Enhancing Biosecurity and Biosafety

Research and development in Life Sciences have the potential to bring about transformational change for the betterment of society, including through the convergence of advances in fields like synthetic biology, nanotechnology, information technology, the cognitive sciences, and neurosciences. However, the risks related to the misuse  of the technological advances cannot be ignored.

UNICRI has been at the forefront in understanding the potential security risks related to the advances in biology and developing response options.  

The issue of cybercrime has been a focus of UNICRI since 2004, and after years of experience, UNICRI now possesses the skills and know-how to analyze trends concerning cybercrime in its many forms. UNICRI is supported by an extensive, specialized and trusted contact network consisting of private enterprises, international organizations and NGOs, academic institutions, law enforcement bodies, governmental bodies, and other UN agencies.

A sampling of the Emerging Crimes Unit's past activities with respect to cybersecurity and technology misuse can be found below:

Impact of Cybercrime on Business and Economy: UNICRI, with the support of Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca, has devoted its efforts to raise awareness regarding the cyber threats that can affect the economies of Italy and Europe, with a focus on small medium enterprises (SMEs).

Combating Cybercrime- Tools and Capacity Building for. Emerging Economies: UNICRI contributed to the World Bank project “Combatting Cybercrime: Tools and Capacity Building for Emerging Economies”, aimed at building capacity among policy-makers, legislators, public prosecutors and investigators, and civil society in developing countries in the policy, legal and criminal justice aspects of the enabling environment to combat cybercrime. (Electronic version will be available soon).

SECURED – SECURity at the network Edge, funded by the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme (FP7): the SECURED project proposes an innovative architecture to achieve protection from Internet threats by offloading execution of security applications into a programmable device at the edge of the network such as a home gateway or an enterprise router.

COURAGE – Cybercrime and cyberterrOrism (E)Uropean Research AGEnda, funded by the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme (FP7): the COuRAGE consortium will deliver a measured, comprehensive, relevant research agenda for Cyber Crime and Cyber Terrorism (CC/CT) guided by the knowledge and experience of the highly experienced and exceptionally qualified consortium (17 partners, 12 countries) and Advisory Board members (14 organisations including EUROPOL, JRC and ERA).

Information Sharing and Public-Private Partnerships: Perspectives and Proposals: Sustainable cybersecurity strategies require joint flexible responses to threats and thorough, validated, judicial practices. Current debates tend to juxtapose immediate responses to cyberattacks and legislative efforts to combat overall cybercrime as an either/or dichotomy. Through this Info-Sharing project, UNICRI, is looking into national and international established channels of communication to highlight the complementary nature of legislation and security. The project will examine in particular detail the ways in which policy regulation and immediate responses to threats can interact in the sectors of banking, transport and critical infrastructure. This project has been realized with the support of GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC), in collaboration with European Electronic Crime Task Force (EECTF).

The aim of the project is to map the current landscape of cybersecurity information sharing- and the issues thereof- and to highlight the complimentary nature of legislation and security. The project will focus on the needs and demands of the banking, transport and critical infrastructure industries.

Child Online Protection Initiative: Protecting children online is a global challenge, which requires a global approach. While many efforts to improve child online protection are already under way, their reach has been more national than global. UNICRI has collaborated with ITU Child Online Protection initiative to create an international collaborative network and promote online safety of children around the world.

Hackers Profiling Project:the Hacker’s Profiling Project (HPP) started back in 2004. The HPP aimed to improve the response to ICT crime and the transnational organised crime groups that may be involved in it by outlining the criminal profiles of the different types of hackers, with particular emphasis on their possible involvement in transnational organised crime activities and cyber-terrorism. Through a better understanding of hackers, HPP facilitated the prevention and countering of ICT crime and improved the operational methods that may lead to the identification of cybercriminals. The first output of the project was the publication of the book “Profiling Hackers. The Science of Criminal Profiling as Applied to the World of Hacking”, Taylor & Francis, which came out on 12 December 2008 (1st Italian edition was published by Apogeo in February 2007). While many years have passed since its inception, UNICRI continues to collect relevant resources and materials on the topic.

Advances in biology and biotechnology are occurring at an unprecedented rate, opening doors for seeking improvements in important fields such as health, food and environment. However, rapidly advancing capabilities, decreasing costs and widely expanding access to and participation in modern biology and biotechnology simultaneously increase the likelihood of safety and security risks that could endanger public health and the environment. UNICRI has been at the forefront in understanding these potential security risks.

UNICRI and AIFA collaborate to protect human rights and promote ethical and legal standards for clinical drug trials in developing countries

UNICRI has recently received a contribution from the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) to implement a new training and technical cooperation project aimed at the promotion of ethics, law and the human rights of participants in clinical research of drugs in developing countries.

The aim of this project is to carry out the recommendations of a 2008 study conducted by UNICRI and AIFA, as the responsible agency in Italy for pharmaceutical control, to verify that the ethical and scientific principles of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) are being applied in clinical research trials in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

The previous research study culminated with an international Round Table event, during which the need for urgent intervention to attain adequate ethical and legal standards throughout the developing world was reaffirmed.

With the economic, political and social links between different regions of the world becoming ever more important, AIFA would like to contribute to the implementation of a project to establish ethical standards in clinical trials in countries which lack any specific legislation or guidelines.

The United Nations strongly supports initiatives aimed at establishing a reliable base of knowledge and strengthening the capabilities of local professionals. It is only through the sharing of data and expertise that the disparities and inequalities between different regions can be overcome. Providing training, improving knowledge, and sharing information are at the core of UNICRI’s mandate. Since its establishment in 1968, the Institute has conducted training programmes for government officials around the world to guarantee the correct application of relevant international legal instruments on crime prevention and justice.

UNICRI and AIFA will work closely together to provide strong support to countries that are still far from reaching minimum standards of ethical and legal protection for patients enrolled in clinical trials. The two institutions will organize practical and theoretical courses for the training of health professionals in a Sub-Saharan country.

In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project, the training courses will assist in the development of a best practice model. This will be made available for those responsible for the rights and well-being of patients in other countries and regions.

UNICRI and AIFA aim to establish a permanent network of professionals in Africa who are trained in the standards of ethics and law regarding clinical drug research. By combining this knowledge with an understanding of local social, economic and health issues, this network will have the potential to become an international model for promoting and applying Good Clinical Practice.

UNICRI, in collaboration with the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), AIFA and the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital organized the training course “Good Clinical Practice: the promotion of international harmonization for the respect of ethical principles, human rights, and justice.

The course, held in Tanzania, from 11-14 June 2012, aimed at increasing the expertise of officers and professionals working in the field of pharmaceutical clinical research with human participants and strengthening knowledge of ethical, scientific, and regulatory aspects of Good Clinical Practice Guidelines. The course has laid the groundwork for establishing an African-European network of professionals trained in the international standards of clinical trials. Further action will include the delivery of the training modules to other professionals in Tanzania and eventually to other countries in the Region.

For further information please contact cteunicri.org

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