Resolution on the Halal Status of GM Crops/Foods

Two weeks ago MABIC organized an International Workshop for Ulama on Agribiotechnology. The theme was “Agribiotechnology: Shariah Compliance” The aim of this workshop was to bridge the knowledge and communication divide between scientists and ulama and to adopt a resolution on the halal status of GM crops/foods. MABIC has been engaging all stakeholders involved in the biotech sector and ulama is one of the key groups although no efforts have been made to create awareness on biotech among them. It is of paramount importance ulama has good understanding on the basic of modern biotechnology as they develop fatwa.

The workshop was attended by very prominent scientists and ulama from Malaysia as well as overseas. Presentations on halal concept, Shariah principles, GM technology, its safety, socioeconomic impact, global status, environmental impact and the need for this technology in Muslim countries were part of the workshop and these were deliberated by both scientists and the ulama present.

I would like to share here the resolution that was adopted in the workshop:

For full report

By Mahaletchumy Arujanan

Seminar on Agribiotechnology: Listen to what is happening in Africa and more…

MABIC is organizing a seminar on agribiotechnology featuring speakers from Nigeria, Egypt, USA and the Philippines. They will talk about the developments in agribiotechnology in Africa, biosafety regulations and biotechnology communication in the Asia Pacific region. The seminar is jointly organized by Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), University of Malaya.

I invite all those interested to attend this seminar which is free of charge.

You may find answers to these questions:

1. Does Africa need GM technology?

2. Who does research on GM technology in Africa – public or private sector?

3. Why is there so much of interest in Africa among philanthropic organizations and multinationals?

4. Can GM crops promise food security to Africa?

5. And many more…

See you there on the 29th Nov 2010, 9am, Rimba Ilmu, UM.

GM Mosquito to Combat Dengue

Every day we read about new cases of dengue and the number is rising, in spite of the heavy campaign carried out by the Ministry of Health. Dengue is a vector-borne tropical disease caused by Aedes aegypti. It can be fatal a disease as timely detection is a problem. Symptoms only appear 3-14 days after the infective bite. The symptoms are the same as any common viral disease and currently there are no specific treatments for dengue. Severe cases can cause hemorrhage. According to World Health Organization (WHO), two fifth of world population, or 2.5 billion are currently at risk of dengue. Every year there might be 50 million dengue cases globally.

Current measures taken to combat dengue have failed to reduce the population of this deadly mosquito. Fogging has not been effective and it also presents another problem where these mosquitoes become resistant to the chemical used. Fogging also only kills adult insects and not the larvae. It creates more environmental problems than being effective in reducing the population of the mosquito. The Ministry of Health is urging the public to clean the surroundings of their house and look out for mosquito breeding grounds. The effectiveness of this measure is really insignificant. As Malaysia receives rain almost every day and water can retain anywhere from flowers pots, drains, roofs, tree trunks, empty containers at landfills to just anywhere, it is just impossible to lookout for the all the possible mosquito breeding grounds.

Doing the same thing year after year and expecting a different result is certainly foolish.

Fortunately, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) approved the confined field trial for GM mosquito after many years of deliberation. This is a new approach to battle against the Aedes. The GM mosquitoes are created at Oxford University and its subsidiary, Oxitec in the UK. The Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in Malaysia is working with Oxitec on this research on mission to suppress the population of Aedes aegypti. The male mosquitoes have been sterilized and will not be able to breed. This will cause population reduction. This in fact, is not a new approach. Sterile insects have been released to the environment in the past to control the population of insect pests in the agriculture sector. Nevertheless the technique used was irradiation which the public care less about. Thanks to many GM opponents who have featured GM technology as more hazardous than irradiation!

If the field trials are successfully conducted and yield the desired results, Malaysians can heave a sigh of relief. We can shed off our label as one of the dengue prone region and remove Malaysia from the dengue global map. Unfortunately, it is not just the science that needs to be strengthened and battled but also the public attitude and concerns. Naysayers and scaremongers are hard at work to ensure this project is halted.

It frustrates to read about all the negative letters and the ONE main question: “who is behind this project and what is the benefit to them?”

Why do we readily embrace all other products that come from the industry and not GM technology? It is beyond me to comprehend the concerns of these people. Does it matter where the technology comes from as long as we are not shortchanged and it is worth every cent we spend?

I must say SYABAS to NRE, the Genetic Modification Advisory Committee (GMAC) and the National Biosafety Board for upholding scientific principles in approving this technology for field trial. This letter from NRE says it all.

If this technology is successful with Aedes, the next to be eliminated could be the vector for Malaria.

I want to end by saying “Those who want the world to continue in the same way, do not want the world to continue”

By Mahaletchumy Arujanan

Where Fashion Meets Biotech...

Biotechnology made its way into fashion pages of newspapers for the first time through the efforts of MABIC and BiotechCorp and the support of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM, Perak Campus). MyBio Carnival which took place from 25 Sept – 2 Oct at the National Science Centre in Kuala Lumpur saw fashion luminaries researching on biotech to design their outfits. The fashion design undergraduates of UiTM also got their first taste of biotechnology through the fashion designing competition which was the highlight of the MyBio Carnival. Named BioRunway, it was a platform where fashion designers were inspired by the world of biotechnology.

It was a great achievement for both MABIC and BiotechCorp where we managed to sensitise fashion design community on biotechnology. What more when we got their feedback that they are amazed on the information that they read on biotechnology and their pledge to use biotech motifs in their future designs. Rahman Saif, a leading fashion designer said he is now totally impressed with the new horizon biotech has offered for his future designs.

