Past EBSA courses

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    19 October 2023

    Demystifying ABS, Nagoya Protocol and the EU ABS Regulation – what you need to know when importing and using genetic resources.

    A 2,5 hour online course (including a break and question session)

    Instructor: Dominic Muyldermans

    Description: The principles of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) were first recognised under the Convention on Biological Diversity, refined in the Nagoya Protocol and are further implemented in national ABS laws. In EU an additional compliance regulation applies.

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    19 April 2023

    Pre conference course F. Introduction to Human Factors in a Laboratory or scientific facility

    Athens

    Instructors: Adam Stevenson and Wendy Shell

    Aim: To be aware of human factors and how to take account of such in a laboratory or in vivo containment facility.

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    19 April 2023

    Pre conference course C. Recombinant virus and viral vectors for research, gene therapy and vaccination: “GMO or not? Safe or not? Manageable or not?

    Athens

    There are a variety of investigational human and veterinary medicinal products consisting of or containing GMOs. GMOs for human medicines may include the following: human cells modified ex vivo; vaccines; recombinant virus-based vectors, including those containing genome editing nucleic acid sequences (which may also be delivered non-virally) and bacterial vectors.Medicinal products based onmRNA are on the rise. One need to define which constructs are still GMOs or not, which constructs are less or more hazardous than the wildtype virus, they are derived from, and which might serve as agent to harm others. How are people and the environment protected when they are widely used, also outside controlled laboratory settings. There is guidance and regulation. Which ones to apply is the one hundred Euroquestions.

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    19 April 2023

    Pre conference course B. An introduction course on biosafety (for a beginner level, WHO the LBM)

    Athens

    The role of a biosafety professional (BSP) within an institution is a challenging position. In addition, a BSP very often plays the interface between different activities within a facility including animal handling, engineering, maintenance and cleaning.

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    18 April 2023

    Pre conference course G. Operations, Maintenance and Management of Containment Level 2/3 Facilities

    Athens
    • Essential elements of and metholodolgies to perform risk assessment
    • Assessing the risk of biological materials (microorganisms, cells, tissues)
    • Evaluating the risk of procedures/activities
    • Defining measures to control/minimize the risk (containment, GMT, PPE, training)
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    18 April 2023

    Pre conference course H. Tips for the successful evidence-based decontamination of contained use laboratories using liquid and gaseous disinfectants

    Athens

    The application of appropriate decontamination methods is the key element in reducing surface contamination in the laboratory to prevent laboratory-acquired infections and cross contamination in the laboratory.

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    18 April 2023

    Pre conference course E. The world of infection - working with infected animal models

    Athens

    Working with an animal model of infection means introducing an additional risk into the infection chain.  

    Not only the animals need to be handled appropriately to reduce a potential risk to the scientist, the equipment also plays a major role in minimising risk during individual infection experiments. 

    Infection models with obligate pathogenic human germs must be treated carefully and calmly. The 3Rs of laboratory animal science are not only a guarantee for ethically sound experiments, but also serve the safety of the researchers. 

    This course is rated as advanced. Therefore basic knowledge of Biosafety is a prerequisite as well as initial knowledge in working with animals.

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    18 April 2023

    Pre conference course D. The gift of failure – learning from accidents, incidents and near-misses

    Athens

    Sadly, accidents will always happen. They can be prevented, but only if we take care to understand how and why they happen. Their impact can be reduced, but only if we take time to prepare. Gaining that understanding and having a plan are key safety processes. 

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    18 April 2023

    Pre conference course A. The holy grail in biosafety: risk assessment

    Athens

    Even though national and international regulations provide a framework on how to work safely with a certain pathogen or hazard, specific risk assessments are indispensable to identify appropriate safety measures to ensure that the risk associated with working with biological agents is on an acceptable level. This course will set out the principles of a risk assessment process, addressing the definition of key steps, risk evaluation and identification of high-risk laboratory procedures or selection of risk control measures.