This week’s Pandora Report includes a new opportunity to learn about GMU’s Biodefense MS program, the publication of a new PRC whitepaper on COVID-19 origins, discussion of the second Trump administration’s first 100 days and its impact on public health, and 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 session will take place on Tuesday, May 20 at 12 pm EDT. Register here.
Strengthening Global Accountability for Chemical Weapons Use
The German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF) has published a new report, “Investigating and penalizing chemical weapons use. Global security governance and compliance with multilateral disarmament treaties” by Alexander Kelle and Oliver Meier. The report seeks to answer the qeustion: What enables the accountability network in the chemical weapons regime to identify those responsible for CW use in Syria—and pave the way for penalties? Their analysis highlights key factors behind the network’s effectiveness: informality, strong motivation, trust built through personal ties, and flexible rule interpretation to advance accountability.
PRC Suggests (Again) COVID-19 Originated in the US
China’s State Council Information Office released a whitepaper this week titled, “COVID-19 Prevention, control and Origins Tracing: China’s Actions and Stance”. In the paper, China accuses the US of politicizing the search for the origins of SARS-CoV-2, citing a lawsuit in Missouri that ended in a $24 billion ruling against the PRC for the hoarding of PPE and other medical equipment and concealing the initial outbreak of COVID-19. The whitepaper also highlights the determination of the WHO/PRC joint study that found a lab leak origin was “extremely unlikely”. The release of the publication came shortly after the White House launched a website supporting the lab leak pandemic origin theory.
Trump Administration Updates
The First 100 Days of the Second Trump Administration
The first 100 days of this administration have proven detrimental to public health. More than 20,000 jobs in the field were terminated, billions of dollars in funding has been axed or threatened, the administration’s draft budget proposal is setting the stage for a potential $40 billion funding cut to HHS, and even drinking water fluoridation is in jeopardy. The turmoil is already weakening public trust in relevant organizations. Polling from Harvard’s T.H. Chan SPH and the de Beaumont Foundation found 44% of US adults sampled have indicated new leadership in charge of federal public health agencies will make them trust health recommendations from those agencies less than they previously did.
Further Reading:
- “Day by Day, How Trump is Roiling Science and Health,” Usha Lee McFarling, STAT News
- “Here’s How the Trump Administration Has Changed Health Policy in Its First 100 Days,” Kwong et al., NPR
- “Trump 100 Days: Public Health,” Amanda Seitz, AP News
- “How Public Health Has Been Upended in Trump’s First 100 Days,” Washington Post Staff, The Washington Post
- “Poll: Many Americans Say They Will Lose Trust in Public Health Recommendations Under Federal Leadership Changes,” Maya Brownstein, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- “5 Places to Turn for Accurate Health Information,” Teddy Rosenbluth, The New York Times
- “F.D.A. Scientists Are Reinstated at Agency Food Safety Labs,” Christina Jewett, The New York Times
- “U.S. Health Officials Inject New Uncertainty Into Approval Process for Covid Boosters,” Helen Branswell, STAT News
- “America’s Response to Measles is Eroding Its Ability to Deter Biological Attacks,” Steph Batalis, Defense One
- “RFK Jr. Asks CDC for New Measles Treatment Guidance Amid His Unfounded Claims,” Alexander Tin, CBS News
- “US at Tipping Point for Return of Endemic Measles,” Nancy Lapid, Reuters
- “Hospitals Begin to Grapple with Tariff Fallout,” Tina Reed, Axios
HHS Pauses Work at NIAID’s Integrated Research Facility
NIAID’s Integrated Research Facility, which specializes in multidisciplinary research and is one of the few places in the world that can do medical imaging on animals in BSL-4 containment, was ordered to stop work this week. Employees were told that the facility will be ending its studies on Lassa fever, SARS-CoV-2, and EEE. The animals used in these studies will not be euthanized, and DHS officials will padlock the facility’s BSL-4 freezers. Gigi Kwik Gronvall, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Wired “The sacrifice to research is immense…If things are unused for a period of time, it will cost more money to get them ready to be used again.”
This seems well in line with Secretary Kennedy’s agenda. He promised he would attempt to shut down NIH research on infectious diseases, incorrectly claiming that the federal government’s funding for infectious disease research far surpasses that for chronic diseases. A spokesperson for NIH characterized the facility’s shuttering as a “research pause,” apparently blaming staff members for the shutdown. However, Connie Schmaljohn, Director of the Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, was placed on administrative leave, casting doubts on this claim.
HICPAC Members Terminated, Webpage Archived
Several members of the CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) reportedly have received termination letters, and the committee’s webpage has been archived, prompting many to assume its days are numbered. HICPAC helps to develop guidance for preventing and controlling healthcare-associated infections. It gained attention in recent years after some groups criticized its revisions to some of its infection control guidance. Experts are now concerned that the loss of this committee would be incredibly damaging to infection prevention, likely leading to many more patients suffering healthcare-associated infections.
