BioSafety Journal Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso ISSN: 1366 0233 Vol. 1, Num. 1, 1995

BioSafety
Volume 1, Paper 1 (BY95001), April 26th 1995 
Online Journal, URL - http://bioline.bdt.org.br/by

Editorial

Code Number: BY95001
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BioSafety is being published because:

a) it deals with a topic of absorbing interest to many scientists, technologists, regulatory authorities, environmentalists and industrialists, and

b) a focal journal for communication and interaction is merited in this multidisciplinary topic, where contributions are widely scattered through the literature.

There are two principle causes of the interest in biosafety. First, there is the previously-unparalleled ability to produce novel organisms - ones with genetic parameters which have not previously existed - as a consequence of progress in molecular biology. Secondly, there is the international concern about the preservation of biodiversity, which some believe will be made more difficult by the release of genetically-novel organisms into the environment. Although attention has been concentrated on GMOs, it is important to recognise that the real issue is that release to the environment of any organisms not previously present in that ecosystem may have positive or negative, major or minor, environmental consequences.

The scope of BioSafety is assessment of the possibility that harm will occur to people and/or to the environment by release of novel organisms. Significant subdivisions of this include control and regulation, containment, hazard analysis, risk assessment and management, monitoring, methodology of ecosystem characterisation, together with many others that impinge on biosafety. In many areas both innovative science and technological issues are significant.

We recognise that the whole topic of biosafety embraces uncertainties and that there are contentious issues; we will welcome contributions which discuss and debate these in a well argued manner. Hopefully, such contributions will help to develop a consensus view in areas where misunderstandings are widespread.

This journal is published online via the Internet, with no hardcopy version. It is produced in this way because it makes publishing much less expensive and subscription costs can be low. Also, it can be read in all regions of the world, since the journal can be accessed by E-mail as well as by the World Wide Web (WWW) and gopher.

Online publishing also allows rapid publication; papers will be published without delay, once peer reviewing has indicated that quality is acceptable. Publication of papers in BioSafety will not be delayed until sufficient have accumulated to make an issue. However, all publication in a calender year will constitute an annual volume. Definitive bibliographic referencing will consist of authors, titles etc in the usual way, plus the date of publication and paper number in the volume. This editorial will be contribution 1 in volume 1, April 25th 1995. The full reference will appear at the head of each paper.

As with all material published on the Bioline Publications system, abstracts of papers will be in the public domain and can be read without payment by all Internet users. Subscription can be made by sending an E-mail message to biosafe@biostrat.demon.co.uk, or by using the Registration forms available on the Bioline system. These forms also contain price information. In addition to annual subscriptions, it is possible to purchase single papers.

We welcome contributions. These will be peer reviewed in the normal way to ensure that the journal is of high standard. Notes for contributors are to be found at the head of the BioSafety page on the Bioline system. The copyright of material published in BioSafety will remain with the authors, rather then being assigned to the publisher as is usual with hardcopy journals.

Brian Kirsop.
Editor

BioSafety
Stainfield House
Stainfield
Bourne, Lincs, UK PE10 0RS

Published by Bioline Publications and Science and Technology Letters

Editorial Office: biosafe@biostrat.demon.co.uk