UNESCO program for the human genome project

SPECIAL

FEATURE

PROGRAM

DESCRIPTION

representatives from geographic regions, members from international organizations dealing with the human genome such as HUGO and COGENE, observers from such other bodies as WHO, EEC, ICRO. and members of the UNESCO Secretariat. The functions of the Committee are:

UNESCO Program for the Human Genome Project Chairman UNESCO Scientific Coordinating

SANTIAGO

GRISOL~A,

Committee

Insbtuto de Investigaciones Cito/dg/cas de /a Cqa de Va/encia, Amadeo de Saboya 4, 460 lo-\/a/f?nCiJ,

de Ahorros Spain

Following the Workshop on International Cooperation for the Human Genome Project, which was held in Valencia, Spain, in October 1988, with representatives and support from IJNESCO, Dr. Federico Mayor. the Direct,or-Genera1 of IJNESCO, assembled an advisory group of scientists to consider the role that UNESCO might play in the advancement of the Human Genome Project. This Project, which deals with the genetic patrimony of mankind, is certainly within the province of UNESCO. A first meeting was held in Paris in February 1989. The participants supported the Director-General’s initiat,ive and agreed that IJNESCO could help facilitate international cooperation, particularly among developing countries and between developing and developed nations. To consider plans in greater detail, a second consultative meeting was held in Moscow in parallel with the Human Genome Organization (HUGO) the following June. The conclusions from the second UNESCO advisory meeting. summarized and presented at the Twenty-fifth Session ot IJNESCO’s Genera1 Conference, were as follows: (1) The full knowledge of the human genome is of vita1 importance, and the medical, technological. scientific, and ethical implications of the program are inseparable. (2) The establishment of the program should be supported by governments. (3) International organizations such as lJNESC0 and HLJGO can he influential in stimulating and coordinating governments and agencies to support development of integrated programs. (4) IJNESCO is in a unique position topromote the interest of developing countries in the genome project. A program on the Human Genome for 1990-1991 was subsequently approved by the participants at the Twentytifth Genera1 Conference, and I JNESCO immediately confirmed its active involvement in the COGENE/IJNESCO/ ICSII/EEC/FEBS/IIJB Symposium on Human Genome Research: Strategies and Priorities held at its headquarters in *January 1990. Dr. Federico Mayor then set up a Scientitic Coordinating Committee (KC) t.o help plan and implement the program as proposed in the Moscow recommendations. Dr. Santiago Grisolia was invited to assume the chairmanship of the Committee. The Committee comprises about 13 scientists, including

(1 J TO advance international cooperation in the human genome by facilitating cooperation between the various organizat,ions dealing with the human genome. (2) To facilitate South-South andNorth-Southcooperation. (11) To provide a forum for information exchange and coordination for the many meetings on the human genome. (1) To serve as a focal point for activities in the different geographic regions. (5) To assist in the regular review of the main concepts and global priorities of I JNESCO’s program in this area. These aims will be realized with the help of the Committee through several general types of activities: (1) To review, evaluate, coordinate, and submit proposals for meetings, workshops, training courses, etc., on research on the human genome. (2) To provide information and evaluate proposals for activities on the social and ethical implications of genome analysis. (3) To evaluate applications for study and travel grants. (1 J To assist LJNESCO in promoting international activities on the human genome. The first meeting of the XC was held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on February 1. 1990. Dr. Zharov, Director of the Division of Basic Sciences, informed the participants that $269,000 was initially allocated by the organization’s Program and Budget for activities on the human genome for 1990 and 1991. An outline of a program and activities for this period was prepared on the basis of the recommendations made to IJNESCO during t,he June consultation in Moscow and was based on specific pro posals received by the Division. The members and observers of the Committee, as well as members of IJNESCO’s Secretariat, felt that IJNESCO should concentrate its activit,ies on the access to and the use of knowledge obtained from research on the mapping and sequencing of the human genome and should perhaps be associated with activities on the ethical and social issues arising from research on the human genome. The role lJNESC0 could play in supporting training was emphasized: it was agreed that a training program is one of the best mechanisms for obtaining cooperation. It could also serve to diminish the gap between developed and developing nations. Ciiven the economic limitations, short-term fellowships for persons involved in genome research appeared to be the best approach. It was also felt that it might be advantageous for IJNESCO to associate its training artivities with those on-going in other organizations. Other areas in which UNESCO might play a role are in the compilation of a directory of people carrying out ge-

TABLE UNESCO’s

TABI,E:

