The Pandora Report

Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue highlights lessons from a contested logistics wargame on integrating biodefense into military planning, Australia’s response to its first mainland H5N1 detection and the continued spread of New World screwworm, a new tool to strengthen chemical weapons nonproliferation, and a review challenging the use of “gain-of-function” as a category for identifying research of biosecurity concern.  

When the Supply Chain Becomes the Battlefield — Biodefense Lessons from the Contested Logistics Wargame 

By Sandra Roshonda Thomas, current MS Biodefense student and Founder of Thomas Strategy Consulting

The United States’ national security strategy has long been shaped by decades of policy passed down by different administrations in response to changing geopolitical threats. Wargames and tabletop exercises were born out of the necessity to look at issues and concerns. Many military exercises have focused on asymmetric warfare, irregular actors, and counterterrorism operations.  While that emphasis was not misplaced, it has also created an institutional blind spot: planning for crises in which great-power conflict and biological emergencies occur simultaneously. These two threats do not occupy a separate strategic lane. They share the same physical infrastructure, decision-making systems, and industrial supply chains. Crucially, the logistics enterprise required to sustain joint military operations in a contested Pacific or European theater is the same enterprise needed to surge medical countermeasures, evacuate casualties, and shore up public health infrastructure during a biological emergency. The Contested Logistics Wargame II (CLW-II), hosted by Thomas Strategy Consulting, was among the first structured exercises to formally and deliberately place these two worlds — defense logistics and health security —within the same strategic framework. What it revealed deserves the full attention of the biodefense community. 

From May 14-15, 2026, CLW-II convened at the National Defense University (NDU) in Washington, D.C., marking the second iteration of a wargaming series built specifically to stress-test joint logistics assumptions under near-peer adversary pressure. Far from a conventional tabletop, this structured, scenario-driven wargame brought together a diverse cohort of participants across the national security enterprise: senior leaders and operators from the Departments of War and Defense (DoD), defense industry partners, interagency officials, and academia. Most notably, CLW-II also integrated health and medical sector professionals into the design, intentionally bringing underrepresented equities directly into core defense planning.  

The exercise unfolded across five sequential turns, each escalating in complexity and building upon prior assumptions and outcomes. This structure approximated the cognitive and institutional demands of an actual crisis, forcing participants into a simulated high-pressure environment. The scenario’s final state presented a deliberate intersection of challenges: management of active military operations alongside an emerging biological incident affecting homeland infrastructure and the military health system. This dual-stress design was a consequential architectural choice — a recognition that the most dangerous crises are not the ones we plan for in isolation, but the ones that arrive when we least expect them. 

Situating CLW-II within the current policy landscape reveals why its findings are so critical for the biodefense community. The DoD relies on the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), a functional, unified command that provides air, land, and sea transportation to the force in times of need. This dependence reflects decades of forced optimization for the army forces rather than a deliberate strategic preference. This optimization has bred a significant vulnerability. Commercial logistics networks are primary targets for sophisticated adversaries in the opening phases of conflict, and they are equally vulnerable to the shocks accompanying large-scale public health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic made this vulnerability undeniable: medical supply chains that appeared adequate under normal operating conditions collapsed under the strain of a global health emergency that was not even paired with active military conflict. CLW-II exposed a planning gap that the biodefense community has long suspected but rarely examined at the operational level: the near-total absence of integrated planning frameworks that treat military logistics and medical countermeasure distribution as components of a single, unified enterprise. Today, these planning functions exist in siloed domains, governed by disparate local, state, and federal authorities, and supported by separate resource streams — an arrangement that may be administratively convenient but is operationally untenable when both demands materialize simultaneously. The wargame demonstrated this friction across multiple turns, forcing players to manage massive, concurrent civilian and military medical demands. 

From a biodefense perspective, the most consequential design element of CLW-II was what exercise architects called the “health resilience layer” — a scenario injection that transformed the final turn from a conventional contested logistics problem into something considerably more complex and revealing. Set at Day +8 of the scenario timeline, this turn confronted participants with simultaneous adversary attacks on CONUS airport facilities across multiple cities alongside an emerging biological incident, placing acute stress on both homeland defense logistics and the military health system. The demands were not sequential. Teams could not address the military logistics problem first and then pivot to the public health emergency; in this scenario — as in reality — the two crises fed on each other, competing for the same finite resources, legal authorities, and decision-making bandwidth. The biological component exposed several previously unexamined gaps at the civil-military interface. When military logistics infrastructure is already degraded by adversary action, who holds legal and operational authority over medical countermeasure distribution? How does the Defense Logistics Agency coordinate with civilian public health authorities — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state health departments, and regional emergency management — if the airports and distribution nodes that both entities rely upon are simultaneously under kinetic or non-kinetic attack? These are not hypothetical questions engineered for academic discussion. They are live planning gaps with life-or-death consequences that CLW-II made visible and discussable at an unprecedented level of operational specificity. 

Although structured wargaming is not traditionally recognized as a standard biodefense methodology, the community has a profound stake in the findings of CLW-II. Traditional public health preparedness often relies on a deeply flawed foundational assumption: that the military logistics infrastructure and commercial supply chains required for emergency distribution will remain largely intact and available during wartime. CLW-II inverts this assumption entirely. It challenges the institutional tendency to relegate medical equities to the periphery of defense planning by exposing a stark reality: stockpiling countermeasures is a meaningful preparedness investment, but it is only half the battle. A robust inventory becomes functionally irrelevant if the distribution networks required to move these life-saving commodities from storage to communities are compromised by an adversary. As currently designed, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) relies on a secure domestic transit infrastructure that may not exist in a near-peer conflict. Furthermore, the assumption that military assets and capabilities will be available to support civilian public health operations during a simultaneous crisis requires an urgent, systematic re-examination. CLW-II did not resolve these deep systemic vulnerabilities, but it created conditions under which they could no longer be avoided. For the future of wargaming, this type of scenario needs to be tested, and policies need to be developed. 

Beyond its immediate policy implications, CLW-II offers a broader methodological argument for the biodefense research and education community. While our field is anchored by rigorous modeling and careful policy analysis, structured wargaming introduces a fundamentally different layer of insight. By placing decision-makers under escalating pressure and forcing real-time resource allocation choices against an actively adaptive opponent, wargaming surfaces the cognitive friction, institutional seams, authority ambiguities, and communication breakdowns inherent to crisis management — vulnerabilities that static analysis and consensus-driven tabletops fail to capture. The operational friction revealed in CLW-II’s final turn, as teams struggled to reconcile competing authorities amidst collapsing assumptions, yielded knowledge that no traditional policy paper could replicate. As both the founder of Thomas Strategy Consulting and a current Master’s student in Biodefense at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University (GMU), I see a clear need for this approach. There is a compelling case for integrating structured wargaming into both the research agenda and graduate curricula of biodefense programs, particularly on topics that sit at the precarious intersection of health security and national defense logistics. The methodological investment is modest; the analytical return is significant. 

The findings of CLW-II yield three urgent, policy-forward recommendations for the biodefense community, policymakers, and academia. First, the United States requires a joint DoD–HHS–DHS planning framework that explicitly integrates medical countermeasure logistics into contested military logistics doctrine. Treating these as parallel tracks rather than components of a single enterprise —sharing physical infrastructure, transit assets, and decision-making authorities— is a profound strategic liability that current iterations of the National Biodefense Strategy fail to adequately rectify. Second, future exercises must expand the participation of health sector professionals, including medical logistics specialists, public health planners, and biodefense scholars. In my experience from being at the Pentagon, high-level wargaming historically glosses over logistics, and the medical field is sidelined even further. Excluding these experts leaves defense planning products with dangerous blind spots; after all, the contested sustainment crisis is fundamentally a health security problem, and it should be treated as such.  

Lastly, academic institutions like GMU’s Biodefense program, along with peers across the national biodefense academic community, should engage directly with the CLW series and similar defense wargaming venues, not merely as observers but as active contributors and researchers. The intersection of logistics resilience and health security is an emerging field that urgently needs voices trained in both disciplines to bridge the analytical and institutional gap that CLW-II exposed. The exercise demonstrated something that the biodefense community should inscribe in its collective planning consciousness: when the supply chain becomes the battlefield, biodefense is no longer a separate domain — it is the center of gravity. 

Australia Locks Down for Bird Flu 

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor 

As Australia responds to its first detection of H5N1 bird flu on the mainland, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins provided reassurance that the country is well prepared, pointing to investments in national response arrangements: “We take the risks of H5 bird flu seriously which is why our government has invested more than $113 million to strengthen our nation’s preparedness. Australia’s response is designed to manage the risks of H5 bird flu, to protect poultry production, and reduce impacts on wildlife and communities.”  

Minimizing the impact of bird flu on wildlife is a critical goal for the country following devastating outbreaks in Australia’s sub-Antarctic territories. Research from Heard Island, about 2500 miles south-west of Australia, estimates that H5N1 has killed roughly 13,000 of 17,000 southern elephant seal pups since last August. Researchers also confirmed King and gentoo penguins and Antarctic fur seals tested positive. Environment Minister Murray Watt called the deaths “sobering” and warned against complacency as the virus moves to the mainland. 

Meanwhile, commercial poultry producers have acted quickly to increase biosecurity. Inghams Group, one of Australia’s largest poultry companies, locked down all its Western Australian farms and processing sites and banned non-essential access, even though its operations sit almost 700 km from the detection site. The company is also seeking approval to house free-range flocks indoors to further mitigate against any potential risks. 

Screwworm Spreads in Texas as Other States Tighten Restrictions 

The New World screwworm outbreak has grown to 31 confirmed cases nationwide as of July 1 (21 active, 10 inactive). Texas accounts for 30 of them, alongside one now-inactive case in New Mexico, and officials have quarantined parts of 21 Texas counties. The most recent cases include sheep, cattle, and the state’s first infected dog. 

Several states, including New Jersey,  Maine, Missouri, and Minnesota, have responded by tightening import requirements for pets and domestic animals to prevent introduction of the parasite. Restrictions vary including requirements for certificates of veterinary inspection prior to arrival, quarantine periods, and treatment with EPA- or FDA-approved external parasite products. Texas localities are acting pre-emptively too. Blanco County has issued a local disaster declaration despite having no confirmed cases itself, though neighboring Gillespie County confirmed an infected goat in early June. A county judge noted the measure gives officials more flexibility and will allow them to move more quickly if a case is identified. For instance, the county could utilize its own property for animal disposal to support local producers. 

The USDA marked the opening of the new sterile fly production plant in southern Mexico on June 27, with the goal of producing an additional 30 million sterile flies within 8 weeks and 100 million by this fall to help slow the spread.    

Further Reading:  

• “Project Launched on Use of Nuclear Technique to Target New World Screwworm Outbreak in Central America, Mexico and the United States,” The International Atomic Energy Agency 
• “A U.S.-Mexico Partnership Beat Screwworms Once. Why Are They Back?” Mark Dent, Texas Monthly 
• “Animal quarantines on standby as Nepal battles rising cases of bird flu,” Gopal Sharma, Reuters 
• “H9N2, H5N1, and H5N2 Are All Being Monitored for Human Risk — Here Is the Honest State of Avian Flu in 2026,” Joseph James, Medical Daily 
• “Wisconsin egg production cut in half as farms struggle with avian flu, higher expenses,” Hope Kirwan, Wisconsin Public Radio 

New Chemical Weapon Nonproliferation Tool Unveiled 

Dr. Stefano Costanzi at American University has released CMF-CW (Chemical Match Finder for Chemical Weapons Control Lists) to enhance efforts to prevent the proliferation of chemical weapons. The complexity and variability of chemical nomenclature, as well as the vastness of chemical space, can make it challenging and time-consuming to determine whether a given substance is covered by these lists. CMF-CW is a free, publicly available web application that helps users determine whether a chemical name or another text-based input – such as a text string representing a chemical structure or a chemical database identifier – corresponds to a substance covered by chemical-weapons-related control lists.  CMF-CW uses these inputs to check against the Chemical Weapons Convention Schedules, the Australia Group Chemical Weapons Precursors list, and the Wassenaar Arrangement Munitions List 7. It then reports whether the corresponding substance matches any of the entries in these control lists.  In addition to the application itself, the website includes help pages and video presentations explaining what the CMF-CW does, how to use it, and how it works. Free webinars for those interested in learning more about CMF-CW will be held on June 30, July 1, and July 2. If you would like to participate, please fill out this form and indicate the date of your choice.  A webinar link will be sent to you once your registration has been confirmed. Spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Review Challenges Use of “Gain-of-Function” as a Biosecurity Category 

A new review in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology argues that the term “gain-of-function” is an unreliable proxy for identifying research of biosecurity concern. After reviewing over 20,000 publications referencing gain-of-function research, the authors found that the vast majority involved non-microbial studies, such as human genetics and cancer biology, while only 15 papers met the federal criteria for dangerous gain-of-function (DGoF) research. Conversely, most research that would qualify as DGoF never used the term “gain of function” at all. The authors conclude that oversight should focus on the biological functions of sequences of concern—rather than terminology—to better identify genuinely high-risk research and improve the consistency of biosecurity governance. 

