HESI PATC and IFBiC Biotechnology Update Symposium 2013

The 7-8 May 2013 Biotechnology Update Symposium in Arlington, VA, was co-sponsored by the HESI Protein Allergenicity Technical Committee (PATC) and the ILSI International Food Biotechnology Committee (IFBiC).  The purpose of the symposium was to discuss priorities and challenges for safety assessment of products of agricultural biotechnology across the NAFTA region (Canada, Mexico, and the US).  Fifty scientists from government, academia, and industry participated in the symposium.   Regulatory science perspectives were presented by representatives from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Health Canada, the Mexico Intersecretarial Commission of Biosafety and Genetically Modified Organisms (CIBIOGEM), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Of particular interest was a half-day session devoted to selected academic research on food allergy and genetically engineered food which is funded by the US EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants program.  Symposium materials, presentations, and video recordings are available below.

Symposium Materials

Symposium Program
Final Participant List
Poster Abstracts
Speaker Bios

Symposium Presentations

TUESDAY, 7 MAY 2013

Welcome, introductions, meeting objectives | Video
Dr. Gregory Ladics, DuPont Pioneer (HESI PATC Co-Chair)
Dr. Kevin Glenn, Monsanto Company (IFBiC Chair) 

Overview: HESI Protein Allergenicity Technical Committee (PATC)

PATC research, workshops, and other activities | Video
Dr. Gregory Ladics, DuPont Pioneer (HESI PATC Co-Chair)

Rice Omics Project | Video
Dr. Christal Bowman, Bayer CropScience

Soybean protein characterization methods using MS | Video

Dr. Scott McClain, Syngenta (HESI PATC Co-Chair)
(for Dr. Severin Stevenson, PepPro Analytics, LLC)

Outreach activities | Video
Dr. Scott McClain, Syngenta (HESI PATC Co-Chair)

Overview: ILSI International Food Biotechnology Committee (IFBiC)

IFBiC research, workshops, and other activities | Video
Dr. Kevin Glenn, Monsanto (IFBiC Chair)

Crop Composition Workshop
Dr. Angela Hendrickson Culler, Monsanto (ILSI Crop Composition Issues Task Force Co-Chair) | Video
Dr. Phil Brune, Syngenta (ILSI Crop Composition Issues Task Force Co-Chair) | Video

Transcription factors and RNAi | Video
Dr. Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia

Intractable proteins | Video
Dr. Dean Bushey, Bayer CropScience

Outreach activities | Video
Dr. Ray Shillito, Bayer CropScience

Interpretation of composition data for feed | Video
Dr. Bill Price, private consultant and retired US FDA

North American Government Perspectives

United States
Department of Agriculture | Video
Dr. Andrea F. Huberty, USDA APHIS Biotechnology Regulatory Services

Food and Drug Administration | Video
Dr. Jeremiah Fasano, US FDA CFSAN

[See 8 May 2013 for US EPA STAR presentations]

Mexico 
Intersecretarial Commission of Biosafety and Genetically Modified Organisms (CIBIOGEM) | Video
Dr. Reynaldo Ariel Alvarez Morales (CIBIOGEM)

Canada
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada | Presentation
Dr. Jaimie Schnell, Plant and Biotechnology Risk Assessment Unit, CFIA
Mr. Jordan Bean, Novel Foods Section, Food Directorate, Health Canada

WEDNESDAY, 8 MAY 2013

US Environmental Protection Agency Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Grant Program
Between 2006 and 2010, the US EPA released three solicitations for research proposals on Food Allergy / Genetically Engineered Foods.  (See http://www.epa.gov/ncer/quickfinder/food_allergy.html).  The following presentations represent key research methodologies, findings, and recommendations from the Food Allergy / Biotechnology STAR grantees.

Overview | Video
Dr. Cynthia McOliver, US EPA / ORD / NCER

Predicting the Allergenicity of Proteins with Software Tools in the Structural Data Base of Allergenic Proteins (SDAP) | Video
Dr. Werner Braun (University of Texas Medical Branch)

Consensus Properties of Allergens Causing Clinically Significant Cross-Reactivity between Peanut and Tree Nut Allergens | Video
Dr. Catherine H. Schein (University of Texas Medical Branch)

Evaluation of a Mouse Model of Food Allergy for Determination of Oral Elicitation Threshold Doses of Hazelnut | Presentation
Dr. Venu Gangur (Michigan State University)

Comparison of Gnotobiotic and Conventional Mice for Predicting the Allergenic Potential of Proteins Introduced into Genetically Engineered Plants [presentation not available]
Dr. Joseph Baumert (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)