Partners
Consiglio dei Diritti Genetici – Cdg (Genetic Rights Council),
Italy
 The
Genetic Rights Council (GRC) is a foundation involved in research
and communication, providing interdisciplinary and independent
information on biotechnologies. Since 2002, the Council works
as an independent scientific and cultural association, to
safeguard the basic rights of living beings and the ecosystem,
debating with the scientific actors and civic society at national
and international levels. With its staff, made up of experts
with different backgrounds (biologists, agronomists, chemists,
but also philosophers and theologians, humanists and social
workers), the Genetic Rights Council promotes public and self-supporting
research in bioscience and biotechnologies, with particular
attention to environmental and human impacts, in developed
and developing countries. Another important GRC aim is to
spread scientific culture, aware of its social importance
and of the necessity of a proper governance of scientific
innovation.
It has shown its scientific and social expertise, and management
skills, in a series of project financed by both public institutions
(i.e. Ministry of Agriculture and National Food Institute)
and private structures (i.e. COOP, Cariplo Foundation). Some
of the most relevant projects are:
• International encounter:
Science and Society, the invisible border
• Wheat or Trouble
• Agrobiotech Observatory
• MediaBiotech
Web
site: www.consigliodirittigenetici.org
Zentrum
für Europäische rechtspolitick an der Universität
Bremen- ZERP (Centre for European Law and Politics at the
University of Bremen), Germany
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The Centre for European Law
and Politics is committed to interdisciplinary legal, socio-legal
and political research with the focus on major political and
legal developments within the European Union. The Centre has
an established record of research mandated and sponsored by
governmental institutions and most of the researchers employed
have worked in dialogue with people outside academia. The
general approach of the Centre is to treat scientific projects
not as questions confined to the academic world, but rather
as having an important impact on society in general. This
makes it an ideal partner for PSx2 as a law expert and for
the compilation and analysis of the questionnaire. Further,
it will be a source of contact with other scientific organisations
and CSOs in Germany and Europe.
The scholars hosted at ZERP have a great experience in research
on European regulatory issues in general, and on consumer
protection in particular. The publication series of the Centre
(published by Nomos) includes many titles that are the result
of cooperative research. Recent projects include:
The
Committees of the European Union (“Comitology”):
The Practice of Risk Regulation in the Internal Market and
its Legal Relevance Patent Law and Biotechnology – Tension
between the Private and the Public Sphere in Respect to Scientific
Research
Directly-Deliberative Polyarchy as an Institutional Ideal
for Europe? Biodiversity and the North-South Conflict
Web site: www.uni-bremen.de
European
NGO network on Genetic Engineering (GENET), Switzerland
 GENET
is a European network of non-governmental non-profit organisations
engaged in the critical debate of genetic engineering, founded
in 1995. GENET’s main work is to provide information
on genetic engineering for the member organisations and the
interested public via email lists and to coordinate activities
and campaigns. At the moment GENET has 48 member organisations
in 27 European countries. GENET is registered as an international
non-profit association under Swiss law, but 39 of the member
groups are in EU member states. All other organisations are
in Switzerland, Norway and several EU accession countries.
Some of the member organisations have been working on the
issue of genetic engineering for up to 20 years now.
The member organisations work on a range of different aspects
of genetic engineering, ranging from plant and animal breeding,
agriculture and food production to human genetics and medicine,
and its implications on human health, animal welfare, biological
diversity, the environment as well as socio-economic development.
GENET’s aim is to inform interested organisations and
individuals and to facilitate the citizens’ involvement
in decision-making processes which have to guide the development
of genetic engineering.
GENET’s aim and its existing network makes it an ideal
partner for PSx2 because through the more then 50 member organisations,
GENET also has contact with the wider national and regional
networks in the whole EU as well as in other European countries.
Especially in Switzerland important debates with policy makers,
CSOs and scientific organisations took and take place which
are of interest for discussion within the EU as well.
In the last years, GENET has organized several international
conferences. The last one in Berlin, January 2006, attracted
more then 250 participants from 35 countries for discuss political,
economic and scientific issues. GENET as a network as well
as individual member groups have a track record of working
as CSOs with scientists and/or on scientific issues.