IN OTHER NEWS 

AI, Biotechnology, and Biosecurity  

• “Researchers caught in the crossfire as companies and government grapple over AI safety,” Celina Zhao, Science 
• “Towards a Common Standard for Evaluating Frontier AI Safeguards against Biological Misuse,” Bhuvana Sudarshan and Luca Righetti, GovAI 
• “Can LLM Agents Select and Engage with Biological Tools?” Jeffrey Lee, Alyssa Worland, Kyle Brady, Grant Ellison, Henry Alexander Bradley, Christopher Rodriguez, Casey O. Barkan, Sunishchal Dev, Dawid Maciorowski, Jordan Despanie, et al., RAND 
• “BioSecBench-Refusal,”  Edwin H. Wintermute, Harmon Bhasin, Christina M. Agapakis, Dianzhuo Wang, Evan Seeyave, Arjun Banerjee, Daniel Fulop, Matthew C. Watson, Adam J. Meyer, Sandrine Boissel, Jens H. Kuhn, Rishi Jain, Noah D. Taylor, Helena Shomar, Patrick M. Boyle, and Kenny Workman, LatchBio 
• “Joint Service Program Delivers Genetic Intelligence for the Modern Battlefield,” Nicholas E. M. Pasquini, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory 
• “Congress and Trump’s policies on research risks wouldn’t have prevented recent lab incidents. Here’s what to do,” Sumnima Singh and Anemone Franz, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 
• “New world-leading lab to be built at secretive UK research site,” Ministry of Defense and Dan Jarvis MBE MP, GovUK 
• “A Chemically Defined Synthetic Cell Capable of Growth and Replication,”  Nathaniel J. Gaut, Christopher Deich, Brock Cash, Tanner Hoog, Aaron E. Engelhart, Katarzyna P. Adamala, Biotic 
• “This Cell Feeds, Grows and Reproduces. And It’s Manmade.” Carl Zimmer and Marco Hernandez, NY Times 
• “Synthetic biology researchers think they’ve made a cell. Is it alive?” Matthew Herper, StatNews 
• “In 1950, Australia used a virus as a biological weapon against millions of rabbits; scientists just decoded how they fought back, using DNA from a rabbit that once belonged to Charles Darwin,” Team Global, Global Desk, The Economic Times 

Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo 

• “Ebola cases in Congo reach highest first-month total of any outbreak, WHO says,” Emma Farge and Ayen Deng Bior, Reuters 
• “Africa CDC chief says the continent needs to invest its own funds in Ebola response, vaccine,” Samuel Getachew and Evelyne Musambi, WP 
• “Construction of US-backed Ebola quarantine unit in Kenya is stopped,” Stephanie Soucheray, CIDRAP 
• “How Bad Could the Ebola Outbreak Get? Here Are 5 Key Factors.” Stephanie Nolen, Samuel Granados, Amy Schoenfeld Walker, Carl Zimmer and Apoorva Mandavilli, NY Times 
• “The Ebola Outbreak’s Central Mystery: Where Did This Virus Come From?” Carl Zimmer, NY Times 
• “As Ebola deaths top 300, African officials meet to boost regional readiness,” Chris Dall, CIDRAP 
• “Chaotic Push to Train Staff for US Ebola Outbreak Facility Alarms Health Workers,” Jessica Nix, Bloomberg 
• “Congo’s Ebola outbreak has most cases in first month of any African outbreak, WHO says,” Reuters 
• “US CDC raises Ebola outbreak response to highest level,” Ahmed Aboulenein, Reuters 
• “Witchcraft and WhatsApp: The fight to contain Ebola misinformation,” Ben Farmer, The Telegraph 
• “Marburg outbreak is reported in Uganda, threatening to complicate Ebola response in region,” Helen Branswell, StatNews 

Vaccines, Immunization, and Public Health 

• “Covid vaccine study the acting CDC director blocked is published in an outside journal,” Aria Bendix, NBC News 
• “FDA panel backs first-of-its-kind flu vaccine using mRNA technology,” Lauran Neergaard and Matthew Perrone, WP 
• “Scores Fall Ill at Air Force Base After Hegseth Makes Flu Vaccine Optional,” Greg Jaffee and Maggie Haberman, NY Times 
• “Military services again requiring recruits to get flu shots as Air Force outbreak grows,” Jade Cobern, Luis Martinez, Mary Kekatos, and Steven Beynon, ABC News 
• “Military Leaders Sought Vaccination Program Weeks Before Flu Outbreak Hit Base,”  Greg Jaffe, NY Times 
• “US tops 2,100 measles cases so far this year, putting it on track to surpass 2025 total,” Chris Dall, CIDRAP 
• “U.S. Poised to Lose Measles Elimination Status as Utah Outbreak Nears One-Year Mark,” Jennifer Calfas, Wall Street Journal 
• “New CDC Leaders Vow to Boost Skeleton Staff Left After DOGE Cuts,” Jessica Nix, Bloomberg  
• “New ACIP charter could allow RFK Jr. to further restrict vaccine access, critics say,” Liz Szabo, CIDRAP 
• “Proposed CDC science office could tighten political control at agency,” Chelsea Cirruzzo, StatNews 
• “New Disease Threats Follow Trump Administration’s Health Program Cuts,” Stephanie Armour, KFF Health News 
• “I Was an NIH Program Official. Here’s What a Peer Reviewer Doesn’t See.” Elizabeth M. Ginexi, Medpage Today 

Chemical Weapons 

• “U.S. Military Races to Create Protective Troop “Shield” Against Chemical Weapons,” Melissa Myers, Digital Visual Information Distribution System 
• “Russia approved secret China military training at top level, sources say,” Reuters 
• “MKUltra: Declassification Task Force Should Focus on Real Secrets, Not Conspiracy Theories,” National Security Archive  

Supporting Responsible Innovation of Synthetic Cells: Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Environmental Considerations 2026  

In a new consensus study report, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) examines the opportunities and governance challenges posed by advances in synthetic cell research. The report finds that while many biosafety, biosecurity, and environmental risks associated with synthetic cells are comparable to those of existing chemical and microbial systems, their novel architectures, engineered capabilities, and expanding applications may introduce new uncertainties for risk-benefit evaluation and oversight. To support responsible innovation, the report outlines a coordinated national biotechnology governance strategy that includes strengthening the scientific evidence base for risk assessment, modernizing biosafety and biosecurity oversight, and promoting transparency, public engagement, and international collaboration.  

NEW: Jessica T. Mathews New Voices Conference  

From Carnegie Endowment: “Rising great power tensions, the end of arms control, renewed proliferation risks, and the expansion of nuclear energy all underscore the urgency of this moment. Developing the new ideas, skills, and perspectives needed to manage nuclear dangers into the future requires engaging talented individuals from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. 

The Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is pleased to be hosting its third Jessica T. Mathews New Voices conference on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The conference will be held in person at Carnegie’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., with the keynote available for registered participants online.  

This one-day event for interns, students, and young professionals will provide substantive policy discussions with guest speakers, opportunities for networking and mentorship, and an interactive nuclear session.” 

This event will take place on Wednesday, July 8, from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (EDT). Learn more and register here.  

NEW: Data and Situational Awareness for Medical and Public Health Preparedness and Response: A Workshop Series 

From the National Academies: “The Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies workshop series will explore how medical, public health, emergency management, and critical infrastructure data are collected, integrated, analyzed, and translated into real-time information to support timely, coordinated decision-making before, during, and after disasters and emergencies.” 

Sessions of the workshop series will take place on July 16, July 21, and July 28, followed by a capstone session on September 23. Learn more and register here. 

NEW: Tracking Health Security Progress and Building Resilience in Africa – A Webinar 

From the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI): “The world is shifting from a period of urgent health actions to one of vast growing neglect, even as biological threats continue to rise. Against this backdrop, the 2026 Africa Health Security Index shows great progress has been made across the continent – but substantial gaps remain. 

Join NTI, the Brown University Pandemic Center, Economist Enterprise, and the Science for Africa Foundation for a discussion of the findings and recommendations of the 2026 Africa Health Security (AHS) Index, an independent assessment of health security capacities in Africa. 

This webinar will convene global experts and policymakers to discuss how the AHS Index can shape policy decision-making and drive meaningful action to strengthen health security capacities and improve preparedness for future epidemics and pandemics.” 

This webinar will take place on July 29 from 3:30 – 5:00 PM EAT (8:30 AM – 10:00 AM ET). Learn more and register here. 

Preparing for a Future of AI-Enabled Biology 

From the National Academy of Medicine (NAM): “Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the life sciences, including how researchers study biology, develop vaccines and treatments, and detect disease outbreaks. While these advances could improve public health and preparedness, they also raise important questions about safety, security, and the possibility of misuse. 

To better understand these issues, the National Academy of Medicine, in collaboration with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), will convene a two-day workshop on preparing for the future of AI-enabled biology. 

The workshop will bring together experts from public health, medicine, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, biosecurity, government, and industry to explore how AI-enabled biological risks may evolve over the next decade.” 

This hybrid event will take place on August 11-12, 2026. Learn more and register here.

Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention  

From the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): “We will convene the Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Chaired by Ambassador Frederico S. Duque Estrada Meyer of Brazil, the meeting will bring together State Parties, international organizations, academic institutions, and civil society representatives to continue discussions on strengthening the Convention and advancing efforts to address biological threats. Public sessions will be webcast through UN Web TV, and side events are expected throughout the week.  

This event will take place from August 17-21 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Learn more and register by July 31 here.  

Biosecurity Simulation Exercise (BSX 2026): Laboratory Incidents & Deliberate Biothreats 

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “This table-top simulation exercise aims to enhance inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary preparedness for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity (LBB) and deliberate biothreat events (DBE). Through lectures, discussions, and structured, scenario-driven exercises, participants will explore decision-making to detect, risk-assess, and manage high-consequence biological incidents under conditions of incomplete information and unfolding events. Participants will collaborate in teams, building on expert perspectives to address issues in surveillance, diagnostics, public health response, security assessment, and risk communication.” 

This in-person event will be held from August 27-28. Learn more and register here. 

Training Course on ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity’ 

From the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: “This training focuses on strengthening capacities in biosecurity, biosafety, and biological risk management in the context of rapid advances in biotechnology with an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to manage biothreats at the intersection of humans, animals, plants and the environment. It addresses the governance, technical, and operational dimensions of preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats, while promoting responsible and peaceful scientific research and innovation in accordance with article X of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).” 

This in-person event will be held from October 12 – 16 in New Delhi, India. Learn more and apply here. 

Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue highlights key takeaways from the 4^th Global Health Security Conference 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, alongside outbreak updates on Australia’s first detections of H5N1 avian influenza and rising New World screwworm cases in Texas. It also features new research on scientific advocacy and dissent in China and Russia, as well as upcoming biosecurity, AI-enabled biology, and dual-use research training and policy events.  

Highlights from the 4^th Global Health Security Conference 2026 

By Dara Russell, MPH, Biodefense Ph.D. Student 

This year, I had the privilege of attending the 4^th Global Health Security Conference from 9-12 June 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hosted by the Global Health Security Network (GHSN), the conference brought together approximately 1,300 global leaders, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from 88 countries to exchange knowledge and ideas, strengthen global partnerships, and shape the future of health security.  

Opening the conference, Dr. Saskia Popescu, CEO of GHSN and a GMU Biodefense Ph.D. ’19 alumna emphasized that the current Ebola outbreak is a reminder that global health security is being tested like never before. Infectious diseases do not respect national borders, she noted, but instead act as bridges in an increasingly interconnected world, making health security a shared global responsibility and underscoring the need to move beyond discussion to collective action in building a stronger global architecture for health security that unites partners across regions, disciplines, and pathogen domains.  

Among dozens of sessions, three stood out as particularly insightful.  

Countering Deliberate Biothreats 

This plenary session examined how governance systems can keep pace with an increasingly complex and evolving biological threat landscape. Panelists discussed that the absence of detected biological attacks does not necessarily mean they have not occurred, but rather that an attack has not been detected, particularly when considering novel outbreaks of unknown origin.  

Speakers emphasized that a biological event that goes undetected for weeks or months can result in high morbidity and mortality, citing lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak and the consequences of delayed detection. As technology continues to evolve and lower barriers to designing pathogens, participants stressed the need to get ahead of emerging risks rather than continually reacting to them. A consistent theme throughout the discussion was that investments in detection today will directly impact future biodeterrence and the wider biodefense threat landscape. Panelists stressed the importance of keeping pace with the growing number of high-risk research projects and the increasing number of high-containment laboratories, with one panelist urging the integration of biosecurity into the grant, not just as a side component. Specifically, recommending that biosafety and biosecurity be built into technology development and highlighting efforts such as CEPI’s integrated biosecurity oversight as a model for responsible vaccine research. Additional recommendations included strengthening biosafety programs in low-income countries, creating opportunities for rising biosecurity leaders, and increasing biosecurity investments between the health, defense, and agriculture sectors. 

Bluetooth-Powered Tabletop Exercise with Operation Outbreak 

In lieu of a traditional panel session, the team at Operation Outbreak conducted an interactive, Bluetooth-enabled tabletop exercise simulating the spread of a fictional pathogen across participating phones. The exercise allowed users to simulate a high-risk infectious disease outbreak in a cohesive, hands-on learning environment, allowing users to engage in critical thinking and preparedness strategies to detect, mitigate, and respond during a simulated disease outbreak. The tabletop exercise was facilitated by the group’s CEO, Kian Sani, COO, Curtis Hoffmann, and the group’s Biosecurity Education Lead, Dr. Susan Cropp. During the exercise, participants used simulated data generated by the app to evaluate ongoing disease dynamics, simulating how individuals, including those focused on the technical aspect, would coordinate with policymakers during a developing biosecurity incident with an unknown pathogen. Groups had to work together to decide what resources to invest in, including diagnostics, medical countermeasures, and personal protective equipment (PPE) such as vaccines, tests, and masks, as well as when, how, and to whom to distribute them to as the outbreak progressed. The exercise challenged decision-making under conditions in which case rates were increasing, but disease information was limited and continually evolving. 

Mirror Life: A One Health Imperative for Global Health Security  

Of all the sessions throughout the 4-day conference, this one was a completely new topic I was not yet aware of, and I found it to be one of the most interesting sessions. Dr. Tom Inglesby began with a high-level overview of mirror life and a clear explanation of chirality, outlining how biological molecules in our world naturally spin in one direction, and how mirror versions of these molecules are now being explored through synthetic biology. Noting that mirror bacteria pose a unique biosecurity challenge because the human immune system may fail to recognize mirror proteins, as they do not interact with antibodies and immune cells in the same way. Additionally, pathogen diagnostics may fail to detect mirror organisms, while some antibiotics may be ineffective because their mechanisms of action target biological structures based on chirality. Panelists noted that mirror molecules can exist without mirror organisms, and that while no one is actively working to create mirror life organisms, researchers are actively working on functional components such as mirror ribosomes and other components. Panelists then discussed the importance of anticipatory governance, arguing that policy discussions should occur before capabilities mature rather than rely solely on surveillance and response measures. Given the uncertainty surrounding future advances in synthetic biology, speakers stressed the need for anticipatory governance and international norms to guide future research and prevent scientific advances from outpacing policy development.  

Attending the 4^th Global Health Security Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, not only served as an incredible learning opportunity but also provided invaluable cultural and networking opportunities with key leaders in the global health security and biosecurity. This conference continues to serve as the gold standard for advancing health security through exchange on emerging infectious disease threats, strengthening surveillance and early warning capabilities, and deepening international collaboration across research, policy, and operational communities.  

While the Global Health Security Network has not yet announced the location of the 5^th conference, the next biannual meeting is expected to convene in 2028. I strongly encourage anyone working or studying in global health and biosecurity to plan to attend!  

