Doherty Clinical Trials at the 10th National Institutional Biosafety Committee Forum

Doherty Clinical Trials senior lab manager Vanessa Mollard was recently selected to represent Doherty Clinical Trials at the 10th National Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) Forum run by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) in Canberra.

Held at the National Gallery of Australia over two days, the theme of the forum was: Emerging technology and horizon scanning.

Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBC) are set up in various institutions and play an integral role in assisting compliance with Australia’s national gene technology regulatory scheme and to assess any licensing applications concerning the handling and use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

Doherty Clinical Trials, whilst already having a certified physical containment Level 2 laboratory, are pleased to share that we are now also accredited to work and handle GMOs. Having started our own IBC in August 2024 to provide oversight and governance over any pathogens and biological agents that may or may not be GMOs in future clinical studies we conduct, notably for human challenge trials, Doherty Clinical Trials is currently one of the first companies to submit a license application for a GMO that will be used in a future human challenge trial in 2025.

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Held every two years, the forum involved all the IBCs throughout Australia providing insight on the different types of license applications, how to build and license a laboratory or facility to work with GMOs, as well as an overview of the different areas of GMO use and their successes and lessons learnt from the laboratory, agriculture, medicines and the food industry.

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Providing an opportunity to network with other similar industries, as well as meet with the Regulator and the regulatory team, alongside feedback sessions on the changes in legislation and application processes regarding GMOs in the next year, Vanessa shared that the forum was an invaluable training event and delivered key insights that will further serve Doherty Clinical Trials work in this space.

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“I left feeling that I was privileged to meet and work with people who were here to ensure that work was carried out in a safe manner for the environment and the people of Australia, yet not wanting to hamper the progress which would greatly contribute to how our society moves forward. It is a delicate balance and I bring back my respect and will continue our work with the OGTR regarding licensing with a collaborative outlook."

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If you would like to understand more about our work with GMOs or our IBC, please reach out to info@dohertyclinicaltrials.com.