Happy Valentine’s Day from the Pandora Report! This week’s edition covers a recent OPCW delegation visit to Syria, a Russian drone attack that damaged the sarcophagus over Chornobyl’s damaged reactor, RFK Jr.’s confirmation as HHS Secretary, and much more.
Biodefense MS Information Session
“Prospective students are invited to attend a information session to hear more about the Biodefense M.S. program offered at the Schar School. The online session will provide an overview of the program, as well as the application process, student experience and graduate outcomes. This session admissions will be led by the Graduate Admissions team.”
This sessions will take place at 12 pm EDT on March 27. Learn more and register here.
OPCW Director-General Visits Syria
Last week, the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Amb. Fernando Arias, traveled to Damascus with a high-level delegation from the OPCW to meet with interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and caretaker Foreign Minister Assad Hassan al-Shaibani. According to a statement from OPCW, “The meetings were long, productive and very open, with an in-depth exchange of information, which will serve as a basis to reach tangible results and break the stalemate that has lasted for over eleven years.”
“The visit marked a first step towards re-establishing a direct working relationship between the OPCW Technical Secretariat and Syria, following eleven years of stagnation and lack of progress with the former authorities. In their meeting, both sides discussed Syria’s obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the role and mandate of the OPCW, and the type of support the Technical Secretariat can provide to the Syrian caretaker authorities in eliminating the remnants of Syria’s chemical weapons programme.”
Russian Drone Attack Damages Chornobyl Sarcophagus
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this morning that a Russian drone attack hit the radiation shield that protects Chornobyl’s damaged nuclear reactor. Ukraine and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have both said that radiation levels remain normal in the area. Russia has denied its role in this attack, with a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation accusing Zelensky of orchestrating the attack to coincide with the Munich Security Conference.
In February of 2022, Ukraine alerted the IAEA that Russian forces had taken control of all facilities at the nuclear power plant in Chornobyl, prompting concerns about radiation exposure. Control of the plant was eventually returned to Ukrainian personnel in late March of that year. Since January of 2023, the IAEA has maintained a permanent presence at all Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
RFK Jr. Confirmed as HHS Secretary, White House Establishes MAHA Commission
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been confirmed by the Senate to serve as the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, putting an anti-vaccine activist lawyer with no relevant experience in charge of the nation’s federal health agencies and their nearly $2 trillion combined budget. Kennedy was confirmed in a 52-48 vote, with Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former Senate Majority and Minority Leader and childhood polio survivor, being the only Republican to break party lines and vote against his confirmation.
Following his confirmation, Kennedy appeared on Fox News to outline his priorities. While on Laura Ingraham’s show, Kennedy claimed that the US is “the sickest country in the world,” while saying that the US faces not just a health crisis but also a “spiritual crisis.” In response to a clip of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticizing Kennedy’s lack of qualifications, he said “The qualifications that Senator Schumer is talking about there, are the very qualifications that got us to where we are today. We do need a break. We need somebody different who can come in and say, ‘I’m going to be a disruptor. I’m not going to let the food industry and the pharmaceutical industry run health policy anymore.’”
Shortly after the confirmation, President Trump issued yet another executive order, this time establishing the “President’s Make American Healthy Again Commission.” This commission will be chaired by the Secretary of HHS, with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy as its executive director. Members of the commission will include the Secretaries of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Education, and Veterans Affairs, the EPA Administrator, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, the Director of the National Economic Council, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, the Directors of the CDC and NIH, and other members invited by the chair and executive director.
The order says in part, “To fully address the growing health crisis in America, we must re-direct our national focus, in the public and private sectors, toward understanding and drastically lowering chronic disease rates and ending childhood chronic disease. This includes fresh thinking on nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, over-reliance on medication and treatments, the effects of new technological habits, environmental impacts, and food and drug quality and safety. We must restore the integrity of the scientific process by protecting expert recommendations from inappropriate influence and increasing transparency regarding existing data. We must ensure our healthcare system promotes health rather than just managing disease.”