Australia Confirms First Cases of Bird Flu 

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor 

Australia, long the only continent without a confirmed mainland case of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza that has plagued wild bird and mammal populations since 2021, has confirmed its first case of bird flu. Last week, authorities confirmed that a brown skua tested positive in Western Australia’s Cape Le Grand National Park. Within days a second case was reported, followed closely by detection in a migratory bird in a second state, South Australia. Western Australia said it expects to confirm a third case of the virus after additional samples were sent for testing following dozens of reports of sick or dead birds. 

The virulent H5 strain has spread through global wild bird and mammal populations since 2021, killing millions of animals and infecting poultry farms, dairy operations, and some farmworkers. In response to the recent confirmed cases, authorities have ramped up ground surveillance and drone surveys at sea lion breeding sites, augmenting previous preparation which included tightened farm biosecurity, shore bird testing, vaccination of vulnerable species, and response simulations. The confirmed cases briefly prompted Papua New Guinea, Australia’s largest poultry export market, to suspend imports, though restrictions were later lifted with some caveats. Wildlife experts warn the virus could devastate native species, including endangered shorebirds, coastal raptors, and the precarious Australian sea lion population. 

Screwworm Cases Climb in Texas 

Meanwhile, the United States has confirmed four new cases of New World screwworm in Texas (a lamb, two calves, and a goat), bringing the total to 16. The USDA’s primary weapon is the release of millions of sterile male flies, which curb reproduction since female screwworms mate only once. However, North America has just one production facility operating at maximum capacity, falling far short of the roughly 500 million flies weekly that experts say eradication requires. The incursion has triggered partisan finger-pointing over staffing cuts and border policy, as well as disagreement over whether to pair sterilization with other tools like genetically engineered flies or insecticide baits. The US government currently produces about 100 million sterile flies per week from the active facility in Panama. A second facility in Metapa, Mexico, is expected to come online at the end of the week and will eventually add 100 million more, though building to that capacity will take time. USDA officials testified they expect to produce only about 9 million flies per week there by the end of July. A domestic facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, projected to open in late 2027, should contribute another 100 million when it launches, with an eventual capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week. Even with additional flies to slow the spread, there likely still won’t be enough to eradicate the parasitic fly from the US. 

Further Reading:  

• “Tasmanian devils, swift parrots, black swans: the animals at risk if bird flu takes off in Australia,” Graham Readfearn and Lisa Cox, The Guardian 
• “The New World screwworm has returned to the U.S. Now what?” Fechi Inyama, ScienceNews 
• “Screwworm could be the first species targeted by an ‘extinction drive’,” Michael Le Page, New Scientist 

GMU Biodefense Professor Coauthors Paper on Scientific Advocacy and Dissent in China and Russia  

Dr. Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley, an Associate Professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, coauthored a new paper in Health Security that discusses the different ways scientific communities in China and Russia express dissent and advocate for the responsible conduct of research. By analyzing local scientific communities’ responses to controversial human germline genome editing experiments conducted by He Jiankiu in China and proposed by Dennis Rebrikov in Russia, the article shows how local scientific communities have engaged with the public and government authorities to shape public discourse in debates and deliberations around controversies involving science and technology, and what they can achieve, even in the confined space permitted by authoritarian regimes.   

BioSafe Advocacy Network High-Level Virtual Workshop 2026: Dual-Use Research of Concern (DURC) and the Responsible Use of Life Sciences 

From the BioSafe Advocacy Network: “Looking to strengthen your understanding of the responsible use of life sciences? Join us for an engaging workshop featuring practical case studies, interactive sessions, and expert-led discussions on responsible conduct in the life sciences. 
Participants will gain valuable insights into: 
• Responsible research and innovation practices 
• Risk-informed approaches to biosafety and biosecurity 
• Real-world case studies and scenario-based learning 
• Frameworks aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance. 

As a mandatory prerequisite, all applicants must complete the WHO Academy course, “Dual-Use Research and the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences.”  

This virtual workshop will take place from July 22-23, 2026. The application deadline is June 30. Learn more and apply here. 

Preparing for a Future of AI-Enabled Biology 

From the National Academy of Medicine (NAM): “Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the life sciences, including how researchers study biology, develop vaccines and treatments, and detect disease outbreaks. While these advances could improve public health and preparedness, they also raise important questions about safety, security, and the possibility of misuse. 

To better understand these issues, the National Academy of Medicine, in collaboration with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), will convene a two-day workshop on preparing for the future of AI-enabled biology. 

The workshop will bring together experts from public health, medicine, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, biosecurity, government, and industry to explore how AI-enabled biological risks may evolve over the next decade.” 

This hybrid event will take place on August 11-12, 2026. Learn more and register here.

Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention  

From the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): “We will convene the Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Chaired by Ambassador Frederico S. Duque Estrada Meyer of Brazil, the meeting will bring together State Parties, international organizations, academic institutions, and civil society representatives to continue discussions on strengthening the Convention and advancing efforts to address biological threats. Public sessions will be webcast through UN Web TV, and side events are expected throughout the week.  

This event will take place from August 17-21 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Learn more and register by July 31 here.  

Biosecurity Simulation Exercise (BSX 2026): Laboratory Incidents & Deliberate Biothreats 

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “This table-top simulation exercise aims to enhance inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary preparedness for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity (LBB) and deliberate biothreat events (DBE). Through lectures, discussions, and structured, scenario-driven exercises, participants will explore decision-making to detect, risk-assess, and manage high-consequence biological incidents under conditions of incomplete information and unfolding events. Participants will collaborate in teams, building on expert perspectives to address issues in surveillance, diagnostics, public health response, security assessment, and risk communication.” 

This in-person event will be held from August 27-28. Learn more and register here. 

Training Course on ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity’ 

From the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: “This training focuses on strengthening capacities in biosecurity, biosafety, and biological risk management in the context of rapid advances in biotechnology with an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to manage biothreats at the intersection of humans, animals, plants and the environment. It addresses the governance, technical, and operational dimensions of preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats, while promoting responsible and peaceful scientific research and innovation in accordance with article X of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).” 

This in-person event will be held from October 12 – 16 in New Delhi, India. Learn more and apply here. 

Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue highlights Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s promotion of Russian biolab disinformation, new revelations about Syria’s hidden chemical weapons stockpiles and accountability for state-sponsored poisoning, the growing Ebola outbreak in the DRC, the spread of New World screwworm and ongoing H5N1 mysteries, and emerging debates over AI-enabled biology, dual-use research, and biosecurity governance.  

DNI Tulsi Gabbard Echoes Russian Disinformation About US-Funded Labs 

On June 12, 2026, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) issued a press release claiming to have uncovered evidence of a secret network of 120 U.S.-funded laboratories around the world, including 40 in Ukraine, that were conducting research on dangerous pathogens and engaging in so-called “dangerous gain-of-function” research. According to ODNI, “The information surrounding the existence, history, locations, and funding of these U.S.-funded biolabs has been intentionally covered up by powerful people falsely claiming that they do not exist and accusing anyone who says otherwise to be foreign assets and traitors to America.” The declassified evidence, which Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard claimed took months to uncover, consisted of four slides, including a draft memo with unresolved (but redacted) comments in the margins, a grossly inaccurate map, and two slides with charts and figures based on U.S. government budget data and work product from an American company. Despite the ODNI logo on the slides, which makes them look official, none of the material presented is from a finished intelligence product, and none of the information substantiates any of Gabbard’s allegations. Indeed, as Laura Loomer pointed out on X, the last two slides are taken directly from a Russian disinformation briefing. Former Department of Defense biodefense official Al Mauroni called the ODNI release a “nothing burger.” The Ukrainian ministries of foreign affairs and health issued denials and insisted that Ukraine is in compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention and takes biosafety and biosecurity seriously, as Professor Gregory Koblentz, Director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, and Biodefense PhD student Ryan Houser documented in a 2023 article. 

Russian state media and the rest of the Russian disinformation ecosystem, however, were very excited and have devoted considerable effort to magnifying Gabbard’s allegations, which echo those issued by the Kremlin as one of the key justifications for Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine. Indeed, Gabbard embraced this Russian narrative about the allegedly nefarious and dangerous activities of U.S.-supported public health labs in Ukraine, including those built during Trump’s first term, in March 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion. Gabbard’s recycling of Kremlin-generated propaganda is not new and was a major component of her views on the Syrian civil war, including her position that President Bashar al-Assad did not use chemical weapons during that conflict. Specifically, Gabbard has denied that the Syrian air force dropped a sarin-filled bomb on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017, killing 100 people. Neither Gabbard nor ODNI commented on the announcement in late May by the Syrian government that they had uncovered a cache of chemical weapons hidden by the Assad regime from international inspectors, including precursors for sarin, the sarin stabilizer hexamine, more than 50 bombs of the same type that had been used in the Khan Sheikhoun attack, and more than 20 rockets of the same type used in the 2013 sarin attack on Ghouta which killed more than 1,000 people. Despite Gabbard’s self-professed concern about biological threats to U.S. national security, she dismantled the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center and has remained silent about Russia’s modernization of its chemical and biological weapons programs, including the construction of a new BSL-4 lab at a Russian military virology facility that has a history of working with Ebola, Marburg, and smallpox.  For more on Professor Kobentz’s views on Gabbard’s biolab snipe hunt and the long-lasting negative consequences of her tenure as DNI, you can watch his interview with Sasha Ingber, host of HUMINT and the International Spy Museum’s SpyCast podcast. 

EU Sanctions Russians for the Poisoning Death of Alexei Navalny 

On June 15, 2026, the European Union imposed a new round of sanctions on individuals and entities supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, hybrid warfare, and its violations of human rights. Among those sanctioned were one entity and 15 individuals, including Russian Supreme Court Justice Oleg Nefedov, Prosecutor General Alexander Gutsan, law enforcement officials, FSB officers, and medical personnel for their role in the persecution, poisoning, and death of Alexei Navalny.  These individuals were primarily involved in the August 2020 poisoning of Navalny with the nerve agent Novichok. Navalny died on February 16, 2024, while serving a 19-year prison term in an Arctic penal colony. On February 14, 2025, the UK, Sweden, France, Germany, and the Netherlands issued a joint statement that Navalny’s death was caused by poisoning with epibatidine, a toxin derived from poison dart frogs found in South America, and that the Kremlin was responsible for Navalny’s murder. The use of epibatidine to poison Navalny was discussed by Professor Gregory Koblentz, Director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, when he testified before the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense at the Atlantic Council about the threat posed by state-run toxin weapon programs. Last month, the commission published a report, Promote the Antidote: Reducing the Risk from Toxins, on how to strengthen national and international preparedness for toxin threats. 

Screwworms Spread, Bird Flu Continues to Baffle  

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor 

Two animal-health threats, New World screwworm (NWS) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), are renewing attention on the systems that protect the nation’s food supply, and on how much scientists still don’t know. 

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has now confirmed 12 cases of NWS in the United States. Eleven of the cases are in Texas, where the first was confirmed in a 3-week-old calf on June 3, and one is in New Mexico. The most recent new case was detected on June 11 in a sheep in Sullivan County, Texas. The CDC activated a Level 3 emergency response last week, the lowest of its three levels, to support the USDA and Texas health officials. 

Meanwhile, the HPAI outbreak in dairy cattle continues to puzzle researchers. A new Ohio State University study published in Nature Communications found that just 10 viral particles of H5N1 can infect a cow and establish robust infection and shedding of high-titer virus in milk. Despite evidence of the low infectious dose, a clear answer on how H5N1 spreads on dairy farms remains elusive, as the study’s transmission experiments were largely inconclusive. Contaminated milking equipment, calf feeding and shared air with poultry all failed to clearly spread the disease under controlled conditions. Senior author Andrew Bowman, a professor of veterinary preventive medicine, still suspects milking equipment is the likeliest route between cows, but he notes the question of how the virus jumps from wild birds into cattle is also still unclear. “In waterfowl, it’s a pathogen replicating in their gut. How in the world does it go from a duck’s intestine into a cow’s mammary gland? That’s a head scratcher.” Despite ongoing research, it seems the mystery of HPAI transmission, and the risk of future spillovers, endures. 

Further Reading:  

• “New World screwworm, HPAI underscore importance of food animal health, animal disease surveillance efforts,” Mary Hightower, University of Arkansas 
• “Avian flu detected in Idaho dairy cows as study explores role of virus RNA detection in bovine semen,” Stephanie Soucheray, CIDRAP 
• “Texas’ Fight Against the Screwworm Will Be Nasty and Brutish,” Christopher Collins, The Texas Observer 
• “How the screwworm broke through US defences and returned to Texas cattle,” Susannah Savage, Financial Times 

IN OTHER NEWS 

U.S. Public Health Capacity, Funding, and Workforce Cuts  

• “New Plan Scales Back C.D.C.’s Work on Diseases Abroad,” Apoorva Mandavilli, NY Times 
• “Global HIV prevention declined drastically after Trump aid cuts, U.N. finds,” Rael Ombuor, Washington Post 
• “95% of CDC workers say Americans will die because of federal cuts to the agency,” Mary Van Beusekom, CIDRAP 
• “How RFK Jr. Managed to Block Millions in Global Vaccine Funds,” Rachel Oswald, FP 
• “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance,” The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Federal Register 

Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 

• “Scientists Race to Test Treatments as Ebola Outbreak Widens,” Carl Zimmer and Stephanie Nolen, NY Times 
• “DRC reports record number of Ebola cases in a single day as outbreak hits 1-month mark,” Dada Jovanovic, Zoe Magee, and Mary Kekatos, ABC News 
• “True scale of Congo Ebola outbreak still unknown one month in, responders say,” Clement Bonnerot and Emma Farge, Reuters 
• “CDC chief: ‘No evidence’ USAID cuts hampered Ebola response,” Max Rego, The Hill 

Biotechnology, AI and Biological Data Governance 

• “Young, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Make Biological Data a Strategic National Resource,” Todd Young, US Senator for Indiana 
• “The Matryoshka War: The Global Architecture of Biological Disinformation,” Countering WMD Disinformation 
• “The next AI safety fight may actually be about DNA,” Shayna Korol, Vox
• “Biological Intelligence in the AI Era,” German Marshall Fund 
• “Governance of dual-use research: a publishers’ and editors’ perspective: meeting report, 30 September 2025,” Institutional Repository for Information Sharing, WHO 

Animal Health, Agricultural Biosecurity and Emerging Biological Threats 

• “Screwworm spread tests US readiness after Trump staffing cuts,” Mathaniel Weixel, The Hill 
• “USDA Steps Up Screwworm Monitoring as Cases Expand in Texas,” Ilena Peng and Elizabeth Elkin, Bloomberg 
• “How to protect outdoor pets from New World screwworm,” Liz Szabo, CIDRAP 

Chemical Weapons Accountability & Nonproliferation 

• “Appeal hearing in case against Melchemie et al. regarding mustard gas attacks in Iraq,” Prakken d’Oliveira 
• “Dismantling Syria’s chemical-weapons stocks and legacy,” IISS 
• “What the discovery of Assad-era chemical weapons means for Syria,” Anan Tello, Arab News 

Podcasts

“Biosecurity in the Era of Science Fiction: AIxBio and Project Paraphrase with Bruce Wittmann,” Sci on the Fly 

NEW: Preparing for a Future of AI-Enabled Biology 

From the National Academy of Medicine (NAM): “Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the life sciences, including how researchers study biology, develop vaccines and treatments, and detect disease outbreaks. While these advances could improve public health and preparedness, they also raise important questions about safety, security, and the possibility of misuse. 

