scientific reports on
safety assessment of recombinant rabies vaccine; Foods
derived from genetically modified organisms; Genetic
engineering for plant protection; Environmental and agricultural
safety considerations of transgenic crops.
http://www.bats.ch/index_e.html
Responds to the needs of the biotechnology industry
and research community in Canada and internationally;
Provides a unified voice for agriculture, research,
health, environment, and aquaculture biotechnology in
Canada; Assists with regulation and policy advocacy,
human resources, communications, intellectual property,
and community services.
http://www.biotech.ca
Provides a collection of news items and technical
reports from magazines, newspapers, journals and the Internet
on issues related to biotechnology, especially those critical
of genetically modified crops in agriculture. Supported by
the Wallace Genetic Foundation through a grant to the
Consumer Policy Institute / Consumers Union.
http://www.biotech-info.net
A publication of the Department of Political Science of
the University of Amsterdam and the Netherlands' Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. Reports local, national, and
international applications of biotechnology of special interest to
developing countries.
http://www.pscw.uva.nl/monitor/index.html
The fourth volume of an electronic journal of the
US Department of State focused on food safety issues
of biotechnology. Provides many informative articles
on broader issues related to GMOs and extensive links
to many other biotechnology sites.
http://www.usia.gov/journals/ites/1099/ijee/bio-toc.htm
A trade organization representing the global
biotechnology industry. Media guide to biotechnology; Press releases
and industry news; Government relations; Biotech
food products list; Citizen's guide to biotechnology; Laws
and policies; Bioethics.
http://www.bio.org
Regulatory developments in biotechnology in
OECD member countries; Indicates the Ministry/Agency for
each OECD member country responsible for regulatory
oversight of modern biotechnology products intended
for release to the environment; Provides the relevant
laws, regulations and/or rules, and contact points; Information
on commercialized applications and product approvals.
http://www.oecd.org/ehs/country.htm
Facilitates biotechnology-based applications in the
agri-food and environmental management fields of Latin
America; Promotes agri-food industry development; Increases
public awareness of risks and benefits.
http://www.biotech.ca/services/cambiotec.html
Provides the Canada's agri-food and seed industries
with current information on the safety assessment of plants
with novel traits, confined trials, and unconfined releases.
http://www.cfia-acia.agr.ca/english/plant/pbo/home_e.html
Provides a forum for public debate on the role of
biotechnology in global society especially as it relates to
development of third world societies. Undertakes research
and promotes dialogue on biotechnology policy with
specific reference to international development. Includes
papers and viewpoints presented at the International
Conference on Biotechnology in the Global Economy held at
Harvard University.
http://www.cid.harvard.edu/cidbiotech/homepage.htm
(Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research) Promotes sustainable agricultural
development based on the environmentally sound management of
natural resources. Links to the 16 International Agriculture
Research Centers of CGIAR.
http://www.cgiar.org:80/centers.htm
Develops improved germplasm, especially maize
and wheat varieties with built-in genetic resistance;
Conducts research on conserving natural resources,
economics, biotechnology, crop physiology, and ecosystem
management; Promotes conservation and utilization of maize
and wheat genetic resources from throughout the world.
http://www.cimmyt.cgiar.org
(National Advisory Committee on Agricultural
Biosafety) Provides consultation and technical support to
the Argentinean government on regulations concerning
the introduction and environmental release of
transgenic material.
http://siiap.sagyp.mecon.ar/http-hsi/english/conabia/frameing.htm
Addresses all aspects of biological diversity:
genetic resources, species, and ecosystems; Reports from
meetings on Biosafety; maintains Biosafety
Clearing-House; database of Conventions of the Parties (COP) decisions.
http://www.biodiv.org
Enhances plant performance and product quality
through gene technology; Applies strategic research in the
plant sciences to promote profitable and sustainable
agri-food, fiber, and horticultural industries, develop novel
plant products, and improve natural resource management.
http://www.pi.csiro.au/Research/GenEng/GenEng.htm
Facilitates interdisciplinary research in genetics,
chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry, computational genomics,
and structural biology to sustain productivity in
agriculture, forestry, and allied fields, and to facilitate the rapid
development and commercialization of promising technologies
and products.
http://danforthcenter.org/index.html
(European Federation of Biotechnology) Stimulates
interactions between research groups and the agri-industry
to expand the range of food and non-food applications
of biotechnology, help disseminate scientific information,
and develop teaching aids for biotechnology.
