The International Society for Biosafety Research (ISBR) organized a bi-annual symposium on the biosafety of genetically modified organisms and related biosafety research. The 15th ISBR symposium - ISBR0219 took place from April 1-4, 2019, in Tarragona, Spain. This meeting represented the premier scientific conference for academic, government, and private sector scientists engaged in the science of environmental risk assessment (ERA) for genetically engineered plants, animals, and microorganisms. This Research Topic in Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms provided a forum for publications that resulted from the symposium. Articles in the Topic included thought pieces on future research needs for biosafety, research results, and discussions regarding the current ERA paradigm and its application to new and emerging applications of genetic engineering. Contributions were also encouraged from session organizers to share their opinions on the outcomes and future directions for the topics discussed in their sessions.

NOTE: Only papers based on oral and poster presentations from the ISBR2019 symposium are considered as contributions to this Research Topic.

• Editorial: Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms 3. A Collection of Publications from the 15th International Society for Biosafety Research Symposium
• Paraguay’s Path Toward the Simplification of Procedures in the Approval of GE Crops
• Transportability of Conclusions From Confined Field Trials: A Case Study Using the Virus Resistant Transgenic Bean Developed in Brazil
• A Framework for Effective Bt Maize IRM Programs: Incorporation of Lessons Learned From Busseola fusca Resistance Development
• Biosafety and Biosecurity in Containment: A Regulatory Overview
• Assessment of Gene Flow to Wild Relatives and Nutritional Composition of Sugarcane in Brazil
• Sublethal Endpoints in Non-target Organism Testing for Insect-Active GE Crops
• Impact of Bt Brinjal Cultivation in the Market Value Chain in Five Districts of Bangladesh
• Genetic Biocontrol for Invasive Species
• Biosafety Measures, Socio-Economic Impacts and Challenges of Bt-brinjal Cultivation in Bangladesh
• Gene Editing Regulation and Innovation Economics
• Regulation of Synthetic Biology: Developments Under the Convention on Biological Diversity and Its Protocols
• Argentina’s Local Crop Biotechnology Developments: Why Have They Not Reached the Market Yet?
• First Field Release of a Genetically Engineered, Self-Limiting Agricultural Pest Insect: Evaluating Its Potential for Future Crop Protection
• Familiarity in the Context of Risk Assessment of Transgenic Crops: Focus on Some Countries in the Americas
• Regulation of GM Organisms for Invasive Species Control
• Regulatory Status of Genome-Edited Organisms Under the Japanese Cartagena Act
• Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis Genetic Engineering on Induced Volatile Organic Compounds Emission in Maize and the Attractiveness to a Parasitic Wasp