To better understand these issues, the National Academy of Medicine, in collaboration with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), will convene a two-day workshop on preparing for the future of AI-enabled biology. 

The workshop will bring together experts from public health, medicine, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, biosecurity, government, and industry to explore how AI-enabled biological risks may evolve over the next decade.” 

This hybrid event will take place on August 11-12, 2026. Learn more and register here.  

BioSafe Advocacy Network High-Level Virtual Workshop 2026: Dual-Use Research of Concern (DURC) and the Responsible Use of Life Sciences 

From the BioSafe Advocacy Network: “Looking to strengthen your understanding of the responsible use of life sciences? Join us for an engaging workshop featuring practical case studies, interactive sessions, and expert-led discussions on responsible conduct in the life sciences. 
Participants will gain valuable insights into: 
• Responsible research and innovation practices 
• Risk-informed approaches to biosafety and biosecurity 
• Real-world case studies and scenario-based learning 
• Frameworks aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance. 

As a mandatory prerequisite, all applicants must complete the WHO Academy course, “Dual-Use Research and the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences.”  

This virtual workshop will take place from July 22-23, 2026. The application deadline is June 30. Learn more and apply here. 

Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention  

From the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): “We will convene the Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Chaired by Ambassador Frederico S. Duque Estrada Meyer of Brazil, the meeting will bring together State Parties, international organizations, academic institutions, and civil society representatives to continue discussions on strengthening the Convention and advancing efforts to address biological threats. Public sessions will be webcast through UN Web TV, and side events are expected throughout the week.  

This event will take place from August 17-21 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Learn more and register by July 31 here.  

Biosecurity Simulation Exercise (BSX 2026): Laboratory Incidents & Deliberate Biothreats 

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “This table-top simulation exercise aims to enhance inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary preparedness for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity (LBB) and deliberate biothreat events (DBE). Through lectures, discussions, and structured, scenario-driven exercises, participants will explore decision-making to detect, risk-assess, and manage high-consequence biological incidents under conditions of incomplete information and unfolding events. Participants will collaborate in teams, building on expert perspectives to address issues in surveillance, diagnostics, public health response, security assessment, and risk communication.” 

This in-person event will be held from August 27-28. Learn more and register here. 

Training Course on ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity’ 

From the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: “This training focuses on strengthening capacities in biosecurity, biosafety, and biological risk management in the context of rapid advances in biotechnology with an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to manage biothreats at the intersection of humans, animals, plants and the environment. It addresses the governance, technical, and operational dimensions of preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats, while promoting responsible and peaceful scientific research and innovation in accordance with article X of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).” 

This in-person event will be held from October 12 – 16 in New Delhi, India. Learn more and apply here. 

Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue highlights renewed calls for stronger global pandemic preparedness commitments ahead of September’s UN High-Level Meeting, the reemergence of New World Screwworm in the United States and its implications for animal health and food security, and new research examining governance challenges surrounding high-risk biological research.  

Global Leaders and Health Experts Call for Stronger Pandemic Preparedness Commitments Ahead of UN High-Level Meeting 

More than 100 global leaders, scientists, clinicians, and public health advocates have signed an open letter urging all heads of state and governments to take more decisive action on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response ahead of the September 2026 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting. The letter argues that lessons from COVID-19 remain largely unheeded despite subsequent public health emergencies, including multiple mpox outbreaks, a multinational Andes hantavirus event, and the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. The signatories call on political leaders to move beyond a cycle of “panic and neglect” by adopting measurable commitments, sustained investments, and stronger international cooperation to address future pandemic threats. Read more here. 

Bugs, Beef, and Blame: New World Screwworm is Back 

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor 

American cattle can’t catch a break. For the first time this year, highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in Texas dairy cows; meanwhile14 dairies in Idaho have also confirmed cases in the last 30 days. However, bird flu will have to take a back seat as the biggest story this week is the confirmed re-introduction of New World Screwworm (NWS) into the United States.  

Six confirmed NWS cases have been reported in the last week: four calves and a goat in Texas and a dog in New Mexico. Unlike many types of maggots that feed on dead tissue, larvae of Cochliomyia hominivorax, a parasitic fly, burrow into and consume the living flesh of warm-blooded animals, causing severe wounds that can be fatal if untreated. NWS was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s but has been creeping north through Central America and Mexico, where over 27,000 animal cases have been confirmed since November 2024. 

Beef at a Breaking Point 

Many fear the impact NWS may have on the US cattle industry, as herd numbers are already at their lowest point in 75 years and beef prices have risen roughly 75% since 2020. A broad NWS outbreak could cause calf deaths, weight loss in adult cattle, and widespread movement restrictions, pushing prices even higher. Such restrictions are already underway both internationally and domestically, with Canada implementing import restrictions on livestock from Texas and US states like Louisiana restricting interstate animal travel. Mexico has also blocked import of almost all animal species from the U.S. following confirmation of the NWS cases in Texas. More restrictions are expected in the coming weeks if additional cases are detected.  

Playing the Blame Game 

Unsurprisingly, the NWS outbreak has already turned political, with Democrats and Republicans clashing over who is to blame. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and some Republican lawmakers are pointing fingers at Joe Biden, arguing the parasite’s northward migration is the result of border security failures of the previous administration. 

Democrats, meanwhile, have highlighted that the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut USAID funding for a Central American screwworm monitoring program early last year, just days before the US temporarily lifted a suspension on Mexican cattle imports. Whether those funding cuts directly contributed to the current outbreak remains unclear. The USDA maintains there were “no cuts to any staff used on the response to this issue”, though many have pointed out that the department saw one of the largest workforce reductions under this administration. Nearly 27% of USDA employees separated between September 2024 and December 2025, with nearly three-quarters taking the “deferred resignation” option pushed by DOGE. Additionally, the staffing shortage is expected to worsen soon as the USDA continues forward with its plan to significantly reorganize the department, including moving its headquarters from Washington D.C. to Salt Lake City and closing dozens of research facilities, a plan Senate Democrats argue will only weaken the department’s ability to combat the NWS threat.  

What’s Being Done? 

In response to the outbreaks, the USDA has established 12-mile quarantine zones around each confirmed case and is releasing millions of sterile male flies weekly in affected areas. The sterile insect technique, in which sterile males are released to mate with wild females to prevent offspring, was the cornerstone of the original eradication effort and remains the primary containment strategy. More than 8,000 traps have been set along the US-Mexico border, and tens of thousands of fly samples are under analysis. 

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has urged faster action, pushing for a combined approach using sterile flies alongside broader insecticide use. USDA officials have pushed back, calling the suggestion “dangerous.” 

Anticipating a potential US arrival, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine spent the past year working to authorize treatments for NWS myiasis across species. Currently, there are 3 conditionally approved products, two for cattle and one for dogs, and nine emergency use authorizations (EUAs) covering dogs, cats, cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, deer, and exotic and zoo animals. 

The situation is still evolving, and officials are urging livestock owners to inspect animals frequently and report suspicious wounds to their veterinarian immediately. NWS myiasis can be treated with authorized products, but prompt veterinary or medical intervention is critical. 

Further Reading:  

• New World Screwworm Confirmed Detections Tracker: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
• “What to know about the New World screwworm fly and its reappearance in the US,” John Hanna and Russ Bynum, AP News 
• “What screwworm means for your beef prices,” Ramishah Maruf, CNN 
• “US plans to fight flesh-eating screwworm outbreak with flies and dogs,” Max Matza, BBC 

GMU Biodefense PhD Alum Coauthors Paper on Addressing Biosecurity Barriers in High-Risk Biological Research 

Yong-Bee Lim, a 2021 graduate of George Mason University’s Biodefense PhD program, coauthored a new paper in Health Security examining challenges associated with governing high-risk biological research, including dual-use research of concern and pathogens with enhanced pandemic potential. Drawing on discussions from a 2024 deliberate workshop in Reno, Nevada, the article brings together perspectives from biosafety professionals, biosecurity experts, and life sciences researchers to identify potential barriers to effective oversight and governance. The authors highlight concerns surrounding ambiguous regulatory definitions, disparities in institutional resources, and fragmented oversight frameworks that may increase administrative burdens without meaningfully improving safety or security outcomes. The paper argues for greater integration of biosafety expertise into policymaking, integration of biosafety expertise into policymaking, sustained investment in biosecurity programs, and collaborative approaches to governance that prioritizes dialogue and consistency over punitive enforcement. Read more here. 

IN OTHER NEWS 

Infectious Disease and Outbreak Response 

• “Will the World Cup kick off disease outbreaks?” Kai Kupferschmidt, Science 
• “World Cup creates perfect conditions for infectious diseases to spread – here are the biggest threats health experts are watching for,” The Conversation 
• “‘We Live With Fear’: In Congo, Doctors Face Ebola With Little Protection,” Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News 
• “CDC report: Ebola outbreak could rival the worst on record unless world acts,” Rob Stein and Maria Godoy, NPR 
• “As Ebola Spreads in East Africa, Will China Step Up?” Lily Kuo and Stephanie Nolen, NY Times 
• “In his book, self-described USAID ‘whistleblower’ talks about the agency and Ebola,” Fatma Tanis, NPR 
• “No boots, masks running out: why Congo’s Ebola medics are exposed,” Emma Farge, Jennifer Rigby, Olivia Le Poidevin and Aaron Ross, Reuters 
• “Congo says number of confirmed Ebola cases rises to nearly 600,” Reuters 
• “Dutch Scientist Charged With Conspiring to Smuggle Mpox Virus Into U.S.,” Ephrat Livni, NY Times 

AI, Biotechnology and Emerging Biosecurity Risks 

• “Top AI CEOs Call for Law Protecting Against Biological Weapons,” Amrith Ramkumar, The Wall Street Journal 
• “How to Secure the DNA Supply Chain: A field guide for policymakers, founders, and funders,” Janika Schmitt and Joshua Monrad, IFP 
• “Strengthening biosecurity in the era of AI,” Eric Horvitz, Microsoft 
• “The New Bioeconomic Battleground: How AI, Data, and Biotechnology Are Rewriting Global Strategy,” Skytop Strategies 
• “Biotech Further Cemented as Top Tech Priority for Defense,” National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology 
• “U.S. Bioweapon Deterrence Lacks Holistic Strategy,” William King, National Defense 

Chemical Weapons and Security  

• “Sunchon Area DPRK’s Chemical Facilities: Site Profile 7,” Hailey Wingo, Sean Corbett, David Crouch, Lennie Phillips, and Grant Christopher, RUSI, VERTIC and 38 North 
• “‘Momentous Discovery’ Marks ‘Major Leap Forward’ in Accountability for Syria’s Chemical Weapons, Security Council Told,” United Nations 
• “How Did Assad Deceive the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons?” SNHR 
• “OPCW examines how drone technology changes global chemical security landscape,” Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) 
• “Global Terrorism Threat Assessment 2026,” Alexander Palmer, Daniel Byman, Alexander Margolis, Riley McCabe, and Erin Oppel, CSIS 

Public Health Policy and Institutions 

• “Kennedy Shows Minimal Engagement With Vast Health Portfolio,” Sheryl Gay Stolberg, NY Times 
• “NIAID appoints new acting director after weekslong questions over leadership,” Anil Oza and Helen Branswell, StatNews 
• “NIH staffers published a letter of dissent a year ago. They feel it’s been ignored,” Anil Oza, StatNews 
• “Poll: Trust in CDC Falls, Support for Childhood Vaccines and Food Pyramid Changes,” de Beaumont 
• “One Year In: Public Views of a Changing Public Health Landscape,” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation’s Public Health Listening Lab.  

Federal Science Workforce and Research Funding  

• “White House reclassifies federal epidemiologists and other scientists from civil servants to ‘at-will’ hires,”  Dan Vergano, Scientific American 
• “White House proposes vast overhaul of US science funding: what you need to know,” Dan Garisto and Mariana Lenharo, Nature 
• “This Proposed Rule Could Change American Science Forever. We Read It So You Don’t Have To.” Loren Dejonge Schulman and Kate Kohn, FAS 
• “Plan to overhaul grantmaking shakes researchers,” Adriel Bettelheim, Axios 
• “The Trump Administration Has Launched Its Biggest Threat Yet to Scientific Research. We Can Stop Them.” Alexa S. Dietrich, Union of Concerned Scientists 
• “Analysis of U.S. and Global Fund Funding Reductions in MOU Countries,” Jennifer Kates, Stephanie Oum, and Adam Wexler, KFF 

NEW: BioSafe Advocacy Network High-Level Virtual Workshop 2026: Dual-Use Research of Concern (DURC) and the Responsible Use of Life Sciences 

From the BioSafe Advocacy Network: “Looking to strengthen your understanding of the responsible use of life sciences? Join us for an engaging workshop featuring practical case studies, interactive sessions, and expert-led discussions on responsible conduct in the life sciences. 
Participants will gain valuable insights into: 
• Responsible research and innovation practices 
• Risk-informed approaches to biosafety and biosecurity 
• Real-world case studies and scenario-based learning 
• Frameworks aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance. 

As a mandatory prerequisite, all applicants must complete the WHO Academy course, “Dual-Use Research and the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences.”  

This virtual workshop will take place from July 22-23, 2026. The application deadline is June 30. Learn more and apply here. 

