COLLABORATIVE PLATFORMS FOR CONVERGING TECHNOLOGY - BNCT

A second working document on human health related challenges from exposure to topical applied dsRNA-based pesticides, that would include the lessons learned from the application of this technology in the field of pharmaceuticals, is planned to be developed by the EGRNAi in 2021.

Recent publications and working papers:  OECD (2020), Considerations for the Environmental Risk Assessment of the Application of Sprayed or Externally Applied ds-RNA-Based Pesticides.  Mendelsohn et al. (2020), Summary of Discussions From the 2019 OECD

Conference on RNAi Based Pesticides.  RNAi Pesticides (several authors) (2019-2021), full proceedings of the 2019

OECD conference on RNAi based pesticides.

Website: http://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/pesticides-biocides/conference-onrnai-based-pesticides.htm Contacts: Magda Sachana, Patience Browne (ENV/EHS)

COLLABORATIVE PLATFORMS FOR CONVERGING TECHNOLOGY - BNCT

In May 2021, the Working Party on Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Converging Technologies (BNCT) presented the final outputs of its project on “Collaborative Platforms for Converging Technology” (2019-20). Collaborative platforms are organisational arrangements around shared resources – material, digital or both – for technological development and diffusion. These platforms work across the private and public sector to manage, coordinate, and catalyse innovation. Many governments, along with partners in industry and civil society are developing experimental forms of these collaborative platforms to provide better linkages between research and innovation, and to promote the development and use of emerging technology. The project selected key fields of emerging technology – genomics, engineering biology and advanced materials -- as sites of inquiry, collecting a total of 33 case studies. Collaborative platforms in these three technology areas offer both technology specific and more generalised insights about policies for building and managing these resources critical for the development and transfer of emerging technology. Key outputs from the project are three policy paper publications:  Synthesis report: “Collaborative platforms for emerging technology: Creating convergence spaces” (2021) – finds that collaborative platforms are most effective when they act as “convergence spaces” for the fusion of diverse disciplines, actors and technology; – shows how governance mechanisms shape platform operations and act as policy levers for ordering what amounts to a common pool resource.

 Advanced materials report: “Collaborative platforms for innovation in advanced materials” (2020) –characterises governance mechanisms of collaborative platforms for advanced materials such as terms of funding, access, and IP policy; – explores how they can create different kinds of value. Technology convergence, the engagement of society and digitalisation are identified as key trends.  Genomics report: “Building and sustaining collaborative platforms in genomics and biobanks for health innovation” (2021) – explores the complex technical, legal and business challenges arising from genomics and biobanks; – brings together ideas and best practices from major national and international platforms, and from a diverse range of experts. Contact: David Winickoff (STI/STP)

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