Further Reading:
- “RFK Jr. is Now in Charge of HHS. And Public Health is at Risk,” Jessica Knurick, Jessica’s Substack
- “When ‘Just Asking Questions’ About Science Turns Into 300,000 Dead,” Gregg Gonsalves, The New York Times
- “Behind Kennedy’s Vow to ‘Follow the Science’ on Vaccines,” Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Christina Jewett, The New York Times
Chaos Continues Across the Federal Government
White House Fires USAID IG After Warning About Funding Oversight
The White House fired the inspector general for USAID on Tuesday, according to officials, after the IG warned that the administration’s dismantling of the agency made it essentially impossible to monitor $8.2 billion in unspent funds. In an advisory notice released by the IG’s office on Monday, officials wrote, “In this alert, we identify risks and challenges to the safeguarding and distribution of USAID’s $8.2 billion in obligated but undisbursed humanitarian assistance funds following (1) the Department of State’s pause on foreign assistance programs and (2) subsequent personnel actions by USAID that have substantially reduced the operational capacity of its Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).”
Federal Judge Orders Restoration of Federal Health Agencies’ Websites and Datasets
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order in response to a lawsuit filed by Doctors for America against the federal government following the abrupt takedowns of federal health agencies’ websites and data sets late last month. The judge, Judge John Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is a George W. Bush appointee who emphasized that the loss of these resources jeopardized the work of clinicians and public health. Bates wrote in his opinion, “It bears emphasizing who ultimately bears the harm of defendants’ actions: everyday Americans, and most acutely, underprivileged Americans, seeking healthcare.”
According to NPR, “The pages that are now set to be revived include information for patients about HIV testing and HIV prevention medication, guidance on contraceptives, datasets that show vulnerability to natural disasters and emergencies, and an action plan for improving enrollment of underrepresented populations in clinical trials.”
Despite this ruling and the subsequent restoration of sites and datasets, it is still unclear how much has been altered on them. However, many pages and datasets have been added to the Internet Archive, including this upload of all CDC datasets uploaded before January 28, 2025.
Federal Judge Halts Trump Cuts to NIH Research Payments in 22 States
District Court Judge Angel Kelley of the U.S. District of Massachusetts granted a temporary restraining order that blocks the Trump administration’s cuts to NIH funding after 22 states filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s order. The lawsuit was filed on Monday, seeking to block a change that would cut NIH payments to universities, medical centers, and researchers studying things like cancer, rare diseases, and other health issues. A hearing has been set for February 21.
The Freeze on Foreign Aid Has Officially Killed People
A 71-year-old woman named Pe Kha Lau died after her oxygen supply was cut off by the US freeze on foreign aid. She was a refugee from Myanmar living in a displacement camp in Thailand, and she is thought to be one of the first people to have died as a direct consequence of this funding freeze. She was discharged from a USAID-funded healthcare facility that was operated by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) four days before her death following a stop-work order.
The Thai government is trying to make up for the loss of IRC care in its nine refugee camps near the country’s border with Myanmar, with most critical condition patients having been transferred to Thai hospitals. Locals are reported to be “self-mobilizing” to try and offer what they can to these people in the sudden absence of US-funded care.
Furthermore, the stop-work order on all USAID-funded research has left many of people participating in research studies around the world in precarious situations. Thousands have been left with experimental drugs and devices in their bodies with a sudden lack of access to monitoring or care. This includes Asanda Zondi, a woman in South Africa who was a participant in a research study evaluating a new device to prevent pregnancy and HIV infection. As a result of the stop-worker order, Zondi was left with the device inserted into her vagina that needed to be removed immediately, but staff at the clinic were not allowed to help study participants remove the devices. Fortunately, some decided to help anyway.
The stop-work order is damaging not just because of its immediate impacts, but because of the harm it will cause to trust it took many years to build with the people and communities participating in studies. This is especially true in South Africa, where years of white rule under apartheid meant medical experiments were inappropriately conducted on Black South Africans.