Wildlife Preparedness, Response, and Recovery – A Webinar Series  

From the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM): “Recent wildfire events have highlighted persistent gaps in how health systems and public health agencies prepare for, respond to, and recover from these incidents. The Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies is hosting a webinar series to explore the health impacts of wildfires across the disaster cycle; and foster cross-sector dialogue to raise awareness, share lessons learned, and identify opportunities to strengthen health-focused preparedness, response, and recovery.” 

Upcoming sessions include: 

• Webinar 3 – Recovery: Wildfire Recovery, Adaptation, and Long-Term Health Impacts on June 15 from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT.  

Learn more and register here. 

Disaster Medicine Lecture Series  

From the University of Massachusetts: “The University of Massachusetts’ Disaster Medicine and Emergency Management Fellowship Program, in partnership with The National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH), and American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), will host the next installment of the Disaster Medicine Lecture Series. Featured presentations include: “Disaster Exercise Design and Facilitation: Pearls, Pitfalls, and Strategies for Success” presented by Dr. Ryan Hata, Director of Operational and Disaster Medicine, Atrium Health and “Mass Gathering Medicine” presented by Dr. Mick Molloy, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Health Service Executive, Wexford General Hospital. 

This event will take place on June 16 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM EDT. Learn more and register here. 

Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention  

From the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): “We will convene the Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Chaired by Ambassador Frederico S. Duque Estrada Meyer of Brazil, the meeting will bring together State Parties, international organizations, academic institutions, and civil society representatives to continue discussions on strengthening the Convention and advancing efforts to address biological threats. Public sessions will be webcast through UN Web TV, and side events are expected throughout the week.  

This event will take place from August 17-21 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Learn more and register by July 31 here.  

Biosecurity Simulation Exercise (BSX 2026): Laboratory Incidents & Deliberate Biothreats 

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “This table-top simulation exercise aims to enhance inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary preparedness for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity (LBB) and deliberate biothreat events (DBE). Through lectures, discussions, and structured, scenario-driven exercises, participants will explore decision-making to detect, risk-assess, and manage high-consequence biological incidents under conditions of incomplete information and unfolding events. Participants will collaborate in teams, building on expert perspectives to address issues in surveillance, diagnostics, public health response, security assessment, and risk communication.” 

This in-person event will be held from August 27-28. Learn more and register here. 

Training Course on ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity’ 

From the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: “This training focuses on strengthening capacities in biosecurity, biosafety, and biological risk management in the context of rapid advances in biotechnology with an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to manage biothreats at the intersection of humans, animals, plants and the environment. It addresses the governance, technical, and operational dimensions of preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats, while promoting responsible and peaceful scientific research and innovation in accordance with article X of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).” 

This in-person event will be held from October 12 – 16 in New Delhi, India. Learn more and apply here. 

Bio-attribution Challenge 

From DARPA: “Translate your bio-attribution research into national security impact. In an era of unprecedented biological data generation, the ability to rapidly determine the origin of a biological event — whether natural, accidental, or intentional — is a critical component of national security and public health. To meet the challenge of finding the “needle in a haystack” within this data deluge, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched the Bio-Attribution Challenge. 

This virtual competition calls on innovators to develop a new generation of tools capable of analyzing petabyte-scale datasets in near real-time, far exceeding the capacity of current systems. The goal is to revolutionize how we identify and trace the source of biological sequences, ensuring a faster, more effective response to potential threats. Register for virtual competition to win a share of $180,000 in Prizes.” 

The deadline to register is June 15. Learn more and register here. 

Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue highlights emerging biological and chemical threats, including a new report on toxin security risks, progress toward chemical weapons accountability in Syria, the potential return of New World screwworm to the United States, persistent challenges posed by highly pathogenic avian influenza and Ebola, and new efforts to strengthen governance of dual-use life science research.   

Promote the Antidote: Reducing the Risk from Toxins 

The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense at the Atlantic Council has released a new report, Promote the Antidote: Reducing the Risk from Toxins, warning that biological toxins remain an underappreciated yet persistent national security threat. The report highlights the continued use of toxins by nation-states, terrorists, and lone actors, citing the February 2026 confirmation by European governments that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was assassinated using epibatidine, a lethal neurotoxin derived from a South American poison dart frog. The Commission argues that toxin threats receive far less attention than infectious disease threats despite longstanding concerns regarding accidental contamination, criminal misuse, and foreign biological weapons programs. It also calls for closing policy gaps across the agriculture, defense, law enforcement, and public health sectors, which often operating in siloes, to strengthen national preparedness and response capabilities.  

The report builds on discussions from the Commission’s February 2026 meeting, “Pick Your Poison: The Enduring Threat of Biological Toxins,” which featured testimony from George Mason University’s Biodefense Program Director Dr. Gregory Koblentz. As previously reported in the Pandora Report, Koblentz emphasized that toxins may be better suited as forms of political signaling or tools of coercion as opposed to weapons of mass destruction, while warning that advances in science and technology may increase both supply and demand for these agents.  

Chemical Weapon Verification Breakthrough in Syria and Progress To Ending Chemical Weapons Impunity 

On May 26, 2026, Syria and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced that the Syrian government had uncovered a cache of undeclared chemical weapons materials that had been hidden by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from international inspectors for more than 12 years. According to the OPCW, “the findings include dozens of chemical munitions previously undeclared to the Organisation, including the same type of aerial bombs that were used in chemical attacks in Ltamenah in March 2017 and Khan Shaykhun in April 2017. Rockets were also found, of the same type as those that were used in the Ghouta chemical weapons attack in August 2013. ” Turkish media reported that 54 M4000 bombs, which the OPCW’s Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) had identified as the type used in the attacks on Ltamenah and Khan Sheikhoun, and 25 “Volcano” rockets, which were used in the attack on Ghouta, were recovered. Syrian state media published a picture of the M4000 bombs while Syria’s ambassador to the OPCW published a picture of one of the recovered Volcano rockets. In addition, Syria reported that the cache included precursors for binary sarin, hexamine (which Syria used as a stabilizer in its binary sarin weapons), chemical mixing and storage equipment, and thousands of pages of documents related to the former chemical weapons program. These materials were found at three sites “located in northern coastal and central areas of the country, broadly within a geographic triangle encompassing Hama, Homs, and Latakia” and consolidated into a single secure storage facility guarded by the Syrian miliary until the material can be verified and destroyed under the supervision of the OPCW. This achievement is a reflection of both the dedication of the Syrian government to uncovering the legacy of Assad’s chemical weapons program and the assistance provided by a coalition of partners under the Breath of Freedom task force. 

This find also provides a boost to efforts to hold former members of the Assad regime accountable for their use of chemical weapons throughout the Syrian civil war. The Syrian government  reports that it has 18 former high-ranking members of the regime linked to chemical attacks in custody. On May 20, 2026, the Syrian Mission to the OPCW, in conjunction with Australia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, held a panel discussion titled Roles and Responsibilities in the Quest for Accountability After Chemical Weapons Use in Syria. The international meeting featured presentations by Dr. Yasmin Al-Nahlawi from the National Commission for Transitional Justice in Syria and Fadel Abdulghany, Executive Director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights. Mr. Abdulghnay’s talk was based on his recently published book, The Assad Regime’s Use of Chemical Weapons in a Non-International Armed Conflict, Russian Protection of It in the Security Council, and the International Community’s Failure to Prevent the Recurrence of Their Use. The first trial of a former Assad regime official for human rights abuses is already underway in Damascus.  

Did New World Screwworms Cross the Border? 

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor 

A suspected case of New World screwworm (NWS) has been identified in South Texas, just one day after the USDA confirmed a case 25 miles south of the border in Mexico. According to Texas Representative Don McLaughlin, samples were taken from two calves on a ranch in La Pryor, Texas, with one suspected infestation found in an umbilical cord wound. Although the preliminary test was positive, the samples now require confirmatory testing at a federal government laboratory before a definitive diagnosis can be made. The parasite, whose larvae burrow through the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, can potentially infest pets and people, though experts stress the risk to humans is low. Cattle, on the other hand, are not so lucky. Screwworm infestations can be fatal without treatment, and a confirmed U.S. outbreak could deal a significant blow to the cattle industry. Experts estimate a NWS outbreak in the U.S. could cause $1.8 billion in damages to Texas’ economy alone, and the reduction in cattle supply could cause beef prices to rise across the country. The parasite has been advancing northward through Mexico for over a year, despite millions of dollars spent by the U.S. government on sterile fly production facilities, expanded trapping efforts, and increased livestock surveillance. The U.S. has also kept its border closed to Mexican cattle imports since last summer as another precautionary measure. The USDA has already deployed personnel to the region and is working with local partners as testing continues. 

Egg Producers Question the Limits of Biosecurity 

For egg producers on both sides of the Atlantic, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has become a persistent and devastating reality. At the World Egg Organization’s annual business conference, held in Warsaw in late April 2026, egg producers from around the globe came to the same conclusion: biosecurity alone is not enough. Despite significant investments in biosecurity infrastructure, including shower-in facilities, vehicle disinfection systems, and laser deterrents for wild birds, major producers in both the U.S. and Europe have continued to experience devastating outbreaks. One Scottish producer noted the virus appeared deep inside barns near ventilation shafts, in locations that could not be explained by conventional contamination routes. Industry leaders in the U.S. continue to advocate for vaccination to protect domestic flocks. With over 330 million wild birds passing over U.S. egg farms during peak migration season, they argue physical biosecurity measures alone cannot reliably keep the virus out.  

Further Reading:  

• “What to Know About the Current State of Bird Flu in the U.S.: A Conversation with Shawn Gibbs,” Sam Gerard, National Academies 
• “Dutch government moves towards mandatory avian influenza vaccination,” Mariska Vermaas, Poultry World 
• “St. Jude researcher says Nome hunters may hold key to understanding bird flu,” Quinn White, Knom Radio Mission 
• “Oregon Man Awarded Nearly $1 Million in Lawsuit After His Cat Dies from Bird Flu Allegedly Connected to Pet Food,” Moná Thomas, People 

IN OTHER NEWS 

Biodefense Policy, Strategy, and Governance 

• “Biodefense in the US President’s FY27 Budget Request,” Kyle Wilgus, Council on Strategic Risks 
• “Examining the FY 2027 DoD CB Defense Program Budget, Part 1 of 3,” Al Mauroni, Substack 
• “Examining the FY 2027 DoD CB Defense Program Budget – Part 2 of 3,” Al Mauroni, Substack 
• “Examining the FY 2027 DoD CB Defense Program Budget – Part 3 of 3,” Al Mauroni, Substack 
• “The US and China Must Unite on AI To Stop the Next Bio Threat | Opinion,” Christine Wormuth and Emily Leproust, Newsweek 
• “Bridging Public Health and National Security: A Q&A with Draper VP Dr. Kathryn Brinsfield (SPH’01),” BU School of Public Health  

Outbreaks, Epidemics, and Emerging Infectious Diseases 

• “The Next Pandemic Will Come From a Conflict Zone,” Annie Sparrow, FP 
• “Pleasure, Plague, and Panic: Why Cruise Ship Outbreaks Still Haunt Us,” Christos Lynteris, The MIT Press Reader 
• “How NYC Practices for Ebola and Special Pathogen Outbreaks,” Syra Madad and David Silvestri, Think Global Health 
• “Kenya Ordered to Disclose Details of Ebola Center Deal With US,” David Herbling, Bloomberg 
• “NIH cuts weakened network primed to respond to outbreaks like Ebola,” Anil Oza, StatNews    
• “Rubio Suggests U.S. Return to Global Vaccine Program in Rebuke of Kennedy,” Stephanie Nolen and Sheryl Gay Stolberg, NY Times 
• “Funding Cuts and Empty Beds: Critics Question the U.S. Response to Ebola,” Terrence Rudd, Medpage Today 
• “How aid cuts are hampering the front-line response to the Ebola crisis,” Kenry Larson, Adrian Florido, and Sarah Robbins, NPR 
• “What the Trump Administration Needs to Do to Contain the Ebola Outbreak,” Stephanie Psaki, Beth Cameron, and Jon Finer, The Atlantic 
• “In City at Center of Ebola Crisis, ‘the Virus Is Far Ahead of Us’,” Declan Walsh, NY Times 
• “Inside the Ebola Epicenter, the Virus Rages With Little to Stop It,” Declan Walsh, NY Times 
• “Ebola Outbreak Is Now Third Largest in History. Here’s What to Know.” Betsy McKay, The Wall Street Journal 
• “Panic, Neglect, Repeat: The 2026 Ebola Outbreak Shows Us We Must Change the Pattern for Global Pandemic Preparedness and Response,” National Academy of Medicine 
• “These Researchers Would Be in Africa Fighting Ebola—but Trump Cut Their Funding,” Emily Mullin, Wired 
• “Message of Independent Panel Member Dr. Joanne Liu on the Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak,” The Independent Panel 
• “Based on Science,” National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 
• “Ebola Was Identified Nearly 50 Years Ago — Why Are There No Treatments for the Latest Outbreak?” Henrick Karoliszyn, Public Health Policy  
• “Why the Ebola and Hantavirus Outbreaks Have Confounded Scientists,” Carl Zimmer, NY Times 
• “Feds charge foreign nationals working at the National Institutes of Health with smuggling monkeypox into the United States and lying about it,” United States Attorney’s Office 
• “Assessing Evidence to Guide Primary Prevention of Pathogen X,” Iris Holmes, Neil M. Vora, Emily S. Gurley, Latiffah Hassan, Wanda Markotter, James O. Lloyd-Smith, and Raina K. Plowright 
• “8 former CDC directors: Reform PEPFAR, don’t dismantle it,” William Roper, Jeffrey Koplan, Richard Besser, Tom Frieden, Anne Schuchat, Robert Redfield, Rochelle Walensky, and Mandy Cohen, StatNews 
• “Acting head of NIH’s infectious disease institute reported to have stepped down,” Helen Branswell and Anil Oza, StatNews 
• “Relief group is phasing out vaccines RFK Jr. believes are unsafe,” Carmen Paun, Politico 
• “No child deaths definitively linked to Covid shots, FDA says,” Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News 
• “Century-long analysis of biosafety incidents identifies strongest predictors of outbreaks, deaths,” Laine Bergeson, CIDRAP 

AI, Biotechnology, and Future Risks 

• “Building Resilience Against Artificial Intelligence–Enabled Biological Threats,” Aurelia Attal-Juncqua, John P. Tarangelo, Evan Davison Kotler, Casey Aveggio, Marie Burns, Barbara Del Castello, Tyler Burns, Steph Guerra, Saskia Popescu, RAND 
• “AI Can Help Plan a Bioweapon. Building One is Still Hard.” Abi Olvera, Second Thoughts 
• “Biodefense in the Intelligence Age,” OpenAI  
• “Strengthening societal resilience with Rosalind Biodefense,” OpenAI 
• “Mirror life: Scientists clash over threat of lab-engineered bacteria,” James Woodford, New Scientist 
• “Part 4: Calling all biosecurity builders,” Jassi Pannu, Substack 
• “The US has acknowledged that Russian biolab “conspiracy theories” have turned out to be true,” EU vs Disinfo 

Global Health Governance 

• “Shaping the Next Era of Global Health Governance,” FP  
• “The Overlooked Decisions of the 79th World Health Assembly,” Stefan Anderson, Health Policy Watch 
• “Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly – Daily update: 23 May 2026,” World Health Organization 
• “World Health Assembly Recap: Financial Crunch, Affected Mandates, and Future Leadership,” Priti Patnaik, Think Global Health 
• “EXCLUSIVE: World Health Assembly to Suspend USA’s Voting Rights, Retains Iran’s,” Felix Sassmannshausen & Elaine Ruth Fletcher, Health Policy Watch 

Chemical Weapons Threats 

• “Project Anthracite: Analyzing North Korean Patents and Academic Journals for Evidence of Chemical Weapons Potential,” Gareth Williams, 38 North 
• “Russia has used chemical agents over 13,300 times on battlefield – Defense Ministry,” Ukrinform,  
• “The next generation and the CWC: Q&A with Riddhi Sen Majumder,” Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) 

Podcasts

• “Synthetic Biology, Drones, and AI: The Risks of Dual-Use Technologies,” Lennart Heim, Paul Lushenko, Claire Qureshi, and Jonathan Panter 

Risk Management for Dual-Use Potential in Life Science Research  

The Public Health Agency of Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, is pleased to announce the publication of the Risk Management for Dual-Use Potential in Life Science Research guideline, on March 31, 2026. 

