The association though six year old has membership of over 273 registered members drawn countries from all regions in Africa. This 4th Confrence is jointly hosted with the Scientific de P’institute National D’hygiene Morocco.
Announcement
The African Biological Safety Association (AfBSA) is pleased to announce the 4th Annual Biological Safety Conference, to be held at Hotel Novotel, Casablanca, Morocco from March 23rd to 25th, 2015 in collaboration with Association Scientific de P’institute National D’hygiene.
The AfBSA Conference gives a unique opportunity for biosafety professionals to discuss laboratory biosafety and biosecurity issues in light of emerging diseases in Africa, biohazard waste management and leadership in biorisk management, especially in light of the Ebola epidemic in western Africa which has highlighted the weakness in healthcare systems in the affected countries especially in regards to biosafety practices in clinical settings.
Conference Theme
The theme of the 4th Annual Biological Safety Conference is “BRIDGING THE GAPS BETWEEN LABORATORY SAFETY AND EMERGING GLOBAL HEALTH ISSUES” which has been chosen to reflect current laboratory biosafety and biosecurity issues in light of emerging diseases on the continent.
Conference symposia, training workshops:
Applications are invited for those who wish to organize side events, such as pre-conference workshops and symposia associated with the biological Conference. Expression of interest (EOI) can be forwarded to the Chair, 4th Annual Biological Safety Conference at afbsa@afbsa.org
Important dates
Preconference workshops: March 23rd, 2015
Conference dates: March 24rd to 25th, 2015
- 1st call for abstracts: December, 10th 2014
- 2nd call for abstracts: January, 6th 2015
- Final call for abstracts: February, 4th 2015
- Symposia/Workshops EOI deadline: February, 11th 2015
- Abstract deadline: February, 18th 2015
- Notification of Acceptance or Rejection: 25th February 2015
- Registration deadline: February, 28th 2015
Call for Abstracts
The 4th Annual Biological Safety Conference organizing committee invites submission of original work for both oral and poster presentations under the themes of the conference. Abstract must be submitted via the afbsa website on www.afbsa.org. Guidelines for abstract preparation and can also be downloaded from the afbsa website www.afbsa.org
Guidelines for Abstract Submission
To help you with your abstract submission, kindly note the following guidelines
- All abstracts must be submitted in English language.
- Abstracts can only be submitted as via the afbsa website www.afbsa.org within the format prescribed (Introduction, Methods, Results and Conclusion Sections)
- The abstract text should not exceed 300 words
- Tables and graphs may be included as attachments.
- It is the author’s responsibility to submit a correct abstract. Any errors in spelling, grammar or scientific facts will be reproduced as typed by the author.
- Abstracts must not have been published or submitted for presentation to any other national or international meeting.
Notification of Acceptance or Rejection
Notification of acceptance or rejection will be sent to the corresponding author by the 25th February 2015. Please note that only the corresponding author will receive mail concerning the abstract and is responsible for informing all co-authors of the status of their abstract. Authors whose abstracts have been accepted will receive instructions for the presentation of their abstract.
Abstract Blinding and Review
All submitted abstracts will go through a blind peer-review process carried out by an independent reviewing committee. The Scientific Sub-committee will post reviewer’s comments to the corresponding authors through emails.
4th Annual Biological Safety Conference Abstract Policy
An abstract cannot be submitted if it has been previously published or presented, unless there are major updates in the data, and my not be presented elsewhere after acceptance for 4th Annual Biological Safety Conference. If preliminary or partial data has been published, the author is required to indicate the details of the conference, meeting or journal.
4th Annual Biological Safety Conference Publication
All the accepted abstracts will be printed in the 4th Annual Biological Safety Conference abstract book and on the afbsa website. However, authors can inform the conference Secretariat if they object their articles appearing in the abstract book.
If you have any questions regarding your abstract submission, please contact the abstract support team at afbsa@afbsa.org
PRE CONFERENCE COURSE AND CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES
| Day/Date | Time | Room | pre-Conference Course |
| Monday March 23rd, 2015 | 08:00-17:30 | A | Quality Management Systems and Biorisk Management |
| 08:00-17:30 | B | Equipment maintenance (primary and secondary barriers) | |
| 08:00 – 13:00 | C | Occupational Safety and Health: Principles of Biohazard Waste Management, Hazard control; disinfection and decontamination | |
| 14:00 – 17:30 | C | Risk assessment and mitigation |
PRE CONFERENCE COURSE REGISTRATION FEES (IN USD)
½ DAY PRE CONFERENCE COURSES
| Membership category | COST (IN USD) |
| AfBSA member | 350 |
| non AfBSA member | 400 |
1 DAY PRE CONFERENCE COURSES
| Membership category | COST (IN USD) |
| AfBSA member | 400 |
| non AfBSA member | 500 |
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES (IN USD)
| Two day AfBSA Conference | Duration in days | Membership category | COST (IN USD) |
| 2 | AfBSA member with abstract | 0 | |
| AfBSA member | 400 | ||
| Non AfBSA member | 500 |
| PLEASE REMIT THE REGISTRATION FEES TO BARCLAYS BANK OF KENYA HURLIGHAM BRANCH NAIROBI SWIFT CODE-BARKENX ACCOUNT NO.022-7020040 OR VIA WESTERN UNION TO THE TREASURER AFBSA, HILLARY IMIRE AND THE DETAILS OF THE TEST QUESTION AND THE DULY FILLED APPLICATION FORM TO BE SENT TO HIMIRE@AFBSA.ORG AND AFBSA@AFBSA.ORG |