International Standardisation for Biotechnology

ISO Technical Committee 276 Biotechnology (ISO/TC) met for the second time in Berlin from 14 to 16 May. BIO Deutschland also attended the meeting. Following the constitutive meeting in mid-December 2013 at which four working groups on the topics of

    • terms & definitions
    • biobanks & bioresources
    • analytical methods
    • bioprocessing

were set up, the groups met for the first time in May. The subjects covered by the groups were presented and discussed in a plenary session on the third day of the meeting. The Working Group on Terms and Definitions will endeavour to compile the existing terminology from the individual countries and will only make suggestions on further definitions if there is a need for regulation or harmonisation. The Working Group on Biobanks and Bioresources and the Working Group on Analytical Methods will each try to draw up a new standard for their respective topics. More time was needed for discussion at the meeting of the Working Group on Bioprocessing, as the Japanese delegation suggested drawing up new standards for bioprocessing in regenerative medicine. However, the plenum decided that the aim should be to establish a generally applicable regulation on procedure rather than special regulations for a particular field.

The business plan for the work of ISO/TC Biotechnology was also discussed and agreed during the plenary session on the third day of the meeting. This plan is comprised of the working groups’ tasks.

The working groups of the ISO’s national mirror committee in Germany (DIN) will meets on the followings dates in Berlin to evaluate the ISO/TC meeting and to prepare further work on the international level:

  • Working Group 1 (Terminology): 27 June 2014
  • Working Group 2 (Biobanks/Bioresources): 25 June 2014
  • Working Group 3 (Analytical Methods): 9 July 2014
  • Working Group 4 (Bioprocessing): 26 June 2014

BIO Deutschland will endeavour to send a representative as an observer to all of these meetings. If you are interested in participating in one of these committees, please contact the BIO Deutschland office (tel.: +49-30-726 25 130 or e-mail: info@biodeutschland.org).

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