Further Reading:
- “To Alarm of Scientists, Federal Health Data is Disappearing,” Margaret Manto, Undark
- “Morale Plummets at the CDC As Staff Fear Job Losses,” Pien Huang and Will Stone, NPR
- “Revised and Extended: What’s Happening Inside the NIH and NSF,” Derek Lower, Science News
- “‘What Elon Musk Said Is a Bold-Faced Lie,'” Michael Hirsh, Politico
- “USAID and CDC Halt of Support to Global Polio Eradication Threatens Worldwide Campaign,” Elaine Ruth Fletcher, Health Policy Watch
- “The USAID “Lifesaving” Waiver Is a Mirage Without Sufficient Staffing,” Prashant Yadav, Think Global Health
- “US Aid Freeze Could Set Back Africa’s Fight Against HIV by Years, Researchers Warn,” Ben Farmer, The Telegraph
- “A “Defining Moment” for Global Health Funding,” Allison Krugman, Think Global Health
- “U.S. Exit from WHO: Potential Impacts for Smallpox Virus Biosafety,” Daniel R. Lucey, Infectious Diseases Society of America
- “Trump’s W.H.O. Exit Throw Smallpox Defenses Into Upheaval,” William J. Broad, The New York Times
- “The Need for Course Correction: The Risks of Treating Drug Cartels as Terrorist Threats,” Donell Harvin, Just Security
Louisiana Department of Health Says It Will Stop Promoting “Mass Vaccination”
An internal memo sent within Louisiana’s Department of Health yesterday explained that the organization will no longer use media campaigns or health fairs to promote vaccination against preventable diseases. The memo was authored by Ralph L. Abraham, the Surgeon General of Louisiana and a former Republican member of Congress who holds both a DVM and an MD. Abraham said in the memo that his state would “encourage each patient to discuss the risks and benefits of vaccination with their provider,” but it will “no longer promote mass vaccination.”
Abraham later wrote, “Vaccines should be treated with nuance, recognizing differences between seasonal vaccines and childhood immunizations, which are an important part of providing immunity to our children.”
New Orleans, the state’s largest city, quickly showed it will not follow the state’s lead. Jennifer Avegno, the Director of the New Orleans Health Department, said in an email “We will continue to strongly promote childhood and seasonal vaccination, and expand our efforts locally to fill any gaps left by the state’s new direction.”
Louisiana is currently experiencing a surge in influenza cases, and it borders Texas, which is currently battling a measles outbreak, and Mississippi, where multiple schools have been forced to close due to the spread of an unspecified illness.
Further Reading:
- “As Measles Cases Rise, a New Book Warns Parents Not to Underestimate the Disease,” Maria Godoy, NPR
Bird Flu: 02.13 Egg Knapper
By Meredith Fletcher, Pandora Report Associate Editor
The bird flu continues to mutate, as Americans notice the rising cost of eggs. This has led to drastic measures as police are reporting a rise in egg thieves. Last week hundreds of eggs were stolen from a café in Seattle, coming just a few days after 100,000 organic eggs were reported stolen from a Pennsylvania distribution trailer. Ohio has reported its first human case of H5N1 in a Mercer County farmer. Ohio public health officials say the farmer was exposed due to dead poultry and contracted the virus. Ohio is currently the leader in bird flu cases, with 50 flocks impacted over the last 30 days. Human cases have risen as well, now reporting 68 across 11 states. Public Health officials assure the public the human-human risk is low, however experts at Johns Hopkins are saying the bird flu is steps away from mutating to affect humans. The combination of rising egg prices, mutating strains and communication freeze from authorities are causing many Americans to scramble and wonder if this is the next rising pandemic.
“Tulsi Gabbard as US Intelligence Chief Would Undermine Efforts Against the Spread of Chemical and Biological Weapons”
Gregory D. Koblentz, Director of George Mason’s Biodefense Graduate Program, published this article in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists ahead of Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation to be the Director of National Intelligence. In it, he discusses Gabbard’s longstanding history of parroting Russian propaganda talking points, unfounded claims about Syria’s use of chemical weapons, and conspiracy theories all in efforts to undermine the quality of the community she now leads. He writes at the end of the article, “During her confirmation hearing, Gabbard committed to “checking my own views at the door” and providing intelligence “that is collected, analyzed, and reported without bias, prejudice, or political influence.” Gabbard, however, has demonstrated a clear pattern of denying chemical threats posed by hostile states and inventing biological threats from our allies. Her bias in favor of the regimes of Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as her prejudice against the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the US intelligence community are clear. Her judgment on the risks presented by chemical and biological weapons cannot be trusted. This is particularly concerning since the annual threat assessment released by the current director of national intelligence in February 2024 highlighted the growing threat posed by these weapons.”