The Dual-Use Guideline provides comprehensive guidance on how to identify, assess, and mitigate the risks associated with the dual-use potential of research involving pathogens, toxins, or other biological material. 

The Dual-Use Guideline was developed in response to a growing international concern regarding dual-use potential in life science research and highlights a need to balance the advancements of scientific research with protecting the community and the environment from harm. It also touches on the biosafety and biosecurity risks associated with emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, as well as international initiatives that aim to mitigate risks associated with dual-use potential. 

NEW: Wildlife Preparedness, Response, and Recovery – A Webinar Series  

From the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM): “Recent wildfire events have highlighted persistent gaps in how health systems and public health agencies prepare for, respond to, and recover from these incidents. The Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies is hosting a webinar series to explore the health impacts of wildfires across the disaster cycle; and foster cross-sector dialogue to raise awareness, share lessons learned, and identify opportunities to strengthen health-focused preparedness, response, and recovery.” 

Upcoming sessions include: 

• Webinar 2 – Response: Health System Response During Wildfires on June 8 from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT. 

• Webinar 3 – Recovery: Wildfire Recovery, Adaptation, and Long-Term Health Impacts on June 15 from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT.  

Learn more and register here. 

NEW: Disaster Medicine Lecture Series  

From the University of Massachusetts: “The University of Massachusetts’ Disaster Medicine and Emergency Management Fellowship Program, in partnership with The National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH), and American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), will host the next installment of the Disaster Medicine Lecture Series. Featured presentations include: “Disaster Exercise Design and Facilitation: Pearls, Pitfalls, and Strategies for Success” presented by Dr. Ryan Hata, Director of Operational and Disaster Medicine, Atrium Health and “Mass Gathering Medicine” presented by Dr. Mick Molloy, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Health Service Executive, Wexford General Hospital. 

This event will take place on June 16 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM EDT. Learn more and register here. 

NEW: Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention  

From the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): “We will convene the Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Chaired by Ambassador Frederico S. Duque Estrada Meyer of Brazil, the meeting will bring together State Parties, international organizations, academic institutions, and civil society representatives to continue discussions on strengthening the Convetnion and advancing efforts to address biological threats. Public sessions will be webcast through UN Web TV, and side events are expected throughout the week.  

This event will take place from August 17-21 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Learn more and register by July 31^st here.  

GHS 2026

From GHS: “We’re excited to officially announce that the 4th Global Health Security Conference (GHS2026) will be held in Kuala Lumpur on the 9 – 12 June, 2026!”

“Building on the incredible momentum of GHS2024 in Sydney, we look forward to bringing together the global health security community once again – this time in one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant and dynamic cities.”

“Registration and Call for Abstracts are now live!”

Learn more, submit abstracts, and register here.

Public Health Agency of Canada Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Biology and Bioart Summit 2026 

From PHAC: “The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) DIY Biology and Bioart Summit 2026 is the first gathering of Canadian DIY biologists and bioartists organized by PHAC since 2020. This summit will bring together these Canadian bio-innovators with PHAC biosafety and biosecurity experts to provide an opportunity to engage and discuss biosafety and biosecurity challenges and opportunities. The summit will also include a keynote presentation by an international DIY biology expert.” 

This virtual event will be held from June 10 from 10:00 AM – 2:35 PM ET. Learn more and register here. 

Biosecurity Simulation Exercise (BSX 2026): Laboratory Incidents & Deliberate Biothreats 

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “This table-top simulation exercise aims to enhance inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary preparedness for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity (LBB) and deliberate biothreat events (DBE). Through lectures, discussions, and structured, scenario-driven exercises, participants will explore decision-making to detect, risk-assess, and manage high-consequence biological incidents under conditions of incomplete information and unfolding events. Participants will collaborate in teams, building on expert perspectives to address issues in surveillance, diagnostics, public health response, security assessment, and risk communication.” 

This in-person event will be held from August 27-28. Learn more and register here. 

Training Course on ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity’ 

From the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: “This training focuses on strengthening capacities in biosecurity, biosafety, and biological risk management in the context of rapid advances in biotechnology with an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to manage biothreats at the intersection of humans, animals, plants and the environment. It addresses the governance, technical, and operational dimensions of preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats, while promoting responsible and peaceful scientific research and innovation in accordance with article X of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).” 

This in-person event will be held from October 12 – 16 in New Delhi, India. Learn more and apply here. 

NEW: Senior Manager, Defense Partnerships – Job Opening 

From CEPI: “The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is seeking a Senior Manager, Defense Partnerships to deepen CEPI’s partnership with security and defense partners in support of CEPI’s Biosecurity Strategy, CEPI 3.0 and the 100 Days Mission. Reporting to the Director of Biosecurity, the Senior Manager will lead CEPI’s engagement with key defense stakeholders in the Americas and Asia and drive new partnerships with NATO. The role will focus on strengthening strategic alignment across defense and health to accelerate 100 Days Mission/rapid vaccine development capabilities. The Senior Manager will work closely with CEPI’s External and Investor Relations Division, in particular the Country Leads within the Resource Mobilisation and Investor Relations Department.” 

Learn more and submit your application by June 7 here. 

Bio-attribution Challenge 

From DARPA: “Translate your bio-attribution research into national security impact. In an era of unprecedented biological data generation, the ability to rapidly determine the origin of a biological event — whether natural, accidental, or intentional — is a critical component of national security and public health. To meet the challenge of finding the “needle in a haystack” within this data deluge, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched the Bio-Attribution Challenge. 

This virtual competition calls on innovators to develop a new generation of tools capable of analyzing petabyte-scale datasets in near real-time, far exceeding the capacity of current systems. The goal is to revolutionize how we identify and trace the source of biological sequences, ensuring a faster, more effective response to potential threats. Register for virtual competition to win a share of $180,000 in Prizes.” 

The deadline to register is June 15. Learn more and register here. 

Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue highlights the Spring 2026 graduates and award recipients of GMU’s Biodefense Graduate Program, emerging developments in avian influenza surveillance, new research a One Health collaboration in Southeast Asia to prevent zoonotic spillover risks, and a spotlight interview on the Bio x AI convergence. We also cover the escalating Ebola outbreak in Central Africa and the growing challenges facing global outbreak response efforts amid public health funding cuts, alongside broader developments in biosecurity and global health security preparedness. 

Note: The Pandora Report will be on break next week.

(Left) At the Schar School of Policy and Government award ceremony, Chris Quillen, Gregory Koblentz, and Kate Groves celebrate the achievements of graduating students. (Right) In the group photo, adjunct professor Katalin Kiss is seated on the left with graduating biodefense students at the Schar School degree celebration.

On May 16, 2026, the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University (GMU) celebrated the graduation of another group of talented certificate, master’s, and doctoral students. The Biodefense Graduate Program is proud (and a little sad) to announce the graduation of Amanda Rose Bliss, Rebecca Denae Bower, Christine Ann Cherry, Maggie J. Engert, Sean Alexander Evans, Katharine Isobel Groves, Brenna Cecile Heinle, Lena Sophie Kroepke, William Gerard MacDonald, Hannah Elizabeth Miller, Shaela Marie Nestor, Samuel Dylan Richter, Mariangely Rivas-Ortiz, Jordyn L. Scott, Bridget Frances Sexton, Tyler Smith, and Matthew Stoffer with an Master of Science degree in Biodefense; Rachel L. Bowers, Michael Dickey Fleming, Miranda L. Smith, and Gabrielle Radoiu Wilde with a Graduate Certificate in Biodefense; and Andrew James Frohmiller, and Ciara Emily Ivy with a Certificate in Terrorism and Homeland Security.  

In addition, the Schar School recognized three Biodefense students with special awards. Bridget Sexton was this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Student for the Master’s in Biodefense for her ability to conduct multidisciplinary research, write clearly about complex technical topics, and provide policy-relevant analysis. Her aptitude for bridging the gap between science and policy will no doubt come in handy on Capitol Hill where she works full-time for a U.S. Senator. Kate Groves received the Frances Harbour Award for Community Leadership for her outstanding service as a Biodefense graduate admissions student ambassador while she was earning her master’s in Biodefense. Chris Quillen received the Outstanding Biodefense PhD Student Award for his dissertation, “Pick Your Poison: Explaining Terrorist Selection of Chemical and Biological Agents,” which used principal-agent theory to analyze how four major terrorist groups—the Rajneeshees, Aum Shinrikyo, al-Qa’ida, and the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria—decided which chemical and biological agents to acquire and use as weapons. Dr. Quillen, who completed his dissertation while working full-time as a contractor for the federal government, serves as an exemplar of the “pracademic” who conducts policy-relevant academic research while serving as an active practitioner in the field that the Biodefense Program and the Schar School aim to produce.  

Bird Flu Detected in Arctic Wildlife 

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor 

Norwegian authorities have confirmed Europe’s first case of bird flu in a polar bear, marking a concerning milestone in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The young male bear, approximately one year old, was found dead in mid-May 2026 on the Svalbard archipelago, a remote Arctic island roughly halfway between the North Pole and mainland Europe. The detected virus was the H5N5 subtype, the same strain identified in a dead walrus on Svalbard in 2023. Researchers at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute believe the virus was likely the cause of both deaths and are now investigating whether it has adapted specifically to mammalian hosts.  

The findings reflect a troubling trend as HPAI is increasingly being detected in mammals across Europe and in more remote parts of the world, with the Arctic now emerging as a newly vulnerable region. According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), between January 2025 and March 2026, approximately 140 million animals died or were culled across nearly 70 countries due to bird flu,  

Italy Launches Pilot Poultry Vaccination Program 

Italy’s Ministry of Health announced the launch of a pilot vaccination program against the H5 subtype of HPAI in May 2026, with the full participation of the poultry industry supply chain. The initiative targets farms in two provinces in the Veneto and Lombardy regions of Italy, focusing on meat turkeys and egg-laying hens, the most vulnerable poultry categories. 

The program uses European-approved vaccines and is supported by enhanced monitoring and traceability systems. Officials stressed that vaccination would act as an additional protective measure alongside, not in place of, existing biosecurity, surveillance, and control measures. The vaccination program aligns with the One Health framework, recognizing that reducing viral circulation in farm animals also lowers the risk of viral mutation and potential spillover into human populations. Italian officials hope the initiative will position the country among Europe’s leaders in innovative disease prevention and control, particularly for animal diseases with significant health and economic consequences.  

Further Reading:  

• “Survey: A third of US backyard flock owners don’t know signs, symptoms of avian flu,” Mary Van Beusekom, CIDRAP 
• “Polymerase trapping as the mechanism of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus genesis,” Mathis Funk et al., Science 
• “Netherlands Plans Large-Scale Bird Flu Vaccination Program for Poultry,” Sophi Fairman, Poultry Producer 
• “US officials note a handful of new avian flu outbreaks at poultry facilities,” Stephanie Soucheray, CIDRAP 

GMU Biodefense PhD Student Coauthors Paper on Zoonotic Spillover Prevention in Southeast Asia 

Carmen Shaw, a current PhD student in Biodefense at George Mason University, coauthored a new paper in Health Security examining how participatory social science approaches can strengthen One Health efforts to prevent zoonotic spillover in Southeast Asia. The article details a multi-year collaboration between the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) – Asia Chapter and the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) that brought together experts across virology, wildlife conservation, epidemiology, biodefense, implementation science, and public policy to codevelop a regional guidebook on countering high-consequence zoonotic threats. Drawing on workshops and systems-thinking exercises conducted between 2022 and 2024, the author argue that participatory frameworks can help bridge disciplinary, linguistic, and governance barriers while improving local ownership of outbreak prevention strategies. The paper highlights how implementation science and collaborative stakeholder engagement can support more adaptive, context-specific approaches to pandemic prevention and global health security in a region facing growing zoonotic disease risks. Read more here.  

GMU BIOD PhD Alum Featured in Bio x AI Governance Interview Series with Federation of American Scientists 

Yong-Bee Lim, a graduate of the GMU Biodefense PhD program and current Associate Director for Global Risk at the Federation of American Scientists, was recently featured in an Instagram interview discussing the growing intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and global catastrophic risks. In the latest installment of the “How Do You Govern the Future?” series, Dr. Lim explored questions surrounding AI-enabled biological design, genomic editing, democratized biotechnology, and the governance challenges posed by rapidly advancing emerging technologies. Drawing on his expertise in Bio x AI convergence, biosecurity, and emerging technology governance, the conversation examined how advances in synthetic biology and AI are reshaping discussions around security, risk, and the future of biotechnology oversight. Watch the interview reel here.  

