Pandora Report 3.21.2025

by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report provides updates on bird flu, measles, the Trump administration’s cuts to NIH and universities’ funding, and more.

Keep the Dream Alive: Schar School Rallies Support on Mason Vision Day—and How You Can Help

When the federal government slims down, the ripple effects reach farther than the halls of Congress. They hit homes, families, and, in some cases, the students working toward careers in policy and governance. 

That’s why this year, Mason Vision Day—George Mason University’s annual 24-hour period of giving—the Schar School of Policy and Government is turning its focus to a lifeline for those hit hardest: the Schar School Student Emergency Assistance Fund. (See the Mason Vision Day Schar School web page for information on how to participate.)

Mason Vision Day is April 3.

“Selecting the Schar School Student Emergency Assistance Fund for Mason Vision Day was an obvious choice,” said Schar School Dean Mark J. Rozell. “This fund was originally established at the start of the pandemic in 2020. With $60,000 raised, more than 50 Schar School students were able to pursue their degrees because of our community’s generosity.” 

Read more about Mason Vision Day and the affects the current administration is having on Schar School students here.

Bird Flu by the Numbers

By Meredith Fletcher, Pandora Report Associate Editor

While California agriculture officials say the bird flu is “slowing down”, cases across the United States continue to rise. According to the latest CDC update, there have been 70 human cases since 2024, 989 infected dairy herds across 17 states and over 90.9 million birds infected, and even more killed to prevent spread. H5N1 has been detected in 336 commercial flocks and 207 backyard flocks in the United States. There have also been dozens of cases reported in cats, and potential contaminations reported across organic cat food companies such as Savage Cat Food. Public Health officials continue to assure Americans that the risk of human to human transmission remains low, and some scientists suggest there may be preexisting immunity, thanks to seasonal flu. Currently, the only continent not to have been affected by the bird flu is Australia. Globally, it has infected more than 528 species of bird. As H5N1 cases continue to rise, the disease has made itself clear that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. However, how bad it will get is still up for debate. 

Further Reading:

Measles Continues to Spread in Texas and Beyond

Texas is on track to be the cause of a national epidemic of measles if the state does not start vaccinating more people, say public health experts. The state has reported more than 200 cases in just 50 days, prompting health officials to predict it could take Texas a year or more to contain the spread. Stephen Simpson writes in The Texas Tribune, “With cases continuously rising and the rest of the country’s unvaccinated population at the outbreak’s mercy, Texas must create stricter quarantine requirements, increase the vaccine rate, and improve contact tracing to address this measles epidemic before it becomes a nationwide problem, warn infectious disease experts and officials in other states.”

The two dose series of the MMR vaccine is 97% effective at preventing infection. Yet multiple affected counties have seen childhood MMR vaccine rates drop in recent years. This is especially problematic as, once a person is infected, only supportive care is available to help them. There is no antiviral medication for this disease, and it can cause severe disease.

Despite this, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to push vitamins, steroids, and cod liver oil as viable treatments for measles. In a sharp rebuke of the HHS Secretary’s inaction on this matter, former US Surgeon General Jerome Adams wrote in an op-ed, “Kennedy’s legacy will be defined not by what he has said in the past but by what he does now. He will be remembered either as the vaccine skeptic who turned vaccine champion or as the man at the helm of HHS when America made measles great again. For the sake of our public health, and our children, we should all hope it’s the former, not the latter.”

Mass Budget Cuts Continue to Cause Immense Damage

Officials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have reportedly urged scientists to remove any and all references to mRNA vaccine technology in their grant applications, potentially signaling the agency will abandon this very promising research area. According to KFF Health News, this technology is being studied at NIH for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases like influenza and AIDS, in addition to other diseases like cancer.

The agency is also struggling in many other areas. Issues quickly arose following the firing of probationary employees who worked in the occupational health and safety division. Furthermore, the administration’s cuts have led to the suspension of training programs at NIH, leaving many future and early career scientists left without funding or clear paths forward. The NIH’s funding programs do not just facilitate life-saving research and the building of future generations of scientists. They also, in FY 2024, supported more than 408,000 jobs and generated more than $94.5 billion in new economic activity.

