Genetic Modification Safety Committee (GMSC)

1. Genetic Modification Safety Committee (GMSC) Congratulations on your appointment to the Pharminox GMSC! Marc Hummersone Malcolm Stevens Tracey Bradshaw Shilpa Senapati Charles Matthews Why? To review/approve the risk assessments for experiments involving genetically modified microorganisms This is required to notify the HSE that we plan to undertake experiments using genetically modified microorganisms at our premises at Biocity. What does this entail? Very little. Once yearly meeting (i.e. now) to review current risk assessment and approve it. Very occasional (maybe once more this year) addition to monthly meeting to approve further projects.

2. Risk assessment PHX-GM-001 Use of SNB19V/M and U373V/M cells to screen compounds Over expression of MGMT in cells through stable insertion of MGMT gene into cells making them resistant to temozolomide. Key Points in risk assessment Cell lines themselves are low hazard Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) class 1 Unlikely to cause human disease We will handle cells at class 2 DNA used for transfection (pcDNA3.1 vector) is non-mobilisable Cannot be passed on to other micro-organisms, plasmid does not contain relevant genes Overexpression of MGMT protein will not alter the pathogenicity of cells Cells already have low pathogenicity and introducing MGMT is unlikely to alter this. Comments? Questions?