http://www.agbiotech.org
Fosters public awareness and understanding of
agricultural biotechnology and encourages public debate;
Contains Briefing Papers on ethical aspects, public opinion
surveys, environmental concerns, and public dialog reports.
http://www.kluyver.stm.tudelft.nl/efb/tgppb/main.htm
Publishes electronic journal articles in
biotechnology including molecular biology and the chemistry of
biological processes, aquatic and earth environmental
aspects, computational applications, and policy issues
directly related to biotechnology.
http://www.ejb.org
Provides information about plant biotechnology
research, funded by the European Commission, designed to
improve the nutritional value of food products, create
stress-tolerant and disease-resistant plants for agriculture, and
aid biodiversity monitoring to help protect the
environment.
http://www.epbn.de
A clearinghouse of information used to develop
competitive, integrated food production systems that provide
safe, economical food products through the utilization of
molecular tools and methods. Emphasizes health and
disease resistance, modulation of growth and reproduction,
and development of genetic maps and markers for
biological performance.
http://fabctr.umn.edu
Provides information about food biotechnology with links
to specialized organizations and individuals,
information referrals, monthly fax newsletter, regional network
of experts, and issues management activities.
http://www.foodbiotech.org
Reviews of and guidelines for all work involving
gene technology for Australian regulatory authorities;
Specific reports on the assessment and management of biosafety
risk factors, labeling, herbicide and pest resistant crops,
and patenting and gene technology.
http://geneinfo.hightide.net.au
Maintained by the Institute of Agriculture and
Trade Policy; A rich collection of news and scholarly
articles critical of biotechnology as it relates to global trade
policies and treaties.
http://www.sustain.org/biotech
Oversees the development and use of innovative
genetic manipulation techniques in Australia so that risks to
workers or potential hazards to the community or
environment associated with the genetics of manipulated organisms
are identified and can be managed.
http://www.health.gov.au/tga/gene/gmac/gmac.htm
A compilation of molecular and phenotypic information
on wheat, barley, oats, rye, and sugarcane; Outlines
priority needs for biotechnological approaches to wheat and
barley improvement; Supported by the USDA/NAL Plant
Genome Research.
http://wheat.pw.usda.gov
Represents European member companies involved in
plant biotechnology in the commercial introduction of
seeds, plants, and crops that have been genetically modified
to achieve benefits for the farmer, the end-customer, or
the grower; Working Group position papers on Food and
Feed, Field Trials, Intellectual Property, and Biosafety.
http://www.gibip.org
Promotes the safe use of biotechnology worldwide
with special regard to the needs of the developing
world. Includes a library of selected documents on biosafety,
links to biosafety-related webpages, and bibliographic
database on biosafety studies published since 1990.
http://www.icgeb.trieste.it/biosafety
Special reports, technical information, and regulations
on biotechnology including CODEX and Food Labeling;
Plants with Novel Traits; Livestock Animals Derived
from Biotechnology; and Biofertilizers. Maintained by the
Office of Biotechnology of Canadian Food Inspection
Agency.
http://www.cfia-acia.agr.ca/english/ppc/biotech/bsco.html
Provides information on agricultural and
environmental biotechnology research, product development,
regulatory issues, and biosafety. Supported by a grant from
the USDA/CSREES National Biological Impact
Assessment Program (NBIAP) to Virginia Tech.
http://www.isb.vt.edu
Provides information on commercial biotechnology
to organizations worldwide in a variety of formats,
including databases, publications, and special studies.
Provides Information Systems for Biotechnology with the
Companies, State Contacts, and Biotechnology Centers
databases.
http://www.biotechinfo.com
A list of Web sites containing information about field
tests in several countries. Provided by Ann Courtmanche
at Rutgers University.
http://www.isb.vt.edu/cfdocs/globalfieldtests.cfm
A nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C.
that provides reports, brochures, resources, and general
information on food biotechnology to journalists, health
professionals, educators, government officials, and consumers.
http://ificinfo.health.org/index14.htm
Provides the US Government with information on
agricultural biotechnology; Recent congressional testimony
on biotechnology regulatory issues; Links to
international agreements on biosafety and biodiversity protocols,
US Government regulatory oversight departments, and
industry associations.
