CONCEPT NOTE:Truth Under the Microscope

African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium Webinar Series

Dates: Every Thursday from August 6- September 10, 2026, 1500hours to 1700 hours EAT

Truth Under the Microscope: Tackling Disinformation and Misinformation in emerging technologies and life sciences

CONCEPT NOTE:

Biotechnology is increasingly being applied in health, agriculture, and industry across Africa and globally, yet reporting on these developments remains complex. Journalists, scientists and communicators must navigate technical subject matter, uneven regulatory systems across countries, limited access to specialized scientific sources, and public debates shaped by misinformation, political narratives, ethical concerns, cultural values, and low public familiarity with emerging technologies. Although global adoption is growing, uptake across Africa remains relatively low, making clear, accurate, and trusted communication essential to public and stakeholder acceptance of emerging biotechnologies such as engineered gene drives, gene editing, and synthetic biology. Despite important progress, misinformation about the value, safety, and effectiveness of these technologies persists, and communication in Africa continues to be shaped by diverse political, social, and cultural contexts.

In this regard, the BioTRUST Institute and African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium (AGBC), in collaboration with the Elizabeth R. Griffin Program at Johns Hopkins University, is designing a webinar series to address misinformation and disinformation.

Webinar Objectives

• Clarify the distinctions among misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, and legitimate scientific uncertainty.
• Explore how emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence, synthetic media, data analytics, biotechnology, and digital health tools—can amplify and counter false information.
• Examine the implications of misinformation for life sciences, including public health, vaccines, genomics, biosecurity, clinical research, and science policy.
• Identify practical approaches to strengthening trust, transparency, responsible communication, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Promote collaboration among researchers, regulators, industry, media, and communities to build resilience against harmful information ecosystems.
• Learn practical ways to communicate scientific uncertainty clearly.
• Counter misinformation and disinformation without amplifying false claims.
• Build public trust in biotechnology, AI, and related fields.
• Engage diverse audiences with accurate, responsible messages.

Potential Outcomes from the Webinar Series

• Improved understanding of how misinformation and disinformation affect public trust in emerging technologies and life sciences.
• Enhanced capacity among scientists, journalists, communicators, and policymakers to communicate complex science clearly and responsibly.
• Stronger collaboration between media professionals, researchers, policy actors, and community engagement practitioner.
• Development of practical tools and approaches for fact-checking, framing scientific uncertainty, and responding to false narratives without amplifying them.
• Increased public confidence in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, genetic biocontrol, and other emerging science fields through transparent and inclusive communication.
• Greater awareness of ethical, cultural, and language considerations when engaging diverse audiences on emerging technologies.
• Strengthened networks of African science communicators equipped to support evidence-informed dialogue and policy engagement.
• Identification of training needs, mentorship opportunities, and follow-up activities to sustain long-term science communication capacity across the continent.

The webinar will be held online via Zoom, with French and English interpretation. The series begins on Thursday, August 6, from 1500 to 1700 hours GMT.

This series is ideal for professionals seeking practical tools to make complex science more accessible, credible, and relevant in today’s fast-changing information environment.

The discussion will focus on evidence-based approaches to strengthening science communication, building public trust, and promoting informed decision-making.

French interpretation will be available.