“Based on this track record, it is difficult to see how Gabbard can be relied upon to provide the quality of intelligence and national security advice needed by the commander in chief during these perilous times. For the Senate to confirm Gabbard would be national security malpractice.”
“Is There a Biological Weapons Taboo, and Does It Matter?”
Glenn A. Cross, an alumnus of the Biodefense PhD Program, recently published this review of Michelle Bentley’s book, The Biological Weapons Taboo, in The Nonproliferation Review.
“Biosafety Approaches: Applying the LOPA Method to High Containment Facilities”
Andrian Harsono, Ryan Waters, Jason Tearle, and Graeme Harkess recently published this article in Nature: “The Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) method is a semi-quantitative risk assessment tool that is used to determine the ability of safeguards to protect against unplanned hazardous scenarios. One possible outcome of a LOPA is that existing and proposed safeguards are deemed sufficient to reduce the risk associated with the hazardous scenario to a level that can be deemed as acceptable. Alternatively, the LOPA may also show that the safeguards are insufficient and therefore additional Safety Instrumented Function(s) (SIF) would be required to reduce risk to an acceptable level. In the latter case, the LOPA method will inform the end user as to the reliability requirements of the safety function in question. The LOPA method has been used extensively in the process industries (e.g., oil and gas) as a useful tool to manage and understand risk and to demonstrate if the facility is ‘safe’ to operate, but much less so in the biosafety sector. This paper describes the LOPA method and provides some practical examples of how it may be applied in microbiological high Containment Level (CL) facilities.”
“Global Epidemiology of Outbreaks of Unknown Cause Identified by Open-Source Intelligence, 2020–2022”
Honeyman et al. recently published this article in Emerging Infectious Diseases: “Epidemic surveillance using traditional approaches is dependent on case ascertainment and is delayed. Open-source intelligence (OSINT)–based syndromic surveillance can overcome limitations of delayed surveillance and poor case ascertainment, providing early warnings to guide outbreak response. It can identify outbreaks of unknown cause for which no other global surveillance exists. Using the artificial intelligence–based OSINT early warning system EPIWATCH, we describe the global epidemiology of 310 outbreaks of unknown cause that occurred December 31, 2019–January 1, 2023. The outbreaks were associated with 75,968 reported human cases and 4,235 deaths. We identified where OSINT signaled outbreaks earlier than official sources and before diagnoses were made. We identified possible signals of known disease outbreaks with poor case ascertainment. A cause was subsequently reported for only 14% of outbreaks analyzed; the percentage was substantially lower in lower/upper-middle–income economies than high-income economies, highlighting the utility of OSINT-based syndromic surveillance for early warnings, particularly in resource-poor settings.”
“Exploring Blood-Based Biosurveillance, Part 3: The Blood Virome”
Harmon Bhasin, Michael McLaren, and Lennart Justen recently published this post with the Nucleic Acid Observatory: “This is the third post in a series of blogs exploring blood-based biosurveillance for novel pathogen detection as part of the NAO’s effort to evaluate different biosurveillance approaches. We once again thank our colleagues at the NAO, particularly Jeff Kaufman and Will Bradshaw, for their valuable feedback.”
“The Private Sector’s Role in Advancing Global Health Security”
Sara Kaufman recently authored this blog post for NTI’s Risky Business blog, writing in part “Emerging biological risks have the potential to significantly impact business opportunities locally and globally. The private sector can play an important role in strengthening global health security and mitigating biological risks.”
“The continued spread of H5N1 flu virus is raising significant concerns within the public health community. This growing public health threat also poses considerable risks to supply chains, agricultural production, business operations, and food prices. And this is just one example. Biological risks – whether natural, intentional, or accidental in origin – are capable of grinding private enterprise to a halt.”
“In the years ahead, there are key opportunities that the private sector can take to prevent, prepare for, and reduce biological threats.”
Introducing INTERFACE
From the Harvard Sussex Program: “Welcome to the first issue of INTERFACE, a newsletter focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and chemical and biological weapons (CBW). This initiative was inspired by discussions with colleagues and insights gathered at various events, reflecting a shared desire for a clearer perspective on the growing discourse around AI in our field.”
“If you would like to to receive future updates of INTERFACE, you can sign up here.”
