The Institute of Genetics and Cytology was established in 1965 and is the Leading Scientific-Research Centre of the Republic of Belarus in the field of genetics, genomics and biotechnology; it provides training to scientific personnel, cooperates with higher educational institutions. In 1998, the National Coordination Biosafety Centre (NCBC) was established at the Institute. NCBC: • collects, analyses and systematizes information on Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) safety; • provides biosafety-related information; • advises state bodies on the preparation of draft legislative acts, bilateral and international agreements on biosafety, guidances on assessing and preventing risks to the environment and human health, safety instructions for Genetic Engineering Laboratories; • conducts fundamental and applied scientific research in the field of biosafety; • National Contact Point for the Biosafety Clearing-House to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; • develops and implements International Technical Assistance Projects. In 2014, the National Coordination Centre on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-sharing (ABS NCC) was established at the Institute. ABS NCC: - carries out activities to raise awareness of ABS mechanisms; - prepares proposals to state bodies for legal ABS and associated TK regulation; - promotes cooperation in the study of biological diversity using the DNA barcoding technique; - develops and implements International Technical Assistance Projects.

The Institute has significantly contributed to the solution of a number of fundamental and applied issues in the area of genetics. The priority areas of the Institute's activities: - study of the structural and functional organization of plant, animal, human and microorganism genomes; - research in the field of genetics and cell engineering; - development of genetic bases for plant, animal and microorganism breeding; - development of genomic technologies for agriculture, health care, sports and environmental protection; - services in DNA marking and DNA certification of plants, animals, humans and microorganisms; - collection and preservation of unique DNA samples of humans, animals, plants and microorganisms as a source of valuable genetic resources; - promotion of access to the genetic resources of the Republic of Belarus and benefit-sharing; - compliance with the Nagoya Protocol; - research in the field of biosafety; - services in the identification of LMOs and Genetically Modified Ingredients (GMIs) in food raw materials and food products. NCBC: - has extensive experience in the development of national regulatory legal acts, e.g. the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Safety in Genetic Engineering Activity” (2006), assisted with the development of amendments to this Law in 2018; - participated in the development of the theoretical foundations of the concept of the national system for ensuring biological safety of the Republic of Belarus; - actively participated in the preparation of analytical reviews of various safety issues of genetic engineering activity at the national level and within the framework of international projects; - prepared 2nd, 3rd and 4th National Reports on the fulfillment by the Republic of Belarus of obligations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; - organizes scientific expertise of safety in terms of identifying LMOs and products based on them authorized and unauthorized for use and determining the belonging of species in raw materials to monitor the safety and quality of food products; combating adulterated products. ABS NCC: - developed a national ABS and associated TK procedure, forms of related documents, a mechanism to monitor the implementation of agreements between GRs providers and users, developed a special interactive database for these purposes; - played a key role in the preparation of the concept of the draft Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Genetic Resources Management” approved in 2021, and is involved in the preparation of the draft Law; - prepared the National Report on the fulfillment by the Republic of Belarus of obligations under the Nagoya Protocol; - holds dozens of workshops and other meetings annually to raise awareness of ABS mechanisms; - developed the project “Reintroduction of the Polesskaya Horse” approved by the European Rewilding in 2021. Now, ABS NCC is a recognized member of the European Rewilding Network; - promotes GRs inventory based on the DNA barcoding technique; - strengthens human resources for the study of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources; develops proposals to ensure their conservation and legal protection of the rights of such knowledge holders.