Flanders-UNIDO Risk Assessment Research Network
The Flanders-UNIDO Risk Assessment Research Network (FURARN) is an international project funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO-Vlaanderen) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) which aims 'to bring together scientists and biosafety experts with complementary expertise in fields allowing the assessment of the potential risk of a GMO'. FURARN is coordinated by the Institute of Plant Biotechnology for Developing Countries (IPBO) and is part of UNIDO's Biosafety Information Network and Advisory Service (BINAS).[1]
Contents
Activities
According to the FURARN website:
- The specific objective of the research network is to develop a computer-based system that will:
- allow the systematic input and analysis of data relevant to risk assessment
- enable the characterization and evaluation of risks
- The software will be an invaluable tool for risk assessment by:
- allowing regulators to test risk hypotheses through an interactive software interface
- enabling operational linkages between databases relevant to the risk assessment process (e.g. regulatory, toxicological, ecological, and environmental)
- providing for an assessment of the potential risks of a GM product at its conception thereby informing on the need for project adaptation,saving time and money[2]
Members
- Marc De Loose
- Bruno Mezzetti
- Dirk Iserentant
- Godelieve Gheysen, FURARN coordinator
- Harry Kuiper
- Howard Davies
- Ine Pertry, daily network coordination
- Jeremy Sweet
- Kathy Messens
- Roger Hull
- Sylvia Burssens
- Dulce Eleonora de Oliveira
Contact
- Prof. Dr. Godelieve Gheysen: FURARN coordinator
- Director of the Institute of Plant Biotechnology for Developing Countries( IPBO)
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University
- Dpt. Molecular Biotechnology, Head of Applied Molecular Genetics research group
- Coupure links 653, B-9000 Gent
- Tel: +32 9 264 58 88
- Fax: +32 9 264 62 19
- Email: godelieve.gheysen@ugent.be