Karl Ng, another designer is equally impressed and wants to be part of future biotech events where fashion can be used to create awareness. Shegar Chandran wants more of this kind of events to be organized and readily offered his services. There are now talks among these designers to incorporate biotech into bigger fashion shows at the national level. I can’t believe the number of doors that has opened in front of us. Both BiotechCorp and MABIC are very excited about taking this to greater heights and using events of this kind to reach to a wider audience.

And that’s not all, UiTM lecturer, Miss Aniza came all out to support MyBio Carnival. Her students exhibited extraordinary talent and creativity which made the life of judges very difficult. UiTM has now introduced biotech as one of the categories for their final year students. Can we ask more?

With the success of MyBio Carnival in Kuala Lumpur, it was only right to bring this event to other regions. So, MyBio Canrival reincarnated at AIMST University for the Northern region from 8-10 Nov. Rahman Saif made special appearance here and UiTM came in full force.

The audience of both the carnivals saw how DNA, plasmids, natural products, cloning, cells, viruses, fungus and bacteria could make beautiful designs and outfits.

And the most interesting piece – BioRunway is going to make its way into Brazil soon…

By Mahaletchumy Arujanan

MyBiotechnology Carnival 2010

Communicating biotechnology requires not just science but also creativity and innovation. Not only science has evolved rapidly, but also ways in communication science. From conventional media such as newspapers, television and radio, new media has been employed which are perceived to be much more efficient with far-reaching impact. These media are internet, facebook, twitter and blogs. There also another type media such as museums, exhibitions, and theatrical media. Many developed countries have solid strategies and trained personnel in this field who use these media to the fullest. Malaysia should not be left behind as science literacy determines the prosperity of a nation.

MABIC has been a lead organization in communicating biotechnology to various stakeholders and this year marks its 10th anniversary. To commemorate this special occasion, MABIC is organizing MyBiotechnology Carnival 2010 with an aim to enhance biotech awareness among the general public. The carnival is jointly organized by the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp) and the National Science Centre which share the same mandate and aspiration as MABIC. The carnival is held at the National Science Centre in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur from 25 Sept – 2 Oct.

This is the first-of-its kind carnival in Malaysia with fun-filled activities for people from all walks of life to enrich their knowledge on biotechnology. Bring your kids, families and friends and be prepared to go home with goodies and loads of facts on biotechnology. The beauty is these activities will not drain your energy nor strain you in spite of the learning exercises. We ensure you fun while learning about biotechnology.

What more you will get a chance to meet fashion celebrities and beauty queens in person – Karl Ng, Rahman Saif, Karen Liew, Keith Kee, Shegar Chandra, Thanuja Ananthan and Stephanie Chua.

There is a long list of activities:

• Debates
• Colouring competition
• Quizzes
• Spelling competition
• Fashion show
• Fashion design competition
• BioSales
• BioCultural Village
• BioRace (treasure hunt)
• Exhibition
• Public talks on biotech
• Writing competition
• Poster drawing competition
• Hands-on experience on biotech experiments
• And much more…

All the competitions that are open to school students are endorsed by Ministry of Education and certificates will be provided which carries the co-curriculum points for entry into universities. Get your children to send their entries before the deadline!

See you all at the National Science Centre next month!

By Mahaletchumy Arujanan

Use of Animals in Clinical Testing

The animal activists have called for the ban in using animals for clinical testing and created a huge hue and cry on this matter. I would urge the government to listen to them and form a committee made up by these activists to brainstorm for better options that can be used in drug discovery. Anyone who has such strong objections should also come out with better alternatives that can save lives. It is always easy to protest and portray a “good and clean” image but to be constructive and contribute positively towards the betterment of mankind requires more “grey matters”…

Put the questions to them on how we can study neurological disorders, efficient drug delivery, toxicology, immunology and allergenicity among others. Ask them how many times in their lives, or the lives of their loved ones, they have consumed drugs and medications. I know one of the prominent activists in Malaysia has undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. He would not have been alive today, if not for the animals that were sacrificed during the testing of the many cardiovascular drugs that are in use.

Have these people at least once walked into an animal testing laboratory? Do they know what goes on in there. In Japan, funerals and prayers are carried out for sacrificed animals. Researchers often become so attached to the animals and these animals are given good care during drug testing procedures.

In most countries, laboratories that deal with animals have an ethical code of conduct that has to be strictly adhered to. Committee members would meet regularly to approve procedures. Researchers make sure that pain is minimized during the research process and animals are kept in good living conditions.

Until today, diseases likes Alzheimer and Parkinson’s are not fully studied and understood. Vaccines for various types of cancers are still under development. Animal testing offers the most accurate results as the drugs are tested under the closest conditions to human beings. Transplantation of organs will not be in the mainstream medicine if not for the use of animals in the laboratory. Vaccines for many life threatening diseases like Herpes Simplex, Hepatitis B, Polio, rabies, mumps would not be possible without clinical research on animals. Anesthesia, the procedure to numb a patient during surgery or a diagnostic procedure is available today after being successfully tested on animals. The prominent activist I mentioned earlier would have yelled to death during his bypass surgery if not for anesthesia drugs and procedures.

Human beings are not the only beneficiary in the use of animals in the laboratory. Many pet diseases can be treated today, thanks to the use of animals in drug testing. Pet nutrition has also advanced due to animal testing.

What the government should do is develop proper guidelines on the use of animals in the laboratory to ensure researchers abide to a code of conduct that is accepted globally. Laboratories that use animals in their research should be monitored and regulated. National level bioethics committee is long overdue in Malaysia. All these measures will ensure research is carried out in the most humane and ethical way possible.

Whatever said and done, I will never listen to someone who walks nude on the stage just to protest the use of fur and wool!

By Mahaletchumy Arujanan