The administration has also targeted individual universities. For example, Columbia University recently had $400 million in federal grants and contracts cancelled by the administration. This is allegedly in response to the university’s “continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students” and that more cancellations “are expected to follow.” This has left graduate students, postdocs, and others suddenly without research funding and their source of income.

The effects of this are also being felt globally. The World Health Organization issued its strongest warning yet this week about the consequences of the sudden cessation of US global health funding. WHO Director-General Adhanom Ghebreyesus also called on the Trump administration to reconsider its withdrawal of funding from international aid programs. However, barring that possibility, Tedros said the US has a responsibility to manage its withdrawal in such a way that it does not endanger the lives of those dependent on these programs.

Further Reading:

“Rapid National Response to Smallpox Attack in the United States”

Biodefense MS alumnus Zachary Berliner (‘24) recently published the post “Rapid National Response to Smallpox Attack in the United States” on the official blog of the Michigan Journal of Public Affairs. In this analysis, based on a paper he wrote for Dr. Scott Wollek’s “Health Security Preparedness” course, Zachary begins by briefly discussing the history of smallpox eradication and the investigations into the use of the variola virus as a bioweapon. The article then depicts the potential risks of future attacks and outbreaks, outlining the American population’s immunological vulnerability; the dual-use research of concern studies of Jackson et al. (2001), Rosengard et al. (2002), and Noyce et al. (2018); and the American government’s failures to adequately respond to the recent COVID-19 and mpox pandemics. He continues by describing the current structure of the government’s smallpox response and by highlighting its shortcomings.

The post concludes with three major policy reforms. First, “the US government should sign a new, substantial contract with Bavarian Nordic, the [Jynneos] vaccine’s manufacturer” to make Jynneos the primary smallpox vaccine stored in the Strategic National Stockpile. Second, “the CDC should create a Rapid National Reporting Window that local health departments can use to report cases of smallpox and other diseases of bioterrorism risk directly to the CDC.” This Window will reduce bureaucratic gridlock in the pursuit of a federal outbreak response. Finally, Zachary proposes a Rapid National Response that “[resolves] the cooperation and efficiency issues” between SLTT health departments, CDC, ASPR, FEMA, HHS, DHS, and doctors by reducing redundancies. “With the implementation of these proposed policies, the United States government will be better equipped to respond efficiently to a smallpox attack and reduce civilian suffering.”

Along with his Biodefense MS, Zachary also holds an ScM in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is presently looking for policy and analysis opportunities focused on biodefense and health security, and he also has interests in terrorism studies and counterterrorism measures.

The Necessity of Introducing a Korean Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening System

HyunJung “Henry” Kim, Biodefense PhD ’20 and research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy in South Korea, has published a report on the need for Korea to develop a nucleic acid synthesis screening system. Dr. Kim warns that “South Korea’s lack of oversight of nucleic acid synthesis poses a significant risk, particularly in international regulatory and standardization efforts. Falling behind in these developments could undermine the credibility of domestic companies and researchers in global markets, potentially leading to South Korea’s exclusion from the global bioeconomy and biotechnological supply chains.” Kim recommends that Korea develop “National Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening Guidelines” that align with similar policies already in place in the United States and United Kingdom as well as with screening models proposed by NGOs such as the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS).

“Defending Synthetic DNA Orders Against Splitting-Based Obfuscation”

Tayouri et al. recently uploaded this preprint to bioRxiv: “Biosecurity screening of synthetic DNA orders is a key defense against malicious actors and careless enthusiasts producing dangerous pathogens or toxins. It is important to evaluate biosecurity screening tools for potential vulnerabilities and to work responsibly with providers to ensure that vulnerabilities can be patched before being publicly disclosed. Here, we consider a class of potential vulnerabilities in which a DNA sequence is obfuscated by splitting it into two or more fragments that can be readily joined via routine biological mechanisms such as restriction enzyme digestion or splicing. We evaluated this potential vulnerability by developing a test set of obfuscated sequences based on controlled venoms, sharing these materials with the biosecurity screening community, and collecting test results from open source and commercial biosecurity screening tools, as well as a novel Gene Edit Distance algorithm specifically designed to be robust against splitting-based obfuscations.”