http://www.usia.gov/topical/global/biotech
Facilitates the transfer of agricultural
biotechnology applications from industrial to developing countries;
Counsels developing countries on the testing of biotech
products; Assists in the implementation of biosafety and food
safety regulatory procedures, the deployment of resistance
genes, and with intellectual property rights.
http://www.isaaa.org
(Information Resource for the Release of Organisms to
the Environment) An information network run on a
non-profit basis, which aims to provide access to all types of
information relevant to the release of animals, plants, and
microorganisms into the environment.
http://www.bdt.org.br/bdt/irro
Provides information on ISNAR's activities in
agricultural biotechnology by addressing the policy, management,
and organizational needs of countries in the process of
building capacity and competency in biotechnology.
http://www.cgiar.org/isnar/projects/ibs/index.htm
Summaries of field trials held in European
Commission member countries.
http://biotech.jrc.it
Sponsored by Monsanto, this site has news items
supporting agricultural biotechnology from around the globe.
Also provides useful technical reports, fact sheets,
speeches, and other documents relevant to the promotion of
biotechnology.
http://www.biotechknowledge.com
Compiles and disseminates information to and
facilitates active communication among researchers,
administrators, policymakers, practitioners, and others to ensure the
safe and efficacious development of biotechnology.
http://www.cals.cornell.edu/extension/nabc
Provides access to and distribution of biotechnology
data among researchers, and training in biotechnology. Active
in developing new sources and types of biotechnology databases.
http://www.nbif.org
Maintained by the University of Reading. Offers
innovative resources for biotechnology education.
http://134.225.167.114/menu.html
(National Institutes of Health) Specifies practices
for constructing and handling: (i) recombinant
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules, and (ii) organisms and
viruses containing recombinant DNA molecules.
http://www4.od.nih.gov/oba/guidelines.html
Information on philanthropic activities along with a series
of useful articles on issues related to agriculture,
sustainable development, and biotechnology/genetic engineering.
http://foundation.novartis.com/articles.htm
A searchable database that includes records of field trials
of genetically modified organisms which have taken place
in OECD Member countries and contains data from
other countries provided through UNIDO's BINAS. Summaries
of the data are available.
http://www.olis.oecd.org/biotrack.nsf
Helps member country governments and industries
with biotechnology product notifications/assessments,
and provides information developed by the Expert Group
on Harmonization of Regulatory Oversight in
Biotechnology.
http://www.oecd.org/ehs/bioabout.htm
Iowa State University's site for on-line courses in
biology, including biotechnology.
http://project.bio.iastate.edu
A tool for risk assessment and risk management of
genetically modified fish and shellfish developed by a US
Department of Agriculture-sanctioned working group.
The program can also be accessed through the ISB
website under "Risk Assessment," then "Transgenic Fish."
http://www.isb.vt.edu/perfstands/psmain.html
A Technical Cooperation Network on Plant
Biotechnology formed to accelerate the process of adaptation,
generation, transfer, and application of plant biotechnology to
contribute to the solution of crop production constraints and
genetic resources conservation for the countries of the
Latin American and Caribbean region.
http://rlc.fao.org/redes/redbio/html/home.htm
Monitors the safety evaluation of genetic
resources; Provides procedures for release and marketing of
genetically modified organisms under the German
legislation; Maintains databases of field trials in Germany and the
EU, releases of GMOs, a list of products placed on the
market in the EU, and regulations in other countries.
http://www.rki.de/gentec/geneng/gentec_e.htm
Reviews current regulatory controls both in the UK and
in Europe, and addresses questions of gene transfer from
GM crops, other specific concerns of environmental harm,
and issues related to GM plants as food.
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/st_pol40.htm
A non-governmental organization highly critical of the
role of biotechnology in agriculture. Provides information on
the so called `terminator gene' and arguments against
patenting of life forms.
http://www.rafi.ca
Information is supplied by the Center for Food Safety
and Applied Nutrition on issues pertaining to
bioengineered foods including announcements, education, policy
statements, consultation procedures, and consumer
information.