 
IN OTHER NEWS 

Ebola Outbreak Emergency and Global Health Response 

• “BREAKING: WHO declares major outbreak of rare Ebola virus species an international emergency,” Kai Kupferschmidt, Science 
• “Epidemic of Ebola Disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda determined a public health emergency of international concern,” World Health Organization 
• “Special Report: Ebola Outbreak in the DRC,” The Pandemic Center  
• “Scientists play catch-up to startling Ebola outbreak,” Kai Kupferschmidt, Science 
• “This Ebola outbreak raises questions about when it all began — and the U.S. response,” Jonathan Lambert and Pien Huang, NPR  
• “Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa Could Last Months, W.H.O. Says,” Lynsey Chutel, Yan Zhuang, and Ephrat Livni, NY Times    
• “At least 600 Ebola cases suspected as US pledges to fund 50 treatment clinics,” Stephanie Soucheray, CIDRAP 
• “Congo opens more centers to treat rare type of Ebola that has killed nearly 120,” Jean-Yves Kamale, Monika Pronczuk, and Wilson McMakin, AP News 
• “Americans may have been exposed in Congo Ebola outbreak,” Lena H. Sun and Sammy Westfall, WP  
• “There is no Ebola vaccine for this outbreak and won’t be one soon. Here’s why.” Carolyn Y. Johnson and Rachel Roubein, WP 
• “Rubio criticizes WHO’s Ebola response as US continues sweeping public health cuts,” Maya Yang and agency, The Guardian 
• “Trump’s cuts to foreign aid are undermining the Ebola response, insiders say,” Daniel Payne, StatNews 
• “The hantavirus outbreak is reviving some of the worst COVID conspiracies,” Allison Parshall, Scientific American 
• “7-1-7 Target Proven to Prevent Outbreaks Before They Spread,” Amanda McClelland, Global Health Now 

U.S. Science Institution Changes & Research Policy 

• “Exclusive: NIH ousts infectious-disease leaders as COVID scientists face US charges,” Max Kozlov, Nature 
• “NIH behind in filling top roles, with 15 of 27 institutes led by acting directors,” Anil Oza, Stat News 
• “Researching while Chinese,” Jeffrey Mervis, Science 
• “Exclusive: NIH ousts infectious-disease leaders as COVID scientists face US charges,” Max Kozlov, Nature 

Biosecurity, Chemical Weapons and Strategic Threats  

• “Report of a Workshop on Preparing for Biological Weapons Investigations in Non-Permissive Environments,” Cindy Vestergaard, Christina McAllister, and William Alberque, Stimson 
• “Calls grow for OPCW probe into alleged chemical weapons use in Sudan,” The Sudan Times 
• “Wouter Basson could have been charged for atrocities, Rev Frank Chikane tells inquiry,” Marianne Thamm, Daily Maverick 
• “The DPRK’s Chemical Facilities: Kanggye Area: Site Profile 5,” William Goodhind, RUSI
• “China’s Science and Technology Strategy in Perspective,” Shanshan Mei and Judith Huismans, RAND 
• “The Doomsday Organism,” Joe Zadeh, Noema        

AI, Technology, and Emerging Security Risks 

• “Conveying Risks: AI and the Future of Global Security,” Federation of American Scientists 
• “Library to Add Cutting-Edge Molecular Data Storage Device Carrying Digitized Collections to America’s Time Capsule,” Library of Congress Newsroom  

Podcasts: 

• “Marc Lipsitch on Playing Pandemic Roulette in the Lab,” Yascha Mounk, Persuasion 
•  “INSS Joins NATDEF Podcast to Discuss a Biodeterrence Framework,” National Defense University  

NEW: ASPR Day on the Hill 2026 

From ASPR: “Join ASPR for a dynamic, hands-on demonstration of programs and resources available to prepare for, respond to, and recovery from disasters. You’ll discover how ASPR works alongside state, local, territorial, and tribal partners nationwide to strengthen national health security before, during, and after emergencies. Get to know the National Disaster Medical System, receive insights into investments in domestic manufacturing, view live demonstrations, experience interactive displays, and engage with the experts.” 

This in-person event will take place in Washington, DC on May 28 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM EDT. Learn more here and RSVP by emailing ASPRLeg@hhs.gov.  

NEW: 2026 State of the Science Address 

From the National Academies: We invite you to join National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt for the third annual State of the Science address, to be delivered on June 2.  McNutt will discuss the status of the U.S. research enterprise, global leadership in science, and implications for economic competitiveness. The address will be followed by a panel discussion with other science leaders.” 

This hybrid event will take place on June 2 from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT. Learn more and register here. 

Biotechnology and Resilient Human Systems Workshop 2026 

From the MIT Lincoln Laboratory: “The focus of the 2026 Biotechnology and Resilient Human Systems Workshop will be Preparing for Future Biological Effects. This two-day, in-person event will feature sessions highlighting the dual-use nature of biotechnology, building a resilient biosurveillance system, and developing broad medical countermeasures. The workshop will feature keynote presentations from leaders across the U.S. government highlighting critical national security challenges and opportunities created from advanced biotechnology and will also exhibit state-of-the-art research and innovations from the rapidly expanding biotechnology ecosystem. 

Government and industry leaders, national security experts, UARCs, FFRDCS, national labs, entrepreneurs, and academic innovators will jointly discuss and showcase how to rapidly transition biotechnology-enabled technologies into operational capabilities that effectively address critical national security challenges.” 

This in-person event will take place on June 2-3 in Lexington, MA. Learn more and register here. 

From the Ground Up: Federated Biodefense  

From the Atlantic Council: “The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense at the Atlantic Council will host its latest meeting, surveying federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government roles, responsibilities and resources. 

Non-federal governments serve on the frontlines of biodefense. As the biological threat continues to grow, those officials who tackle this topic on a daily basis require reinforcement. This meeting of the Commission will discuss the impacts of changes in federal support for state, local, tribal, and territorial biodefense activities, as well as the biodefense roles, responsibilities and investments of non-federal governments. The discussions will also touch upon the personnel, policies and programs needed to bolster preparedness for future biological threats.” 

This event will take place on Thursday, June 4 from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET. Further information and registration details to follow.

Public Health Agency of Canada Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Biology and Bioart Summit 2026 

From PHAC: “The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) DIY Biology and Bioart Summit 2026 is the first gathering of Canadian DIY biologists and bioartists organized by PHAC since 2020. This summit will bring together these Canadian bio-innovators with PHAC biosafety and biosecurity experts to provide an opportunity to engage and discuss biosafety and biosecurity challenges and opportunities. The summit will also include a keynote presentation by an international DIY biology expert.” 

This virtual event will be held from June 10 from 10:00 AM – 2:35 PM ET. Learn more and register here. 

GHS 2026

From GHS: “We’re excited to officially announce that the 4th Global Health Security Conference (GHS2026) will be held in Kuala Lumpur on the 9 – 12 June, 2026!”

“Building on the incredible momentum of GHS2024 in Sydney, we look forward to bringing together the global health security community once again – this time in one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant and dynamic cities.”

“Registration and Call for Abstracts are now live!”

Learn more, submit abstracts, and register here.

Biosecurity Simulation Exercise (BSX 2026): Laboratory Incidents & Deliberate Biothreats 

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “This table-top simulation exercise aims to enhance inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary preparedness for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity (LBB) and deliberate biothreat events (DBE). Through lectures, discussions, and structured, scenario-driven exercises, participants will explore decision-making to detect, risk-assess, and manage high-consequence biological incidents under conditions of incomplete information and unfolding events. Participants will collaborate in teams, building on expert perspectives to address issues in surveillance, diagnostics, public health response, security assessment, and risk communication.” 

This in-person event will be held from August 27-28. Learn more and register here. 

Training Course on ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity’ 

From the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: “This training focuses on strengthening capacities in biosecurity, biosafety, and biological risk management in the context of rapid advances in biotechnology with an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to manage biothreats at the intersection of humans, animals, plants and the environment. It addresses the governance, technical, and operational dimensions of preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats, while promoting responsible and peaceful scientific research and innovation in accordance with article X of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).” 

This in-person event will be held from October 12 – 16 in New Delhi, India. Learn more and apply here. 

NEW: Frontier Biodefense Fellowship  

From Pivotal Research: The Pivotal Frontier Biodefense Fellowship is a fully funded, nine-week program designed to support emerging talent in biosecurity and pandemic preparedness. Hosted at the London Initiative for Safe AI from August 3 to October 2, 2026, the fellowship brings together researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to work on high-impact biodefense projects focused on areas such as next-generation PPE, transmission suppression, and early-warning pathogen detection systems. Fellows receive expert mentorship, project management support, workshops with leading biosecurity experts, and a stipend in addition to covered travel, housing, and meals. The programs aims to strengthen the global biodefense workforce by supporting practical research outputs including policy reports, open-source tools, and scientific publications. 

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, June 2. Learn more and apply here. 

NEW: Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense – Fall 2026 Young Global Professionals Program 

From the Atlantic Council: “Young Global Professionals are an integral part of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense team. This internship offers hands-on experience and exposure to areas such as program operations, research, critical thinking, communications, event planning, government and congressional education, and stakeholder engagement. Interns will gain insight into assessing biodefense capability gaps, while supporting key priorities and projects. 

The ideal candidate will demonstrate initiative, attention to detail, and a strong interest in biodefense programs and policies, along with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.” 

This internship is based in Washington, DC and the deadline to apply is Friday, June 5. Learn more and apply here. 

Bio-attribution Challenge 

From DARPA: “Translate your bio-attribution research into national security impact. In an era of unprecedented biological data generation, the ability to rapidly determine the origin of a biological event — whether natural, accidental, or intentional — is a critical component of national security and public health. To meet the challenge of finding the “needle in a haystack” within this data deluge, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched the Bio-Attribution Challenge. 

This virtual competition calls on innovators to develop a new generation of tools capable of analyzing petabyte-scale datasets in near real-time, far exceeding the capacity of current systems. The goal is to revolutionize how we identify and trace the source of biological sequences, ensuring a faster, more effective response to potential threats. Register for virtual competition to win a share of $180,000 in Prizes.” 

The deadline to register is June 15. Learn more and register here. 

Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue highlights a rapidly evolving hantavirus outbreak abroad the MV Hondius cruise ship and the broader implications for global health security, outbreak reporting, and risk communication in the post-COVID-19 era. We also cover emerging concerns surrounding H5N1 transmission, biodefense and biosecurity developments, institutional preparedness challenges, and upcoming events shaping the future of pandemic preparedness and biotechnology governance.  

Hantavirus at Sea: A Test for Global Health Security 

By Alex Kyabarongo 

Alex Kyabarongo is a second-year MS Biodefense student from Uganda with special interests in global health security policy and biothreat reduction programs. 

On May 2, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) received notification from the National  International Health Regulations (IHR) Focal Point of the United Kingdom about an outbreak with respiratory symptoms aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic. Although the cause of the outbreak was initially unknown, cases were later confirmed to involve the Andes strain of hantavirus. As of May 13, the WHO reported 11 total cases, including 9 confirmed and 2 probable cases. Three passengers succumbed to the disease, with the first death occurring on April 11. Of the three reported deaths, two were confirmed positive for hantavirus. Epidemiological investigations are underway to determine the source of exposure that led to the outbreak. 

The cruise ship, the MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from the Argentine city of Ushuaia on April 1, 2026. Public awareness of the outbreak began on April 12, when a passenger released a video filmed during an onboard announcement regarding the death of an individual aboard the vessel the previous day, according to the operating company. The announcement triggered panic among passengers, prompting some individuals to disembark when the ship reached the island of Saint Helena in the south Atlantic. Those passengers subsequently travelled to several countries, including the United States, Canada, Turkey, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. At this point, the WHO had not yet been formally notified of the outbreak, raising concerns about whether exposed individuals may have already travelled internationally while incubating the virus. Health officials have since initiated contact tracing efforts to identify those who may have been in contact with these passengers as they returned to their home countries.  

Hantavirus belongs to a family of viruses mainly spread by rodents. Transmission usually occurs when a person inhales aerosolized viral particles from rodent saliva, urine, or droppings. Hantaviruses generally cause two major syndromes: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), more commonly reported in Latin America and primarily affects the respiratory system, and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), more common in Europe and Asia and primarily affects the kidneys. The current outbreak involves HPS caused by the Andes strain of hantavirus. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Andes strain has an incubation period of 4 to 42 days.  

Cruise ships can facilitate disease transmission because of close social interactions and shared environments. In the last two years, at least 4 major outbreaks have occurred on a cruise ship, including norovirus, Legionnaires disease, Salmonella and now hantavirus. Fortunately, the hantavirus has a relatively low basic reproduction number (R₀), with limited person-to-person transmissibility and low pandemic potential. Following notification of the WHO, epidemiologists were dispatched to the cruise ship to investigate the outbreak while international contact tracing efforts continued for passengers who had previously disembarked.  

This outbreak raises several important questions regarding global health security. The first concern relates to the delayed communication from the cruise ship. According to the WHO IHR, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) must be reported within 24 hours of confirmation. While hantavirus is not a PHEIC, its occurrence on a crowded cruise ship should have warranted reporting for prompt response, but it took three weeks for this to happen. The first death on the cruise ship occurred on April 11, yet the WHO did not receive official notification until May 2 and only communicated publicly about the outbreak through its Disease Outbreak News on May 4. By this time, several passengers had already disembarked and travelled internationally. Had this outbreak involved a highly transmissible pathogen, the delayed reporting and response could have posed a much greater public health risk. Consequently, this gap in information sharing was exploited by social media alarmists who amplified the fears surrounding the outbreak before official information became available, creating panic about the possibility of yet another pandemic like COVID-19. Much of this panic stemmed from the onboard video that circulated online following the first recorded death on the cruise ship.  

The effects of this misinformation became evident in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands of Spain, where the cruise ship was planning to dock for the evacuation of the passengers. On learning about this plan, the residents of Tenerife staged protests as they opposed allowing the cruise ship to dock on their island for fear of being exposed to the virus. Their fears were ignited and amplified by social media panic about the pandemic potential of hantavirus and exacerbated by unrelated hantavirus cases that had been reported in Israel during the same week. Although these cases are not linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, media reports and social media discussions increasingly correlated the two events, contributing to public anxiety. The residents’ fears and concerns were later debunked by the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who, in a written message, reassured the people of Tenerife that the evacuation process would be handled safely and that the local community would be protected. With this effort from the WHO in coordination with the Spanish public health officials, all passengers and some crew members have been evacuated, and the vessel is now heading to Rotterdam. The situation in Tenerife clearly shows how misinformation campaigns can fuel and exacerbate panic amidst public health emergencies.  