Web site: www.genet-info.org
GeneWatch UK (GeneWatch),
United Kingdom
 GeneWatch
UK is a science-based policy research group established in
1998. GeneWatch aims to ensure that genetic technologies are
developed and used in the public interest and in a way which
promotes human health, protects the environment and respects
human rights and the interests of animals. Ensuring public
involvement in the decisions that are made about genetic technologies
are used is an important goal and GeneWatch also aims to increase
public understanding of genetic technologies.
Since its formation, GeneWatch has contributed to debates
about the regulation of GM crops and foods and the risk assessment
process in the UK and Europe. In addition, GeneWatch has been
involved in public engagement exercises, helped develop multi-criteria
mapping systems and produced a wide range of information materials
about biotechnology. Therefore, GeneWatch has understanding
of and experience in the interface between science policy/regulation
and the public.
Web site: www.genewatch.org
Comité
de Recherche et d’Information Indépendante sur
le Génie Génétique - CRII GEN (Committee
on Research and Independent Information on Genetical Genie),
France
 As
its name says CRII GEN is a Committee of independent research
and information on genetic engineering. It carries its work
with no political stand or any militant approach, but based
on scientific research. Its activities are multidisciplinary
and span over a large number of area: law, science (health,
environment), sociology, technical (GMO traceability) and
economics. The latest publications of its members are:
1 CRII GEN (2004) Societé Civil contre OGM, ed. Yves
Michel
2 Lepade C., Guery F. (2001) La Politique de Précaution,
Presses Universitaires de France
3 Dupont Y. (2003) Dictionnaire des Risques, ed. Armand Colin
Web site: www.crii-gen.org
SA
Eestimaa Looduse Fond – ELF (Estonian Fund for Nature),
Estonia
 ELF
(Eestimaa Looduse Fond - Estonian Fund for Nature) is an environmental
NGO established in 1991 by biologists and conservationists,
whose mission is to protect Estonia’s rich biodiversity
through the development and implementation of nature conservation
projects, to offer expertise in the formation of public policy,
and to work towards increased public environmental awareness
through education. ELF is cooperating in these fields with
individuals, business enterprises, organizations and state
institutions.
ELF has a well-working network of media channels which create
many opportunities for significant media coverage. It is called
“Greengate” channels, including the monthly supplement
to the weekly newspaper “Maaleht” and “Päevaleht”
(more than 70,000 copies), the Internet portal (www.greengate.ee)
and radio programme.
As part of the sustainable development issue ELF has been
working on the GMO matter for the last 3 years. ELF is present
in the Estonian Environmental Ministry’s Gene Technology
Committee, which decides on GMO approvals and risk assessment
questions. ELF has been through recent years commenting legislation
in both environmental and agricultural sphere, with regard
to GMOs. ELF has also made numerous presentations and held
seminars and conferences on impacts of GMOs in environment,
agriculture and socio-economic field.
Web site:
www.elfond.ee
Université
de Caen Basse Normandie, Institut de Biologie Fondamentale
et Appliquée (IBFA), Laboratoire Œstrogène
et Reproduction (Caen University, Institute of Fundamental
and Applied Biology, Oestrogen and Reproduction Laboratory),
France
 The
Institute of Fundamental and Applied Biology’s aim is
the diffusion of knowledge, the formation on and the development
of fundamental and applied research in biology. The main research
themes focus on the female and male gametogenesis, reproduction,
sex differentiation. In particular, research activities target
the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the expression
regulation of the aromatase gene.
1 Richard S., Moslemi S.,
Sipahutar H., Benachour N., Seralini G.E. (2005) Differential
effects of glyphosate and Roundup on human placental cells
and aromatase. Environ. Health Perspect. 113(6):716-20
2 Nativelle-Serpentini C., Moslemi S., Yous S., Park C.H.,
Lesieur D., Sourdaine P., Seralini G.E. (2004) Synthesis and
evaluation of benzoxazolinonic imidazoles and derivatives
as non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors. J. Enzyme Inhib. Med.
Chem. 19(2):119-27
3 Nativelle-Serpentini C., Richard S., Seralini G.E., Sourdaine
P. (2003) Aromatase activity modulation by lindane and bisphenol-A
in human placental JEG-3 and transfected kidney E293 cells.
Toxicol. In Vitro 17(4):413-22
4 Seralini G.E., Tomilin A., Auvray P., Nativelle-Serpentini
C., Sourdaine P., Moslemi S. (2003) Molecular characterization
and expression of equine testicular cytochrome P450 aromatase.
