Working together for a world free of chemical weapons Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons An Overview of the OPCW Scientific Advisory Board Temporary Working Group on Convergence of Chemistry and Biology www.opcw.org BWC Meeting of Experts, 14 August 2013, Geneva
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons From rom the CWC Third rd Review w Confer ference nce “T he Third Review Conference noted the increasing convergence of chemistry and biology, and welcomed the establishment of the SAB temporary working group on the convergence of chemistry and biology to explore and consider the potential implications of these advances to the Convention” - paragraph 9.142 of RC3 Outcome Document “Encouraged States Parties and the Secretariat to continue to keep the Convergence of chemistry and biology under review, including through the SAB temporary working group on the convergence of chemistry and biology, and encouraged greater interaction between relevant experts ;” - paragraph 9.155c of RC3 Outcome Document Furthermore, 9 States Parties noted Convergence in their statements in the General Debate www.opcw.org www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons Why y Con onvergence rgence is is Im Impor ortant ant 180,000,000 Sequenced 1993 160,000,000 Genes (Genbank) Data Base Entries 140,000,000 120,000,000 100,000,000 Growing at 80,000,000 ~12000/day 60,000,000 Since 2006 40,000,000 CAS Numbers 20,000,000 (# of chemicals) 0 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons Tempor mporar ary y Workin orking g Grou Group (T (TWG) G) on on Con onvergence rgence of of Ch Chem emistr istry y an and Bio iolo logy gy Chaire red d by W William am Kane, Ph.D. Industrial Chemist, United States of America 13 Technical ical expe perts including uding 4 curr rrent nt membe bers of the OPCW Scientif tific ic Ad Advisory y Board rd TWG includes one member of BWC ISU Guest t spe peakers s bro brought in to infor form m the T TWG on curr rrent nt status tus of re relevant t topi pics Academic and industry affiliations www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons Con onvergence rgence TWG G Meetings ings an and Repor orts ts Meet etings ings November 2011 September 2012 April 2013 (November 2013) Repo ports s available ble online at: t: www.opcw.org/about-opcw/subsidiary-bodies/scientific advisory board/documents/reports/ Compr prehensiv sive re repo port of fi findi dings ngs du due at end o d of Term rm of re refere ferenc nce (e (end nd of of 2013) 3) www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons TWG G Repor orts s to SA o SAB on on: a) ) Biol olog ogically ically medi diated d synt nthe hesis is of of che hemical cals: s: The pro rocesses ses that are used in the biolog ogic ically ally mediated d synthesis hesis of chemicals als; The extent of use of biologic gically ally mediated d synthesis esis in commerc ercial ial chemical al pro roduction ion; The use of biologic gically ally mediated d techniques ues for the synthesis sis of toxic chemicals als; The application ation of biologic gically ally mediated d pro rocesse sses s for the synthesis/p hesis/produc roduction ion of toxins and bioregulat ulators, , and future trends; s; www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons TWG G Repor orts s to SA o SAB on on: : (2 (2) b) b) Chemical al synthesis is of agents s of bi biological cal ori rigin (e.g. toxins, ns, bi bior oregulat lator ors) ) and nd of of re repl plicatin ating g systems; ms; CO 2 Me PhCH 2 CH 2 N NCOEt Ph Tyr- D -Ala-Gly- Me Phe-Met (O)-ol www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons TWG G Repor orts s to SA o SAB on on: : (3 (3) c) ) Whet hethe her r any bi biot otechn hnolo ologica gical proc processe ses exist, oth other r than bi biologically ally medi diated d synthesis, is, that are re of re relevanc nce to the im impl plementation tation of the C CWC; (i.e. wh whet ether r the type pes of pro produ duction tion equipm pment nt and d proc processe sses may po pose a signi nifi fica cant nt ri risk to th o the ob object and nd purpo pu rpose of the Conven vention) ion) www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons TWG G Repor orts s to SA o SAB on on: : (4 (4) d) The meaning of “production by synthesis” www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons TWG G Repor orts s to SA o SAB on on: : (5 (5) e) T ) The he pot potent ntial al be bene nefi fits s to th o the CWC of of th the con onver vergence gence of chemistr try y and d bi biology (wh which might include ude e.g. prot protectiv ctive measure res, s, medi dical l counterme rmeasure asures, , and d di diagnostic nostics) s). www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons TWG G Repor orts s to SA o SAB on on: : (6 (6) f) ) Whet hethe her r the here re are re oth other r scientific ntific di discipl plines, ines, apa part t from rom bi biology, , that are re converging verging in a s signif ificant icant way wi with chemistr try, , and d wh whet ether r it is po possibl ble to ide dentify y tri rigge ggers s or e r earl rly-warni arning ng indi dicat ators s for for pot potential ial game- cha hanging nging even vents tha hat might ht ha have ve impl plications cations (w (whet hethe her r positive or n po r negati tive) for for the CWC. www.opcw.org
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