The Hantavirus outbreak on MV Hondius has revived memories of the early days of COVID-19, which also featured a high-profile outbreak on a cruise ship early in the pandemic. During the initial stage of COVID-19, uncertainty, delayed communication, and rapidly spreading misinformation contributed to widespread panic. While the current outbreak appears to have been contained, it has demonstrated that many gaps in national and global responses to COVID-19 remain insufficiently addressed, particularly regarding rapid reporting and risk communication. Such situations should remind us of the continuing vulnerabilities within the global health security systems. Although the Andes strain of hantavirus has limited transmissibility, the public reaction to the outbreak illustrates how quickly fear and misinformation can spread in an increasingly interconnected world still shaped by the memory of COVID-19. Therefore, we should recognize the importance of timely outbreak reporting, coordinated international response mechanisms, and responsible risk communication during public health emergencies. 

GMU Biodefense Director Quoted in Newsweek on Global Biolab Investigations 

Professor Gregory Koblentz, Associate Professor and Director of the Biodefense Graduate Program at George Mason University, was recently quoted in a Newsweek article examining the Trump administration’s investigation into more than 120 U.S.-funded biological laboratories operating in over 30 countries. In his comments, Koblentz cautioned that allegations surrounding these laboratories reflect broader Russian and Chinese disinformation narratives alleging U.S.-supported biological weapons activities in Ukraine. He also emphasized that efforts to politicize international public health and biodefense cooperation risk undermining scientific collaboration and distract from more significant biological and chemical weapons threats.  

CDC Confirms First Documented Cat-to-Human Transmission of Bird Flu 

By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor 

Public health investigators have documented the first known case of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) transmission from a domestic cat to a human, according to a report published May 7 in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 

Between November 2024 and January 2025, 19 pet cats in Los Angeles County, California became severely ill after consuming commercially purchased raw milk, raw meat, or raw pet food. Nine tested positive for H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, the same strain responsible for most human H5N1 infections in recent years. Fourteen of the cats died or were euthanized. 

Investigators with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) and CDC identified 139 people exposed to the infected cats, including 11 individuals from five households, 126 veterinary staff from 10 hospitals, one animal control worker that transported the deceased cats, and one from a local health department. Although 30 people reported flu-like symptoms, none tested positive for H5N1 by PCR. In April 2025, the cohort exposed were invited to participate in a serologic investigation as part of an H5N1 survey. Of the 25 volunteers that underwent serologic testing, one asymptomatic veterinary professional showed evidence of antibodies against both clade 2.3.4.4.b B3.13 and D1.1 influenza A(H5N1) viruses. The investigators noted that this veterinary professional had not used personal protective equipment (PPE) over their mouth or eyes during the exposure, did not report flu-like illness after the exposure, and reported no other known risk factors for infection 

Public health officials emphasize the overall risk to the general public remains low but urge pet owners to avoid feeding cats raw animal products and recommend that veterinary professionals use appropriate PPE when treating animals with respiratory or neurologic illness that could indicate H5N1 infection. 

Further Reading:  

• “Serological Evidence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) in Invasive Wild Pigs in Western Canada,” OL Garcia, et al, Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 
• “New Agreement Brings Assurance of Flu Pandemic Preparedness to Caribbean, Latin America,” Meaghan Lee Callaghan, Infectious Disease Special Edition 
• “2 European countries record new farm avian flu outbreaks,” Jackie Linden, WATTPoultry 

IN OTHER NEWS 

Hantavirus Outbreak News 

• “Rapid risk assessment: Hantavirus (Andes virus) outbreak on international cruise ship,” Government of Canada 
• “Experts wonder ‘Where is the CDC?’ as a hantavirus outbreak unfolds on a cruise ship,” Mike Stobbe, AP News 
• “‘Empty and vapid’ CDC finally responds to hantavirus outbreak. But experts say it’s too little, too late,” Edward Helmore, The Guardian  
• “Hantavirus Response Shows How Trump Cuts Have Compromised U.S. Preparedness,” Apoorva Mandavilli, NY Times   
• “The Hantavirus Outbreak Is Resurrecting Covid-Era Misinformation Tactics,” Teddy Rosenbluth and Steven Lee Myers, NY Times  
• “Hantavirus misinformation runs rampant as the US is unequipped to respond to infectious disease health scare,” Melody Schreiber, The Guardian 
• “There is no vaccine for deadly hantavirus: what that means for future outbreaks,” Mohana Basu, Nature  
• “How Argentina kept the hantavirus at bay during a 2019 outbreak,” Youri Benadjaoud and Ivan Pereira, ABC News 
• “Argentina Races to Find Origin of Hantavirus Contagion,” Emma Bubola, NY Times  
• “British paratroopers land on Tristan da Cunha for suspected hantavirus case,” Press Association, The Guardian   
• “Omaha’s UNMC to quarantine, monitor 17 Americans from cruise ship hit by hantavirus,” Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner  

Public Health Preparedness and Institutional Erosion 

• “Trump administration cuts CDC’s key role in global program to stop HIV,” Jon Cohen, Science 
• “Virologist accused of starting COVID-19 will fight U.S. ban on funding,” Jon Cohen, Science  
• “Kennedy Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His Public Silence,” Christina Jewett and Sheryl Gay Stolberg, NY Times  
• “KFF Health Tracking Poll: Public Views on Foreign Aid and Global Health Spending,” Isabelle Valdes, Audrey Kearney, Mardet Mulugeta, Alex Montero, and Lunna Lopes, KFF 
• “Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism,” Trust for America’s Health  
• “NIH grant terminations had outsized effect on minority researchers, data suggest,” Laine Bergeson, CIDRAP  
• “The race to understand how rat-virus spreads,” Maeve Cullinan, Sarah Newey, and Paul Nuki, The Telegraph  

Biotechnology, Biosecurity, and Emerging Threats 

• “Project Anthracite: Imagery Search for Possible Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Battalions,” Sean Corbett, 38North   
• “Biological Threats in the Age of Emerging Biotechnology: Proceedings of a Workshop Series,” National Academies  
• “AI can design viruses, toxins and other bioweapons. How worried should we be?” Ewen Callaway, Nature   
• “Rethinking Chemical Weapons Governance in the Age of AI,” Onzila Aziz, Modern Diplomacy  
• “Seeing Through the Molecular Curtain,” Interview with Drew Endy, Erik Malmstrom, Hoover Institution 
• “After USDA request, Indiana plant biologist locked out of lab by school,” Jeffrey Mervis, Science  

Podcasts:  

• “Understanding Why States Use Poison for Assassination,” Naomi Rio and Nicole Wiley, The Insider  
• “Poison arsenal – The deadly return of bioweapons,” This is Not a Drill with Gavin Esler  
• “When biology becomes a threat to us all,” Summit Talks with Filippa Lentzos 
•  “Apocalypse soon? AI could hasten bioweapons,” Economist Podcasts  

NEW: Delivering the 100 Days Mission: Progress, Transition, and What Comes Next  

From the International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat: “​Join us at the World Health Assembly to take stock of what the 100 Days Mission has achieved so far, hear from country champions and partners, and shape the conversation on how the Mission continues after the end of the IPPS mandate in 2027. 

This in-person event will take place on Sunday, May 17 at 20:00 CET in Geneva. Learn more and register here. 

NEW: Are we ready for the next pandemic threat?  

From The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response: “Six years on from the disaster of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has made some progress to prepare for future health threats. The amended International Health Regulations are in force. The WHO Pandemic Agreement has been adopted. The Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing Annex negotiations continue. Collective action still commands broad support. 

But is it enough? Words have not converted sufficiently to action. The hantavirus outbreak exposes some of the world’s vulnerabilities. Gaps in financing, accountability, and regional research and manufacturing capacity persist. Geopolitical shifts are reshaping international cooperation. Official development assistance from long-standing donors is contracting. And pandemic threats remain.” 

This hybrid event will be held on May 19, 12:30 – 14:00. Learn more and register here. 

NEW: Training Course on ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity’ 

From the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: “This training focuses on strengthening capacities in biosecurity, biosafety, and biological risk management in the context of rapid advances in biotechnology with an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to manage biothreats at the intersection of humans, animals, plants and the environment. It addresses the governance, technical, and operational dimensions of preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats, while promoting responsible and peaceful scientific research and innovation in accordance with article X of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).” 

This in-person event will be held from October 12 – 16 in New Delhi, India. Learn more and apply here. 

Responding to Today’s Gaps for Tomorrow’s Health Emergencies: 2026 Ready or Not Report 

From Trust for America’s Health (TFAH): “Join us for a Congressional Briefing and National Webinar on the latest information on public health emergency readiness and findings from TFAH’s recent report, Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism. 

The past year alone saw the U.S. facing the most severe flu season in nearly a decade, the highest annual measles case count since 1991, and devastating weather-related emergencies. In addition, these challenges occurred alongside deep federal staffing cuts and destabilized funding to the public health system. As TFAH marks its 25th anniversary, the webinar will review the highlights from this year’s report, which measures the nation’s readiness for public health emergencies through 10 indicators of state preparedness to respond to a wide spectrum of health emergencies and to provide ongoing public health services.” 

This webinar will be held on May 19 at 2:00 PM ET. Learn more and register here. 

International Conference CBRNe Research & Innovation  

From CBRNE: “The last 40 years have demonstrated that both military and civilian populations could be exposed to highly hazardous CBRNE agents following conflicts, natural outbreaks and disasters, industrial incidents or terrorist attacks. Worldwide, researchers, responders and industrial capacities have been commited to provide adapted response to these challenges. The CBRNE Research & Innovation Conference includes workshops and demonstrations of innovative materials, technologies and procedures, according to the following themes: Detection (identification), Protection (decontamination, medical countermeasures), and risk & crisis management.  

This event will take place in Arcachon, France, from May 19 – 21, 2026. Learn more and RSVP here. 

Biotechnology and Resilient Human Systems Workshop 2026 

From the MIT Lincoln Laboratory: “The focus of the 2026 Biotechnology and Resilient Human Systems Workshop will be Preparing for Future Biological Effects. This two-day, in-person event will feature sessions highlighting the dual-use nature of biotechnology, building a resilient biosurveillance system, and developing broad medical countermeasures. The workshop will feature keynote presentations from leaders across the U.S. government highlighting critical national security challenges and opportunities created from advanced biotechnology and will also exhibit state-of-the-art research and innovations from the rapidly expanding biotechnology ecosystem. 

Government and industry leaders, national security experts, UARCs, FFRDCS, national labs, entrepreneurs, and academic innovators will jointly discuss and showcase how to rapidly transition biotechnology-enabled technologies into operational capabilities that effectively address critical national security challenges.” 

This in-person event will take place on June 2-3 in Lexington, MA. Learn more and register here. 

From the Ground Up: Federated Biodefense  

From the Atlantic Council: “The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense at the Atlantic Council will host its latest meeting, surveying federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government roles, responsibilities and resources. 

Non-federal governments serve on the frontlines of biodefense. As the biological threat continues to grow, those officials who tackle this topic on a daily basis require reinforcement. This meeting of the Commission will discuss the impacts of changes in federal support for state, local, tribal, and territorial biodefense activities, as well as the biodefense roles, responsibilities and investments of non-federal governments. The discussions will also touch upon the personnel, policies and programs needed to bolster preparedness for future biological threats.” 

This event will take place on Thursday, June 4 from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET. Further information and registration details to follow.

Public Health Agency of Canada Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Biology and Bioart Summit 2026 

From PHAC: “The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) DIY Biology and Bioart Summit 2026 is the first gathering of Canadian DIY biologists and bioartists organized by PHAC since 2020. This summit will bring together these Canadian bio-innovators with PHAC biosafety and biosecurity experts to provide an opportunity to engage and discuss biosafety and biosecurity challenges and opportunities. The summit will also include a keynote presentation by an international DIY biology expert.” 

This virtual event will be held from June 10 from 10:00 AM – 2:35 PM ET. Learn more and register here. 

GHS 2026

From GHS: “We’re excited to officially announce that the 4th Global Health Security Conference (GHS2026) will be held in Kuala Lumpur on the 9 – 12 June, 2026!”

“Building on the incredible momentum of GHS2024 in Sydney, we look forward to bringing together the global health security community once again – this time in one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant and dynamic cities.”

“Registration and Call for Abstracts are now live!”

Learn more, submit abstracts, and register here.

Biosecurity Simulation Exercise (BSX 2026): Laboratory Incidents & Deliberate Biothreats 

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “This table-top simulation exercise aims to enhance inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary preparedness for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity (LBB) and deliberate biothreat events (DBE). Through lectures, discussions, and structured, scenario-driven exercises, participants will explore decision-making to detect, risk-assess, and manage high-consequence biological incidents under conditions of incomplete information and unfolding events. Participants will collaborate in teams, building on expert perspectives to address issues in surveillance, diagnostics, public health response, security assessment, and risk communication.” 

This in-person event will be held from August 27-28. Learn more and register here. 

INTERPOL Global Biosecurity Conference 2026 – Call for Abstracts  

From INTERPOL: “The 2^nd INTERPOL Global Biosecurity Conference brings together law enforcement and partner agencies, biosecurity experts, and academia from different regions and backgrounds to discuss the latest developments in global biosecurity. We invite biosecurity experts, researchers and scholars to submit an abstract, subject to a selection process, to present your work during the conference. The abstract should cover one of the following topics: global biological threat landscape, indicators and early-warning for biological threats, health and law enforcement coordination, forensics, biosecurity at borders, science and technology innovation, and legal, policy and information-sharing.”  

The call for abstracts is now open, and the applications are due by May 22. Learn more and apply here.  

Bio-attribution Challenge 

From DARPA: “Translate your bio-attribution research into national security impact. In an era of unprecedented biological data generation, the ability to rapidly determine the origin of a biological event — whether natural, accidental, or intentional — is a critical component of national security and public health. To meet the challenge of finding the “needle in a haystack” within this data deluge, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched the Bio-Attribution Challenge. 

This virtual competition calls on innovators to develop a new generation of tools capable of analyzing petabyte-scale datasets in near real-time, far exceeding the capacity of current systems. The goal is to revolutionize how we identify and trace the source of biological sequences, ensuring a faster, more effective response to potential threats. Register for virtual competition to win a share of $180,000 in Prizes.” 

The deadline to register is June 15. Learn more and register here.