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/biotechm.html
Discussions on the background of biotechnology
and genetic engineering, the risks and benefits of the
various applications of genetic engineering and alternatives to
them, and current uses of biotechnology in agriculture;
Monitors and evaluates the agricultural biotechnology and
sustainable agriculture policies and regulations of the USDA, the
Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental
Protection Agency.
http://www.ucsusa.org/agriculture/index.html
Contains information from many sources on
biosafety focusing on the establishment of a regulatory
framework for the safe development, transfer, and application
of biotechnology. Provides a list of links to other Web
sites concerning biosafety, biotechnology, and biodiversity.
http://irptc.unep.ch/biodiv
Presents an overview of the activities of agencies
primarily responsible for regulating biotechnology in the
United States: the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA).
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotech/OECD/usregs.htm
Created to allow more efficient public, governmental,
and educational access to the TSCA Biotechnology
Program; Provides Program regulation, supplementary
documents created to support this regulation, and status reports on
the submissions, reviews, and agreements undertaken by
the Program.
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/biotech
Provides access to agricultural biotechnology
related information services and publications; Includes theory
and techniques of genetic engineering, plant and animal
genetics, monoclonal antibodies, single cell proteins, food
processing, biomass applications, risk assessment, and
bioethics; Provides reference and resource lists of
newsletters, bibliographies, reports, Web sites, and patent
information.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/bic
Describes the USDA's role in regulating and monitoring
the use of biotechnology for agriculture; Includes
statements by the Secretary of Agriculture. Provides
regulatory oversight in biotechnology, including laws, regulations,
and rules; Permitting/notification information; Research
and trade issues.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology
Assists Federal regulatory agencies in making
science-based decisions about the safety of introducing into
the environment genetically modified organisms,
including plants, microorganisms, fungi, bacteria, viruses,
arthropods, fish, birds, mammals, and other animals. Provides
scientific information derived from the risk assessment research
it funds.
http://www.reeusda.gov/crgam/biotechrisk/biotech.htm
Regulates the importation, interstate movement,
and environmental release of certain genetically
engineered plants and microorganisms under Federal
Regulations.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/bbep/bp
Involved with the regulation of transgenic arthropods
and other invertebrates, which may include reviewing
applications, contributing to or reviewing environmental
assessments, proposing modifications in existing procedures,
and liaisoning with the user community.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/bbep/bp/arthropod
Information Systems for Biotechnology
Virginia Tech
rirwin@nbiap.biochem.vt.edu
C. S. Prakash
Center for Plant Biotechnology Research
Tuskegee University
prakash@tusk.edu
Send message: SUBSCRIBE BIOTECH <your name>
to listserv@UMDD.umd.edu
Post messages to: biotech@umdd.umd.edu
Send message: SUBSCRIBE BIOTECH-TEX <your-name> to listserv@listserv.tamu.edu
Post messages to: biotech-tex@listserv.tamu.edu
(http://www.agro.agri.umn.edu/plant-tc/#P-TC)
Send message: SUBSCRIBE PLANT-TC <your name>
to listserv@tc.umn.edu
Post messages to: plant-tc@tc.umn.edu
Send message: SUBSCRIBE BIZ-BIOTECH <your name> to listserv@netcom.com
Post messages to: biz-biotech@netcom.com
(http://binas.unido.org/binas/binas.html)
Send message: SUBSCRIBE BIOASSESS <your
name> to majordomo@binas.unido.org
Post messages to: bioassess@binas.unido.org
Send message: SUBSCRIBE ENV-BIOTECH <your name> to majordomo@igc.apc.org
Post messages to: env-biotech@igc.apc.org
Send message: SUBSCRIBE RAPD to biosci-server@net.bio.net
Post messages to: rapd@net.bio.net
Send message: SUBSCRIBE GENTALK <your name> to
listserv@usa.net
Post messages to: GENTALK@usa.net
C. S. Prakash
Center for Plant Biotechnology Research
Tuskegee University
prakash@tusk.edu
Information Systems for Biotechnology
Virginia Tech
isb@vt.edu
This database contains the first page data
(bibliographic data, abstract and drawing) of PCT applications
published since January 1997. The database is normally updated
on Thursday.
http://pctgazette.wipo.int
The CIPO website includes the Canadian Patent
Database, which provides access to over 75 years of Canadian
patent descriptions and images. The database contains
bibliographic data, textual data (titles, abstracts and claims) and
image data for patents granted since August 15, 1978. For
patents granted prior to this date, the database contains
bibliographic data, titles, and image data.