Biochim. Biophys. Acta 20;1625(3):229-38
Web
site:
www.unicaen.fr
Università
di Perugia, Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale e Biotecnologie
Agro-ambientali e Zootecniche, Sezione Genetica e Incroci
- DBVBAZ (University of Perugia, Department of Plant Biology
and Agro-environmental and Animal Biotechnologies, Section
of Genetics and Breeding), Italy
 The
history of the Section of Genetics & Breeding of the Department
of Plant Biology and Agro-environmental and Animal Biotechnologies
is tied to the history of the teaching of Genetics within
the curricula offered at the Faculty of Agriculture. In 1925-26
Genetics was introduced as a minor part within the course
of Agricultural ecology; in 1930-31 it became a full course;
in 1959-60, when the Institute of Plant Breeding was created,
research and teaching have started to interact and grow together.
The Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Perugia has
always attributed great importance to genetics, and it was
the first in Italy to offer a position of Professor of Plant
Breeding (1959) and of Agricultural Genetics (1975). Actually,
the section of Genetics and Breeding of the Department is
coordinated by Prof. Fabio Veronesi.
At the time of its foundation the main research topic was
breeding of grasses and leguminous fodder crops. During the
seventies attention was devoted to the rehabilitation of marginal
lands through the use of varieties derived from local ecotypes
and improved for seed yield. In the eighties the main topics
were about the genetic resources and mutants of the reproductive
system in plants, while in the nineties the studies of biodiversity
and biotechnology were expanded.
Web
site: www.agr.unipg.it/dbvba/
Consejo
Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas - CSIC (Higher Council
for Scientific Research, Department of Compared politics),
Spain
 The
CSIC is the largest public research body in Spain. CSIC is
engaged in a multidisciplinary scientific and technical research
and provides scientific and technical advice to all the autonomous
regions, to governments, and the private sector, and technology
assessment in parliaments.
The Unidad de Políticas Comparadas, UPC (Department
of Compared Politics), is a research unit of the Humanities
and Social Science Area of the CSIC. Being a centre committed
to social and political research with a focus on comparative
politics, science, innovation, research and development policy,
and social policy and welfare state, the UPC offers an excellent
research environment for the topic proposed.
UPC studies the change in the knowledge production system,
with a focus on research centres and universities as well
as researchers’ labour markets and professional career.
UPC is also committed to the analysis and evaluation of science,
technology and higher education policies, comparative policy
analysis and regional RTD policies. Furthermore, the UPC has
included in its fields of research the relationships between
science and political systems.
The UPC is currently involved in a project focusing on the
Social Policy and Welfare State area of research which is
entitled NURSOPOB (New Social Risks and Welfare Policy Trajectories).
Starting in 2005, NURSOPOB is funded by the Spanish Ministry
of Science and Technology, and will run until 2008. The project
deals with the current developments of Spanish R&D Plan,
specifically in relation to social change, Welfare State and
public policy reforms.
It is also taking part in an EC-funded project entitled “Policies
for Research and Innovation in the Move towards the ERA”
(PRIME Network of Excellence). It started in 2004 and will
run until 2008. It deals with a comparative analysis of various
systems and policies of research and innovation in Europe.
The objective of this programme is to understand the emergence
and stabilisation of new multi-actor spaces and their governance
arrangements as well as to study the role of key selected
actors linked to new multi-actor spaces. Biotechnology is
conceived to be an area most promising for the study of multi-actors
spaces, their development and dynamics since this area of
technology development is highly controversial.
Some of the latest publications of CSIC personnel involved
in PSx2 are as follows:
1 Pavone V. (2004) Bioetica,
biotecnologia e biopolitica. Sogni e incubi di un’utopia
dell’eugenetica liberale. La Rivista del Mulino. Bologna,
355-366
2 Sanz Menendez L., Cruz-Castro L. (2003) Coping with environmental
pressures: public research organizations responses to funding
crisis. Research Policy, vol. 32, n. 8, 1293-1308
3 Sanz Menendez L., Bordons M., Zulueta M. A. (2001) Interdisciplinarity
as a multidimensional concept: its measure in three different
research areas. Research Evaluation, vol. 10, n. 1, 39-50
4 Sanz Menendez, L., Cabell, C. (2000) Expectations and learning
as principles of shaping the future. Nick Brown, Brian Rappert
& Andrew Webster eds.
Web site:
www.iesam.csic.es
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