Impacts on International Research Collaborations from DSI/ABS Uncertainty

Stuart J Smyth; Trevor C Charles

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.10.011

Impacts on International Research Collaborations from DSI/ABS Uncertainty

Trends Biotechnol. 2021 May;39(5):430-433. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.10.011. Epub 2020 Nov 23.

Authors

Stuart J Smyth¹, Trevor C Charles²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 51 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5A8, Canada. Electronic address: stuart.smyth@usask.ca.
² Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada. Electronic address: trevor.charles@uwaterloo.ca.

PMID: 33243447
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.10.011

Abstract

Digital sequence information (DSI) has no clear definition. Numerous countries define DSI as a nonphysical genetic resources, such as genetic sequence data. Restricting free sharing of DSI is at odds with fundamental science core principles in disciplines like microbiology and molecular genetics. It has the potential to adversely affect international research collaborations.

Keywords: Convention on Biological Diversity; International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture; World Intellectual Property Organization; genetic resources; synthetic biology; traditional knowledge.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Information Dissemination*
International Cooperation*
Molecular Sequence Data*
Uncertainty