National SeriesLecture 1

IntroductionPakistan

Bradford Disarmament Research CentreDivision of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK

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Outline

1. Where we are in the early 21st century

2. Outline of the following lectures

a) What we should know (learning outcome)

b) What we can do (policy contribution)

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What is “Life Science”?

• “Any field of science that is leading to or has the potential to lead to an enhanced understanding of living organisms, especially human life.”

• E.g. Biology, proteomics, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, aerosol technology, chemistry and mathematics

(National Research Council, 2006: 27)

• Applied in:Public health, Medicine, Agriculture, Energy, Environment and National security studies

Biotechnology: An integral part of national strategy in the 21st Century

Region Annual Worth Share

North America $204 Billion 51%

Europe $102 Billion 25%

Japan $47 Billion 12%

Asia, Africa, Australia $32 Billion 8%

Latin America $17 Billion 4%

A growing market in Biotechnology: the pharmaceutical market (National Research Council, 2006: 85)

• Similar results in number of researchers and the amount of private investment for R&D in the life sciences

• Rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific region

(Ernst&Young 2011, Frost&Sullivan 2010)

Pakistan: Life science outlook

• Approximately 27 research institutes

• The government has invested “about US$ 17 million in research and development”

• “The National Commission on Biotechnology was established in 2001 as an advisory body to the Ministry of Science and Technology to monitor developments in the field and recommend appropriate policy measures.”

(Ahmed 2011)

Item

2011 Ranking 45

2005 Ranking 58

Ranking Change 13 (up)

2011 Regional Ranking 3 (S. Asia)

2005 Regional Ranking 3 (S. Asia)

Hits in PubMed 258

PubMed Ranking 42

Hit in Espacenet Not available

Espacenet Ranking Not available

Combined Ranking 42

Source: (BWPP 2011)

Global publication ranking

Pakistan: Life science outlook

Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS)

Was established in 1953 to promote science and technology, disseminate scientific knowledge and honour eminent scientists primarily through their election as fellows. There are currently 90 fellows and 40 foreign fellows. The Academy awards medals and prizes to scientists for their distinguished contributions to various scientific disciplines. In addition to having exchange programmes with scientific societies, academies and learned bodies in several countries, the Academy also publishes a scientific journal and monographs on topics of national interest. It also arranges seminars, symposia, conferences and workshops at national and international levels.

(IAP 2012)

Why do we care? Should this be an issue for us?

The dual-use nature of science and technology:

– “Every major technology — metallurgy, explosives, internal combustion, aviation, electronics, nuclear energy — has been intensively exploited, not only for peaceful purposes but also for hostile ones.”

– “…Must this also happen with biotechnology, certain to be a dominant technology of the twenty-first century?”

Matthew Meselson: Professor of Molecular Biology at Harvard University

(Meselson, 2000: 16)

Hostile

Peacefu

l

Meselson’s Forecast in 2000

Ability• “Our ability to modify fundamental life processes

continues its rapid advance”

• “We will be able not only to devise additional ways to destroy life but will also become able to manipulate it”

Dilemma• “…[This has a] Vast potential for beneficial application

and could have inimical consequences for the course of civilization.”

Meselson’s Forecast in 2000

“At present, we appear to be approaching a crossroads —a time that will test whether biotechnology…”

• It will come to be intensively exploited for hostile purposes, or• Our species will find the collective wisdom to take a different course.

Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC)

1972

Article I • “Each State Party to this Convention undertakes never in any

circumstances to develop, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire or retain:

• 1. Microbial or other biological agents or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes.”

• This applies for not only states but also non-state actors

Science and Security: Dual-Use

The need for a broader conceptualisation of dual-use• Biological agents and toxins can be used for hostile purposes without

weaponization and technology is typically diffused globally for peaceful purposes

• Hostile use can take the form of criminal acts or terrorist acts (non-state level) in parallel to military application (state level),

• The BTWC prohibits the misuse of the life sciences by both states and non-state actors

Dual-use: broader concept Peaceful Non-peaceful

Dual-use: traditional conceptMilitary Civilian

Pakistan with international regimes

WMD• “There is no reliable, publicly available information to suggest that

Pakistan has biological or chemical weapons.”

BTWC• Signature (10 April 1972); Ratification (25 September 1974)• “The United States reported in 1996 that Islamabad had been

‘conducting research and development with potential BW applications.’ It is not known whether this potential has since been realized.”

CWC• Signature (13 January 1993); Ratification (28 October 1997)• “Islamabad has apparently made no admissions in its treaty-mandated

declarations of having possessed chemical weapons”

(Nuclear Threat Initiative 2012)

National Series: Lecture Outline

2. Biosecurity Threats 3. The Web of Prevention

4. National Measures5. Responsibility of Scientists

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• ‘No single focal point’ of threats– Potential actors, material and information, which can be related to dual-

use issues, exist at international, regional, national, local and individual levels.

Unpredictable future of the life sciences

Reviewing threats (Lecture 2)

Manmade threats: warfare, crime and terrorism

Safety/accidental risks at laboratories

Natural outbreaks of infectious disease

To address natural outbreaks of infectious disease• Public health preparedness and response planning

To address safety/accidental risks• Laboratory regulations to safely manage dangerous pathogens and toxins, to

prevent an accidental release into the environment and unauthorized access

To address manmade threats• Strong international arms control agreements with effective national

implementation • Internationally coordinated export controls • Intelligence• Biodefense

To address the unpredictable future of the life sciences• Oversight: Review of security-sensitive science and technology developments• Responsible conduct in research through education

The Web of Prevention (WoP) (Lecture 3)

Web of prevention

Public health measures

Laboratory measures

International prohibition

regime

Export control

Intelligence

Biodefense

Oversight and review of Sci-Tech

Responsible conduct

Natural threats

Safety risks

Governance of science

Manmade threats

National implementation (Lecture 4)

To National Context

National implementation (Lecture 4)

1• International agreements

2• Signature and ratification by states

3

• National measures in states• Legislation, regulation, order or other forms

of governance

Worldwide engagement of life scientists with the WoP will:

• Effectively strengthen biosecurity measures by requiring the engagement of practicing scientists

• Prevent unnecessary restriction of scientific freedoms

• Education of, and capacity building among, scientists on biosecurity issues is necessary for successful security

• Uninformed scientists = no effective science policy inputs to the WoP

Engagement of informed life scientists about biosecurity issues is key to successful security

The need for responsible conduct in research(Lecture 5)

Biosecurity: definitive issues

The term “biosecurity” has been conceptualised differently across various scientific and professional disciplines

• Areas: The term has been used in ecology, agriculture, food supply, arms control and public health contexts, with different meanings and conceptualisations

• Policy processes: these overlap with interdisciplinary areas such as biosafety, counter-terrorism, agricultural biosecurity and biodiversity

• Linguistic: In addition to these conceptual complications, “biosecurity” has also experienced linguistic complications

(Fidler and Gostin 2007, Sunshine Project 2003, Barletta 2002)

National Series:WoP = Biosecurity Education = Biosecurity Competency

References

• The references cited in this lecture are viewable in the Notes section of this presentation.