“DeepSeek Offers Bioweapon, Self-Harm Information”
This article from The Wall Street Journal discusses the popular Chinese AI app, DeepSeek, and some of the more disturbing answers it shares with users: “Instructions to modify bird flu. A manifesto in defense of Hitler. A social-media campaign to promote cutting and self-harm among teens. ..Those are some of the potentially hazardous things it’s easier to get the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek to talk about compared with its leading American competitors, according to testing by AI safety experts and The Wall Street Journal.”
What We’re Listening To 🎧
With public health agencies and the information they provide now being restricted in the United States, here are some resources that create new content very frequently on relevant topics:
Public Health On Call
“The Public Health On Call podcast makes important public health topics accessible to all through quick, informative conversations. Hosts tackle complex topics through engaging interviews and real-world perspectives.”
“Our ever-growing list of guests have included researchers, public health commissioners, elected leaders, patients, clergy, ethicists, front line clinicians, and even former health officials who were fired for doing their jobs.”
“Since launching in March 2020 with the purpose of sharing credible expertise and debunking misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, Public Health On Call has covered a range of topics, including other viral outbreaks, reproductive health, gun violence prevention, international humanitarian crises, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, health equity, racial and environmental justice, the opioid crisis, and so much more. In 2023, the show’s success was chronicled in The Journal of Health Security.“
The American Medical Association YouTube Channel
The American Medical Association also provides frequent updates and presentations on its YouTube channel. Recent videos have focused on IPC in different clinical settings, updates on tuberculosis, Ebola, and H5N9, H5N1, and the role of stigmatizing language in credentialing applications.
NEW: How North Korea Managed the Covid-19 Pandemic
From 38 North: “Join NCNK, the Council of Korean Americans, 38 North, the United States Institute of Peace, the Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, and Children of Korea for the second installment of a four-part webinar series on health in North Korea.”
This event will take place on February 18 at 9 am ET. Register here.
NEW: UKHSA Presents: mSCAPE Genomics
From UKHSA: “UKHSA Presents is a webinar series which will give our stakeholders an insight into the organisation’s work on how the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prevents, prepares for and responds to infectious diseases and environmental hazards to keep all our communities safe.”
“On Wednesday 19th February 2025, 11am-12pm, we will be hosting our third UKHSA Presents webinar which will explore UKHSA’s groundbreaking work in the use of pathogen genomics to improve health security. ”
“In January, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) launched a world-first metagenomics initiative to aid in the rapid detection of infectious diseases that could threaten the UK. The metagenomics Surveillance Collaboration and Analysis Programme (mSCAPE), which has been in development over the last year, is piloting the use of metagenomic data for public health surveillance and pathogen analysis. The programme will allow for assessment of the ability to significantly improve identification of new outbreaks as well as enabling the source of an outbreak to be better understood, predictions to be made about the effectiveness of potential treatments, and any concerning mutations can be identified. ”
“The programme is a collaborative initiative, led by UKHSA and involving a consortium of NHS and academic partners including the University of Birmingham, University of Edinburgh, and the NHS Clinical Respiratory Metagenomics Network led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.”
“At this webinar, attendees will hear from Professor Susan Hopkins (Chief Medical Adviser, UKHSA), Dr Meera Chand (Deputy Director, TB, Acute Respiratory Infections, Zoonoses, Emerging Infections and Travel Health, UKHSA) and Professor Nicholas Loman (Professor of Microbial Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of Birmingham). The speakers will talk more about the development of the programme, its application and the positive impact it will have on preventing, diagnosing and treating illness.”
Learn more and register here.
Hubs of Illicit Trade in the Global Economy Book Discussion
From the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC): “This book, authored by a global team of researchers and experts, the Hubs of Illicit Trade (HIT) team, examines how centers of illicit trade pose myriad threats to global security and sustainable development.”
“The exponential growth of illicit trade, resulting in annual losses amounting to trillions of dollars for the global economy, is increasingly concentrated within specific geographic areas. These locales serve as safe havens for smugglers and their accomplices, fostering a criminal ecosystem that facilitates the convergence of various criminal activities. The book underscores the detrimental impact of these hubs, characterized by opaque governance and lax regulatory oversight. It explores the spectrum of illicit trade present in notorious hubs such as the Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay Tri-Border Area, Dubai, Panama, Belize, Guatemala, and Ukraine. Emphasizing the phenomenon of crime convergence associated with these hubs, the book offers actionable recommendations for disrupting their interconnected illicit supply chains, infrastructures, and networks.”