http://Patents1.ic.gc.ca/intro-e.html
This site offers general information on utility and
plant patents, updates on USPTO developments, patent
examination guidelines, and selected USPTO decisions.
http://www.uspto.gov
The US Patent and Trademark Office databases
offer access to bibliographic patent information and
full-text patents. Both databases cover the period from January
1976 to the present. Full page images of patent documents
are also available. The databases are typically updated
Tuesday.
http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html
A joint project of the EPO, its member states, and
the European Commission, this site offers bibliographic data
of patents published since 1996 by any member state of
the EPO, and the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Full-page facsimile images of documents are also retrievable.
http://www.epo.co.at/espacenet/info/access.htm
This site provides the ability to search and to
retrieve information on nearly four million patent and patent
application documents, including US patents, PCT applications,
and European Patent Office documents.
http://www.patents.ibm.com/ibm.html
The Biotechnology Information Resource WWW site
is maintained by the National Agricultural Library of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. This site offers information
on US Agbiotech patents issued between 1994 and
about September 1996.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/bic/Biotech_Patents
A joint project of the Georgetown University's
Kennedy Institute of Ethics and the Foundation for Genetic
Medicine, this site offers access to the full text and analysis of all
DNA patents issued by the USPTO.
http://208.201.146.119
The EPO website provides examination guidelines,
searchable decisions of the EPO Board of Appeal, and updates
on EPO practice.
http://www.epo.co.at/index.htm
This site provides information on patent application
examination in the Japanese Patent Office, and access to
JPO's Industrial Property Digital Library.
http://www.jpo-miti.go.jp
The Biotechnology Information Center offers BT
-related information, including the layout of the
BT Wars up to September 1997.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/bic/BTTOX/bttoxin.htm
The Federal Circuit, which is positioned just below
(and down the street from) the US Supreme Court,
decides many patent cases of interest. The court's website
provides access to current decisions.
http://www.fedcir.gov
Seattle, Washington
pbcj@wolfenet.com
(http://www.isb.vt.edu/news/specials/news98.jan.html#jan9804).
A hub site for the biotechnology industry. Includes
daily summary of news from around the biotechnology
world, company profiles, stock information, and more.
http://www.biospace.com
Site touts itself as a resource "by scientists, for
scientists" but offers business development information through
access to information on funding sources, patents,
meetings, Commerce Business Daily, Medline, and more.
http://www.cos.com
Provides a single-point access to biotechnology
data including approximately 7,000 links to
biotechnology resources.
http://www.nbif.org
Another resource of the USDA National
Agricultural Library, the Technology Transfer Information
Center (TTIC) provides a variety of services to help to
promote the efficient conversion of federally-developed
inventions into commercial products.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/ttic
A business-to-business extranet for technology
licensing professionals. Techex was originally created by
Yale University's Office of Cooperative Research, and
it operates to facilitate a network of targeted
communications between technology transfer offices at research
institutions and corporate technology developers. TechEx
participation is restricted to approved users.
http://www.techex.com
Site offers information of technology licensing as well
as ways to access and benefit from membership
resources.
http://www.les.org
Offers a good general business information resource.
Users can get free data on public and private
companies using Hoover's search engine and business database.
The site also offers extensive links to archived company
news information from across the web, as well as access
to more in-depth company analyses for a fee.
http://www.hoovers.com
We all know the Wall Street Journal. A yearly
subscription to the web site allows access to current and past WSJ
articles and other financial content including
company profiles, Dow Jones news releases, and more.
http://www.wsj.com
Offers information and links to hone your
competitive intelligence skills… a valuable tool in business
development.
http://www.scip.org
A well known business and legal information resource.
Their site provides information on a variety of products
to assist with business development and competitive
intelligence. Many of their for-fee products are web accessible.
http://lexis-nexis.com
A leader in electronic delivery of breaking news
releases and information directly from companies and
institutions through a fax, satellite and Internet network. In addition
to providing access to daily worldwide business
information, including commercial biotechnology, PR Newswire
also provides additional services enabling public relations
and investor relations professionals to immediately access
the media, financial community, and consumers.
http://www.prnewswire.com
Reference
Information on countries' economy, population,
governments, and more compiled by the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA).
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook
Institute for Biotechnology Information
Research Triangle Park, NC.
wbullock@mindspring.com
120 Engel Hall
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA 24061