1

Program on the Human Work Plan for 1990

Genome-

ICSU/lBN/~INESCO/ICRO international training course in Techniques in Human Genome Research Santiago, Chile, June 10-30, 1990 International Symposium on Molecular Genetics and the Human Genome Project: Perspectives for Latin America Santiago, Chile. .June 2640, 1990 Workshop on Biological and Cultural Diversity Paris. France, October 16-18, 1990 Training Course on Nonradioactive Laheling of’ Nucleic Acids Bangkok. Thailand, October 2%November 4. 1990 II Workshop on International Cooperation for the Human (tenome Project: Ethics Valencia. Spain, November 12-14, 1990 t:rants for short-term fellowship program on the Human Genome Preparatory work for ItNESCO’n Conference on the Human Genome I’ompilation and preparation of a directory of institutions in the Third World active in human genome research

nome research, the establishment of regional programs to address local needs, the involvement in an information center open to all, and the possible use of UNESCO facilities in regional otlices as well as at the Headquarters. Since international meetings are numerous, it was felt that IJNESC0 should not overlap the programs of other groups but rather concentrate on the dissemination of information in regions and between countries on major trends, the state of the art, and regional and country programs, as well as on the social implications arising from this area of research, and that any projected international meetings should preferably be held in a Third World country. On this basis, the resume ot’the 1990-1991 program is as follows: The Fellowship Training program was given top priority. The Third World Academy of Sciences expressed an interest in cosponsoring this Program. Application forms were prepared accordingly, announced, and distributed. The closing date. set for September 30. 1990, was later extended to Oc-

TABLE UNESCO’s

S. .J. C. C. R. C. K. K. V. A. 0. S.

of UNESCO’s Scienl (SCC) for Its Program

i 6~. C wrdinal on the Human

ing Ge-

Grisolia. (‘hairman. Valencia, +?p.+in E. Allende, Santiago, Chile Bernardi. Paris, France Cantor, Berkeley, California M. Cook-Deegan, Derwood, Mar:/l: nd (‘outelle, Berlin, Germany Degalli, Tunis, Tunisia Matsuhara, Osaka, -Japan A. McKusick. Baltimore, Maryland Mirzabekov, Moscow, IISSR ale-Moi’l’oi, Nairohi, Kenya Panyim, Bangkok, Thailand

Ohservers Representative of the Commission of the European Communities (EEC) P. Fasella, Brussels, Belgium Representative of ICSlJ’s International Scienti tic (:ommittee for Biotechnology (COBIOTECH) E. Katchalski-Katzir, President of COBIOTECH, Rehwot. Israel Representative of the International Cell IZesearc1 Organization (ICRO) (;. Cohen, Executive Secretarv of ICRO Paris. France Representative of the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) A. Falaschi, Director of ICGEB. Trieste, Italy -tober 15. The UNESCO Committee met on November 15 and was able to provide fellowships for 16 investigators representing Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Germany, India, Kenya, Czechoslovakia, Thailand, the Ukraine, and tbs USSR. Efforts are already under way to establish regional programs to address local needs. One such program, The Latin American Human Genome Program (PLAGH), was organized during the symposium on Molecular Genetics and the Human Genome Project,: Perspectives, for Latin America,

which was held in Chile in June 1990 and received support from

IJNESCO.

PLAGH

is the

result

of collaboration

be-

tween UNESCO’s program for the hurnan genome project, ICSU, and the Latin American Network -,)f Biological Sciences (RELAB).

2

Program on the Human Work Plan for 199 1

Members Committee nome

:I

Genome,

1. ITNESCO’s t :ont’erence on the Human Genome Late 199ljearly 1992 (place to he determined) 2. (irants for short-term fellowship program on the human genome :i. Second meeting of SCC (place and date still to he identified) 4. Regional Theoretical and Practical Training Course on Molecular Biology Rabat. Morocco, -January ‘i-19. 1991 5. 8th International Congress of Human Genetics Washington, LJ.S.A.. October c-11, 1991 ci. International training courses, workshops, symposia, etc. 7. Puhlishing and distribution of’ directory of institutions in the Third World active in human genome research

Other

activities

held

or

yet

to take

place

this

year

are

given in Table 1. The plan for 1991 is given in Table 2, and the composition of the SCC is shown in Table 3. Interested persons, particularly those interest,ed in the fellowship program, may contact Dr. Zharov at the address given below or any of the members oft he XX‘. Dr. V. Zharov, Director Division of Basic Sciences UNESCO 7 Place Fontenoy 75700 Paris, France Telephone: (33-l) 4568 3887 FAX: (33-l) 4567 2639