SciDev.Net

South–South research collaboration can be a powerful strategy for boosting scientific capacity and achieving common goals. But it should not be embraced uncritically, says Athar Osama.

Recommendations on how policymakers can decrease the joint burden of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

Growing dryland populations are depleting their natural resources, while increasingly-settled agriculture ignores the traditional knowledge needed to tackle future uncertainties, says David Thomas.

Valuing the benefits ecosystems give us is a vital step in ensuring their sustainable use and conservation. Anantha Duraiappah shows how environmental economics offers the best way yet to tackle the job.

Ten years since the UNCCD came into force, the problems remain. Despite some successes, varying definitions and restricted finance limit the convention's effectiveness, as Lindsay Stringer explains.

Biodiversity in the world's drylands is fragile, easily disrupted and under threat. John Lemons sets out guidelines for tailoring policies to best protect these uniquely adapted species.

With water scarcity already affecting over a billion people, dryland populations should combine traditional and modern knowledge to manage water access sustainably, says Theib Oweis.

An overview of the various ways in which techniques that do not involve genetic modification can helping plant breeders to develop and propagate new crop varieties.

Despite the urgent need for a malaria vaccine, progress in developing one has been slow and scientists do not always agree on the best way forward. This policy brief outlines the current status of malaria vaccine research.

An outline of the opportunities and challenges in large-scale use of artemisinin combination therapies to treat malaria.

Insecticide-treated bednets to prevent malaria

Sudden epidemics of malaria need to be tackled quickly to stop them spiralling out of control; an early warning system could help predict outbreaks to mobilise a fast response.

An outline of the financial and non-financial instruments that developing country governments can use to boost technology-generating efforts in production enterprises.

How can developing countries construct national science, technology and innovation policies to enhance their development? This policy brief provides a guide to the issues involved.

What standard of care can clinical trial participants expect once the trial is over? Richard Ashcroft explores the ethical arguments for responsibilities of both researchers and sponsors of trials.

The allergy issue has raised many concerns about GM food, which have important implications. This policy brief by Clare Mills attempts to put concerns into perspective.

Two international instruments have recently changed the playing field regarding the international regulation of genetically engineered organisms. What are they, how do they work and how effective can they be?

How much real scope do developing countries have in the way they trade or use genetically modified foods or crops?

Sue Eckstein reviews existing schemes to build capacity in research ethics in developing countries, which range from sponsored academic degree programmes to tailored courses and one-off meetings.

James Lavery provides an introduction to the regulation of international human subjects research, describing the different approaches used, and highlighting some of the challenges faced.