This hybrid event will take place on February 19 from 12-2 pm EST at George Mason’s Arlington campus. Learn more and RSVP here.
Cyberbiosecurity Summit
From Johns Hopkins APL and Bio-ISAC: “Advancements in biomanufacturing and biotechnology drive the science we need to thrive, everything from apples to vaccines. The Cyberbiosecurity Summit 2025 convenes leading experts in biotechnology, biosecurity, and cybersecurity to explore the intersection of these fields and discuss the strategies to create a safe, secure future for us all.”
This event will take place February 25-26 in Laurel, MD. Register here and review the call for sessions here (closes 12/12).
Sustainable Manufacturing: Building and Preserving a Resilient Medical Industrial Base
“Join industry and government partners for our second annual industry summit! During this event, leaders from IBMSC will share our strategic vision and organizational priorities. Speakers will also share potential opportunities for building and preserving the medical industrial base. This event will be in-person only and space is limited!”
This event will take place March 11-12 in Washington, DC. Learn more and register here.
Gaming Weapons of Mass Destruction Course – From Policy to Practice
From MORS: “Gaming Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD – defined as Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological agents) will be a three-day course focused on developing and executing games related to WMD in all its forms. While the basics of WMD capabilities and game design will be discussed, this will be a course focused on the intersection of WMD and gaming. It will not be either a WMD or gaming course; for those topics see other offerings.”
“No prior experience is required for this course, though a basic familiarity with various agents and their effects would be helpful, as would a basic understanding of professional gaming and how it is used. The instructors will adapt in real time to class requirements (e.g., if the class is interested in animal and plant targets, the instructors have extensive experience in designing games on those subjects as well).”
This course will take place March 18-20 on Zoom. Learn more and register here.
NEW: NOFO, Addressing Agricultural Biorisk Evidence Base Gaps with Applied Research
“There is a global recognition that the current evidence base to inform laboratory biological risk management has gaps, and that biosafety and biosecurity policies are not always based on evidence.1 This notice of funding will support the design and implementation of applied biorisk research to address evidence gaps in working with high-consequence veterinary and agricultural pathogens as identified during the RAV3N Biorisk and Biosafety Gap Assessment Workshop2 or similar gap analysis like the WOAH working group agent specific biorisk gap analysis.1 ERGP is seeking proposals that address one or more key focus area components listed below. Each proposal will go through an internal ERGP and external expert review. Successful proposals should address at least one of the three key focus areas and at least one component under that area.”
“This funding opportunity aims at the design and implementation of applied biorisk research to address evidence gaps in working with high-consequence veterinary and agricultural pathogens.”
“This work will contribute to recommended guidance on laboratory biosafety and agricultural biosecurity, using research techniques to evaluate the application and effectiveness in operational contexts. All proposals must make a clear experimental plan for how the applicant will test the application and outcomes of their focus area(s)/component(s) in their facility.”
Learn more and submit application by April 14 here.
Research Opportunity, The Gene Synthesis Regulatory Landscape in Asia: Towards Enhanced Biosecurity
From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “DNA synthesis technology is revolutionising our ability to engineer biological systems, offering transformative benefits in areas like vaccine development and sustainable energy. However, it also presents significant risks, particularly the potential misuse of synthetic DNA to create harmful pathogens, raising concerns within the biosecurity community.”
“To minimise biosecurity concerns related to DNA synthesis, some governments and industry groups have adopted policies requiring or encouraging providers to screen DNA synthesis orders. However, there seems to be less comprehensive regulation and oversight of DNA synthesis activities across many Asian countries”
“The Asia Centre for Health Security (ACHS) is leading a study to map the policy and regulatory landscape of DNA synthesis screening across the region. Our research aims to identify gaps and opportunities in existing frameworks and provide actionable recommendations to support the revision of existing laws and policies and/or or the development of new policies for regulating DNA synthesis screening in Asia.”
“Case Study Researchers for a Research Project on DNA Synthesis Screening in Asia”
“We are seeking experienced researchers to contribute to this research project by developing country-specific case studies on the regulation of DNA synthesis screening across Asia. Learn more about the opportunity here.”
The Pandora Report 