“Biosecurity Community Divided Over Best Ways to Mitigate Risks”

Anemone Franz recently authored this article for The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, writing in part, “The field of biosecurity encompasses a wide range of threats that require coordinated efforts across disciplines and geographic borders. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the immense risks posed by biological agents and the urgency of preparing for future biological threats. While there is broad agreement on the need to address these challenges, significant disagreements remain on the best approaches to prevent and mitigate biosecurity risks.”

“To better understand the full spectrum of views within the field, my colleague Tessa Alexanian and I conducted interviews with leading experts in the biosecurity community who were granted anonymity so they could be candid in their remarks. These conversations involved 15 experts, ranging from policymakers to researchers across both public and private sectors. They revealed a common understanding of the necessity for comprehensive, interdisciplinary strategies to tackle biosecurity risks, but they also highlighted key points of contention on critical issues, including the role of artificial intelligence in exacerbating biological threats, the handling of information hazards, and the effectiveness of medical countermeasures in catastrophic scenarios.”

“Improving Biosecurity with A Three-legged Stool Approach”

Lauren Maynor recently authored this post for NTI|bio, writing in part “The use of AI makes it easier to manipulate biology to achieve a desired end-state in a shorter amount of time as compared to the traditional experimental process. For example, AI-enabled capabilities can allow scientists to develop targeted medical countermeasures to more effectively prevent or treat disease. These tools are already being applied in pandemic preparedness to help researchers predict how a virus will evolve to create more protective vaccines. However, a malicious actor could abuse these same capabilities, using them to alter a pathogen to evade available countermeasures, or to make pathogens more virulent or more transmissible among people. Without guardrails, AI-enabled tools could make it easier to deliberately misuse biological knowledge, tools, and techniques, and the consequences could be catastrophic.”

“The Age of AI in the Life Sciences”

From NASEM: “Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the life sciences have the potential to enable advances in biological discovery and design at a faster pace and efficiency than is possible with classical experimental approaches alone. At the same time, AI-enabled biological tools developed for beneficial applications could potentially be misused for harmful purposes. Although the creation of biological weapons is not a new concept or risk, the potential for AI-enabled biological tools to affect this risk has raised concerns during the past decade.”

“This report, as requested by the Department of Defense, assesses how AI-enabled biological tools could uniquely impact biosecurity risk, and how advancements in such tools could also be used to mitigate these risks. The Age of AI in the Life Sciences reviews the capabilities of AI-enabled biological tools and can be used in conjunction with the 2018 National Academies report, Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology, which sets out a framework for identifying the different risk factors associated with synthetic biology capabilities.”

“Commemoration of the 1988 Halabja Chemical Weapons Attack”

This statement was made by OPCW Director-General, Fernando Arias on the anniversary of the 1998 CW attack in Halabja, Iraq. Read the statement here.

ICYMI: How Can Science Fiction Help Design Better Science and Tech Policies?

“Careless algorithms, disaster refugees, computer girlfriends: many predicaments of our time came to life in science fiction long before they became science reality. Fiction can be a tool to explore the consequences of technological change more fully; as Ed Finn writes in Issues, “Good science fiction does not dream up just the automobile, but also the traffic jam.” Putting the future in context—in its own imagined world—forces writers to grapple with questions and consequences that could otherwise easily be glossed over (and often are).”

“How can we use fiction to fix our current “traffic jams”? Issues is partnering with Arizona State University’s Center for Science and the Imagination on Future Tense Fiction, a speculative fiction project that uses imagination to examine how science, technology, policy, and society might shape our futures.”

Watch the event recording here.

