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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
www.opcw.org
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Outline Outline
- Background to SAB TWG Convergence
- Findings
- Recommendations
OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG Convergence - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG Convergence - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Working together for a world free of chemical weapons OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG OPCW SAB TWG Convergence in Chemistry and Biology Convergence in Chemistry and Biology Convergence in Chemistry and Biology Convergence in Chemistry
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Background to SAB TWG Convergence Background to SAB TWG Convergence
(CWC, Art. VIII, (CWC, Art. VIII, para para 21 h), 45) 21 h), 45)
- OPCW Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)
− Advises OPCW Director-General − 25 Experts appointed by him, serving in individual capacity for a max. of six years
- SAB Temporary Working Groups
− Established by OPCW DG, on recommendation of SAB − Chaired by SAB, reports to SAB, expert membership − Mandate of limited duration (2-3 years)
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Findings (1) Findings (1)
Biology is making chemistry; chemistry is making biology: Biology is making chemistry; chemistry is making biology: The growing overlap between chemical and biological production technologies, and the science that underpins them, is enabling biologically mediated production of chemicals and the chemical synthesis of biological molecules and systems. [J.B. Tucker, 2010]
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Findings (2) Findings (2)
- 10% of Chemical Production using biologically meditated
processes by 2020 − Drivers: Commercial, environmental, competition for feedstock
- Rapidly expanding capability to redesign or manipulate
- rganisms for specific purpose and to design and
engineer improved enzymes − Metabolic engineering − Enzyme engineering − Synthetic biology − Recombinant DNA technology
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Findings (3) Findings (3)
- This biotechnology could be applied to the production of new
toxic chemicals, bioregulators and toxins
- Potential application for production of CWC Schedule 1 or 2
chemicals assessed currently as limited
- Note: Development and scaling up of a new biological
process for commercial production takes considerable investment of capital, resources and time
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Findings (4) Findings (4)
- Substantial advances in the chemical synthesis of molecules
- f biological origin
− Automated DNA synthesis of whole genomes − Reconstruction of simple viruses − Semi automated synthesis of peptides (pharmaceuticals, bioregulators) − Chemical synthesis of increasingly more complex biological molecules, including toxins
- Limited scale of such synthesis currently poses no threat to
CWC
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Findings (5) Findings (5)
- Enabling technologies are critical factors affecting pace of
change and convergence in life sciences − DNA sequencing and synthesis − Informatics, computing capacity − Availability of technical data on the Internet − Automated robotics in R&D
- Multidisciplinary research teams are becoming the norm
(chemistry, biology, physics, computing, engineering, materials science, nanotechnology)
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Findings (6) Findings (6)
- Increasing use of biologically mediated production processes
has implications for CWC industry verification regime
- The TWG reviewed meaning of the term 'produced by
'produced by synthesis' synthesis' (CWC, Verification Annex, Part IX) − Declarations for ‘Other Chemical Production Facilities’
- Any process designed for the formation of a chemical
Any process designed for the formation of a chemical substance substance should be covered by the term 'produced by synthesis‘ − Exemptions may be scientifically justified
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Findings (7) Findings (7)
- New production processes, combined with developments in
drug discovery and delivery could be exploited for prohibited purposes − Such developments are covered by ‘General purpose criterion‘ (CWC, Art. II, definition of toxic chemicals) − Important to monitor developments in S+T
- Increasing overlap between CWC and BWC due to
Convergence − Requires interaction between CWC and BWC technical experts
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Findings (8) Findings (8)
- Nanotechnology is converging in a significant way with
chemistry and biology − Drug delivery to the body − Biosensors
- Convergence is providing major benefits
− Health care − Alternative energy sources − Environmental control − Defensive countermeasures against CWA and BWA
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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Recommendations by TWG (1) Recommendations by TWG (1)
- Monitor advances in production technologies
Monitor advances in production technologies − Assess relevance to verification under the CWC
- Monitor advances in systems and synthetic biology
Monitor advances in systems and synthetic biology − Assess capability and capacity to synthesise more complex chemicals (toxic chemicals, toxins and bioregulators)
- Monitor advances in nanotechnology
Monitor advances in nanotechnology − particularly as they apply to improved defensive countermeasures
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Recommendations by TWG (2) Recommendations by TWG (2)
- Assistance to delegations to help understand possible
Assistance to delegations to help understand possible implications implications − Develop outreach material
- Establishing structured approach for contact between
Establishing structured approach for contact between CWC and BWC CWC and BWC − Bring together technical expertise in areas of common interest
- Re
Re-
- activating TWG on Convergence periodically
activating TWG on Convergence periodically − In time for SAB report on S&T for CWC Review Conference (every 5 years)
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Working together for a world free of chemical weapons
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