Strengthening Safety Management Training for Genetically Modified Organisms Used in Experimental Research

Ministry of Science and ICT Unveils This Year's Business Plan

Gene (Image=Getty Images Bank)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 2nd that it will promote field-customized education and cultural projects in 2022 to spread a safe research culture for genetically modified organisms (LMOs) used in testing and research. Genetically modified organisms (LMOs) refer to organisms that contain newly combined genetic material using modern biotechnology.

The Ministry of Science and ICT will establish and operate customized education programs tailored to the characteristics of users to ensure practical safety and encourage implementation at research sites. In particular, to ensure that safety education is thoroughly conducted even during the COVID-19 pandemic, online education will be strengthened. To this end, LMO e-learning content has been completely revamped. The target audience and courses for online education, including Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBC) and import agencies, will also be expanded.

Additionally, to activate in-house biosafety education within research institutions, an online training course for professional instructors who will conduct LMO safety education within institutions will be newly established and operated with the goal of "one instructor per institution." By operating professional instructor training, distributing standard textbooks and teaching materials, a foundation will be laid for biosafety managers or research supervisors at each institution to act as LMO safety professional instructors and to encourage institutions to conduct their own education.

In response to the activation of bio research and increased interest, a "visiting biosafety education" program will be newly established and operated targeting schools to raise safety awareness among youth aspiring to research careers. For the first time, safety education for future talents will be promoted, including the distribution of "LMO Safety Management Guidelines for Elementary, Middle, and High Schools."

To establish a practical safety culture at research sites and promote participation and communication, various LMO safety cultural projects that researchers and the general public can directly participate in will continue to be promoted. Individuals who have contributed to LMO safety will be recognized with "Meritorious Service Awards" (3 Ministerial Commendations, total prize money of 6 million KRW). "Outstanding LMO Safety Management Institutions and Facilities" (5 Ministerial Awards, total prize money of 10 million KRW) will be selected to share excellent cases so that outstanding achievements can be benchmarked at research sites. This month, an "LMO SAFETY Press Corps" consisting of 20 bio research activity workers will be operated to raise interest in LMO safety in actual research sites and spread a safe research culture. In March, a "National Contest (poster, webtoon, video, card news)" will be promoted to discover and disseminate easy and creative safety content tailored to the perspective of research sites.

Hwang Pan-sik, Director of the Future Talent Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "As biotechnology rapidly advances, LMO safety management is becoming increasingly important. We will strengthen safety education tailored to the characteristics of research sites and spread a safety culture to ensure that institutions can establish autonomous safety management systems."