NEW: Building Trust in the H5N1 Response: Perspectives from the Field

From NASEM: “Avian influenza is a growing threat to both human and animal health. In March 2024, avian influenza (H5N1) was detected for the first time ever in dairy cattle. The ongoing H5N1 outbreak in the United States has impacted livestock, diminished livestock production, decimated wildlife, and resulted in human infections. The potential for viral mutation and transmission poses a continued threat to human health. Despite the urgency of this evolving situation, response has been hindered by a lack of trust among key stakeholders. Varying policies at national, state, and local levels have led to challenges in mitigation efforts. Following a National Academies workshop on potential research priorities to inform the H5N1 response, the National Academies Forum on Microbial Threats will host a webinar in which agriculture producers and workforce health specialists will discuss their perspectives on steps that would build greater trust between producers and health officials to enable a more coordinated One Health response.”

“The Forum invites individuals who have been involved in response to the ongoing North American H5N1 outbreak to share their experiences and perspectives on building trust between agriculture producers and public health officials. Comments may be used to develop discussion questions and identify key topics of discussion for the webinar.”

This event will be livestreamed on March 27 at 2 pm ET. Access the stream and learn more here, and submit comments by March 27 here.

NEW: Advancing Biotechnology for a Secure Tomorrow

On April 24, MITRE and the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) will host a conference that will explore the economic and national security implications of emerging biotechnologies. Join us to discuss the NSCEB’s final report and recommendations followed by a series of in-depth discussions on the promotion and protection of the US bioeconomy. Register now!

NEW: International Symposium on Transboundary and Emerging Zoonotic Diseases  

“The International Symposium on Transboundary and Emerging Zoonotic Diseases is designed to showcase many aspects of the partner institutions’ findings, to serve as a forum for scientists far and wide to present their own findings, and to interact and network extensively with partners. In addition, keynote speakers, each a well-recognized leader in a specific aspect of transboundary or emerging diseases, will present on topics to help guide the overall discussions. Abstracts are welcome for both oral and poster presentations.”

This symposium will take place April 28-30 in Manhattan, Kansas. Learn more and register here by April 4.

NEW: International Pandemic Sciences Conference

“Representatives from academia, industry, civil society and policy are invited to gather in Oxford, UK, and online from 30 June – 1 July 2025 for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025.”

“This year’s conference theme, Getting Ahead of the Curve, will explore how we can work together to predict, identify and control epidemic and pandemic threats globally. ”

“Over two days of plenary, parallel and networking sessions, stakeholders from different sectors and communities will have the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on prediction, early detection and control of pandemic threats. ”

“The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2025 is hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.”

Learn more, register, and submit abstracts here.

Building Trust in the H5N1 Response: Perspectives from the Field

From NASEM: “Since avian influenza (H5N1) was first detected in dairy cattle in March 2024, H5N1 has resulted in human infections, diminished livestock production, and decimated wildlife populations. Uncoordinated policies at the national, state, and local levels have challenged mitigation efforts, and mistrust has hindered the urgent response needed for the rapidly evolving threat. The National Academies Forum on Microbial Threats will host a public webinar on March 27 where agricultural producers and workforce health specialists will explore strategies to build greater mutual trust and a coordinated One Health response.”

This webinar will take place on March 27 at 2 pm ET. Register here.

Five Years After COVID-19: Is Texas Better Prepared for the Next Public Health Crisis?

From the Texas Tribune: “Texas entered the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago already at a disadvantage, with an unhealthy and uninsured population, an underfunded public health system and workforce shortages spread across the health care system. While some hoped the pandemic might force improvements, all of these long-standing issues remain, or are worse, than before.”

“Today, Texas’ spending on public health funding is worse than before the pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy is surging. Local health authorities have fewer tools to protect their constituencies. Growing distrust of science, expertise and authority have unraveled the hard-earned lessons from COVID.”

“Faced with the newest bird flu strain and the resurrection of the once-eradicated measles disease, can the state and local leaders change the enduring legacy of COVID-19 before the next pandemic ravages the state?”

This event will take place on April 2 at 11:30 am CDT. Register here.

NACCHO Preparedness Summit-Pathway to Recovery in the Aftermath of Disasters

From NACCHO: “The Preparedness Summit is the place for you to reenergize while gaining the knowledge, resources, and relationships necessary to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. Join more than 2,500 attendees—who work in all levels of the government (federal, state, and local), emergency management, volunteer organizations, healthcare coalitions, and academia—to share best practices, build partnerships, advance your skillset, and take away innovative solutions and practical strategies to address the vulnerabilities in our country’s health security system.”

