3RD GLOBAL CONGRESS ON NEW AND EMERGING BIOCONTROL TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCED

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The 3rd Global Congress on New and Emerging Genetic Biocontrol Technologies will take place from March 15-18, 2027 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lusaka, Zambia.

The Biennial Congress, now in its third edition, is the foremost gathering of professionals in Africa, with an aim of facilitating knowledge exchange, strenthening technical capacity and promoting informed decision-making regarding genetic biocontrol technologies for the benefit of the public. International experts will convene for knowledge  sharing and interdisciplinary collaboration related to genetic biocontrol technologies through courses, workshops, presentations and symposia.

The African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium (AGBC) is also committed to promoting effective communication of genetic biocontrol technologies, thus sessions on communication will benefit science journalists and communicators

The event will focus on the theme, “Advancements in Engineered Modification Strategies for Vector Control”.

The AGBC invites submissions of abstracts aligned with this central theme and will accept entries until August 31, 2026.

Submissions are invited in two categories: scientific abstracts and symposia abstracts. Abstracts should explore the main theme or one of the following sub-themes:

  • Gene Drives: Advancements in research, associated challenges, approaches to risk assessment, and regulatory considerations pertinent to gene drives and their applications.
  • Non-Genetic Studies: Classical biocontrol, vector control interventions, endosymbiont approaches like Wolbachia.
  • Science Communication: Stakeholder involvement, debunking misinformation and disinformation, building social acceptance, influencing public perspectives, improving science outreach, and supporting a scientific framework for understanding genetic biocontrol.
  • Capacity building: Progress, challenges, and opportunities in developing knowledge and skills for emerging technologies and vector control.
  • Risk Analysis: Risk analysis, risk assessment, risk communication, and risk management for genetic biocontrol. Examples include hazard assessment, exposure assessment, problem formulation, data transportability, etc.
  • Global regulations and governance: Examining international regulatory, policy, and governance frameworks for genetic biocontrol and vector control.
  • Biorisk Management: Biosafety, biosecurity, and biocontainment issues related to contained use and field trials of genetic biocontrol products.
  • Animal Biotechnology: Scientific advancements, challenges, risk assessment, and regulatory considerations related to animal biotechnology, including gene edited animals, genetically modified animals, etc.
  • Other topics related to emerging biotechnologies and innovation: Other topics highlighting One Health approaches, scientific advancements, modeling, Quality Management and Accreditation Standards, risk assessment, or regulatory considerations, synthetic biology, genetics-based health biotechnology, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in sustainable innovations, post-release monitoring of genetic biocontrol products etc

The 2nd Global Congress was held in March 2025 in Accra Ghana, under the theme: Harnessing Genetic Biocontrol potential solutions in a changing climate. The inaugural congress was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2023, under the theme: New and Emerging Genetic Biocontrol Technologies: Progress made in Science, Research, Testing and Environmental Release of Experimental Genetically Modified Biocontrol Products.

A dedicated website of the African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium’s Congress launches shortly.