This year’s summit will take place April 29-May 2 in San Antonio. Learn more and register here.

Astrobiodefense: Biological Threats and the Next Frontier

From the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense: “This Commission meeting, Astrobiodefense: Biological Threats and the Next Frontier, will be held on May 8, 2025. The focus of this meeting will be to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of how to strengthen international astrobiodefense and planetary protection efforts through: (1) current government astrobiodefense efforts; (2) new scientific and technological advances for astrobiodefense; and (3) collaborative efforts and public-private partnerships to improve astrobiodefense. More information will be provided as the event date approaches.”

This event will take place on May 8 from 10 am-3:40 pm ET in Washington, DC. Register here.

SBA.4 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

From SynBio Africa: “The SBA 4.0 conference will serve as a platform for fostering connections among industry, academia, community groups, and policymakers. It will showcase innovative applications of synthetic biology and AI, and highlight ongoing efforts in biomathematics, biomanufacturing, one-health, biosafety and biosecurity. It will also facilitate networking and information exchange. Key focus areas include tackling agriculture, health, environmental management, and industry challenges. In Africa, synthetic biology is poised to drive the national development agenda by promoting a sustainable bioeconomy, supporting health and agricultural systems, and aiding environmental conservation and restoration. This event will provide a vital opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and strategize the integration of synthetic biology innovations, address policy, legal frameworks, and communicate the benefits of the technology.”

This conference will take place July 23-25 in Kigali. Learn more and register here.

NEW: Ninth Annual Next Generation for Biosecurity Competition Open for Applications

From NTI|bio: “The Ninth Annual Next Generation for Biosecurity Competition is now open. NTI | bio hosts this competition to provide a platform for the next generation of global leaders in biosecurity to develop original concepts and share them with the wider biosecurity community. This year’s co-sponsors include 80,000 Hours, CBWNet, the iGEM Foundation, the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS), the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), and Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation.”

“This year, the competition invites innovative and creative papers focused on how to define “biological weapons,” given the ever-evolving biothreat landscape. The full prompt is provided below.”

Learn more here.

NEW: Blueprint Biosecurity Hiring

Blueprint Biosecurity, a non-profit, is hiring a Government Affairs Director and Project AIR Program Director. Both positions are based in Washington, DC. Read more about Blueprint Biosecurity’s work and the challenges this organization is tackling here. Apply by April 6.

Call for Experts-Mirror Image Biology: Pushing the Envelope in Designing Biological Systems – A Workshop
From NASEM: “Most biological molecules are chiral entities where their mirror images have different structures and functional characteristics. Scientists have begun synthesizing left-handed DNA and RNA and creating proteins that can write left-handed nucleic acids. This, and other related research, is described as “mirror biology” and includes research toward creating mirror-image self-replicating living systems. The National Academies will host a foundational workshop on mirror biology, focusing on the state of the science, trends in research and development, risks and benefits of this research, and considerations relating for future governance of relevant enabling technologies.”

“We invite you to submit suggestions for experts to participate in this activity. The call for experts closes on March 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM EDT.“

Submit recommendations here.

Apply for the 2025 Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship

“The global norm against biological weapons cannot be maintained without the inclusion of youth voices in the multilateral discussions taking place in the framework of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Youth perspectives are key to create innovative solutions and generate long-term engagement. There are benefits to including the perspectives of young people from developing countries, where over 90% of the world’s youth reside.”

“Organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs in Geneva, in partnership with key international actors that empower youth in science diplomacy and global biosecurity, the Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship provides a unique learning and networking experience in the framework of the Biological Weapons Convention.”

“Launched in 2019 as a Biosecurity Diplomacy Workshop, the Youth for Biosecurity Initiative organized its first fellowship in 2023. For the third edition, the fellowship will provide the opportunity for 20 competitively selected young scientists from the Global South to join an online interactive training programme prior to a field visit during the meeting of the BWC Working Group on the Strengthening of the Convention in Geneva.”

Learn more and apply by April 7 here.

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.

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