NIH Stops Funding for New Projects with Subawards to Foreign Institutions
The NIH announced on Thursday that it will no longer allow grants to have any subawards that go to foreign institutions as part of a broader effort to eventually end the subaward process all together. A subaward is created when a grant recipient gives some of their funding from NIH to another institution that will then carry out part of the work under that grant. The complete change is expected to be in place by September 30. About 15% of NIH grants had a “foreign component” in 2023, according to reporting from Nature, meaning this move will have far-reaching implications.
Further Reading:
- “NIH Under Siege,” Jocelyn Kaiser, Science
- “Exclusive: NIH to End Billions of Dollars in Foreign Research Grants,” Max Kozlov, Nature
“Are We Ready for the Next One?”
Emily Gaines Buchler authored this article about future pandemics for Johns Hopkins Magazine, writing in part “Although the scientific community lacks consensus on whether COVID-19 originated in the Wuhan market or elsewhere, most scientists agree on another matter: We can expect more pandemics to come, owing to factors like climate change, mass migration, globalization, and human encroachment on wildlife and insect ecosystems. According to the center’s director Tom Inglesby, who served in COVID-related advisory roles during the pandemic at the White House and in the Department of Health and Human Services, “as temperatures change, people are moving around the world more rapidly than ever before … and intruding into ecosystems that used to be made up entirely of animals or insects.” This, in turn, creates opportunities for humans to get infected by new diseases and disease strains.”
“A WHO Director on the Future of Polio Eradication”
Think Global Health’s Allison Krugman interviews Hamid Jafari, the WHO’s polio chief for the Eastern Mediterranean, about what the global fight against polio looks like post-USAID funding in this article. Krugman explains part of the issue in the article’s intro, writing “Among the many programs affected, the World Health Organization (WHO)–led Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is facing uncertainty because 21% of its budget has been historically funded by the United States. The partnership already needed an additional $2.3 billion to meet its goal of eradicating polio by 2029—and must now plan for an additional $133 million no longer arriving this year from the United States.”
“Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) Report: Antibiotic Use Data for 2022”
From WHO: “This Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) report describes global progress in GLASS-AMU surveillance and antibiotic use in 2022, reported by 60 countries. It supplements the 2016–2022 GLASS-AMU data on the GLASS dashboard.”
Read WHO’s news release about this report and its findings here, and a similar piece from CIDRAP here.
“A Call for Built-in Biosecurity Safeguards for Generative AI Tools”
Wang et al. recently published this Correspondence article in Nature Biotechnology, in which they explain in part “The power of generative AI lies in its ability to generalize from known data to the unknown. Deep generative models can predict novel biological molecules that might not resemble existing genome sequences or proteins. This capability introduces dual-use risks and serious biosecurity threats — such models could potentially bypass the established safety screening mechanisms used by nucleic acid synthesis providers, which presently rely on database matching to identify sequences of concerns. AI-driven tools could be misused to engineer pathogens, toxins or destabilizing biomolecules, and AI science agents could amplify risks by automating experimental designs.”
Read Science‘s discussion of this proposal here.
“The Age of AI in the Life Sciences: Benefits and Biosecurity Considerations”
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.”
“AI Can Accelerate Scientific Advance, but the Real Bottlenecks to Progress are Cultural and Institutional”
Abi Olvera recently published this article in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, writing in part “But the biggest blocks to accelerating the pace of scientific advance may not be technical at all. From grant committees that favor incremental and focused over novel or interdisciplinary research, to academic systems that reward individuals rather than teams, to laboratories that are ill-equipped for automation, the challenges of advancing science lie in the funding, structuring, and guidance of scientific work. Artificial intelligence tools can help speed some important research, but transforming the pace at which science progresses will require addressing deep cultural and institutional barriers, too.”
“Strategic Investments the U.S. Should Make in the Bioeconomy Right Now”
Nazish Jeffery wrote this article for FAS, explaining in part “In 2023, the U.S. bioeconomy generated 643,992 domestic jobs and contributed $210.4 billion to the U.S. GDP, establishing it as a significant economic force. This impact is largely due to its broad and diverse scope. While the U.S. bioeconomy does not have a consensus definition, nearly all versions of the definition include biotechnology as a central driver. Consequently, a wide range of industries are encompassed within the bioeconomy (Table 1). Previous administrations, including the previous Trump Administration, have championed and advanced biotechnology and biomanufacturing. The Biden Administration released the Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy (Bioeconomy EO) focused on expanding domestic biomanufacturing capacity, streamlining regulations for biotech products, and expanding market opportunities. With a new chapter ahead of us, the United States is presented with incredible challenges and opportunities in the face of China’s dominance in this space.”
“50 Years After Vietnam War, Millions Still Battle Chemical Weapons Impact”
This Euro News article includes reporting from Jerry Fisayo-Bambi on the effects of chemical weapons on Vietnam, where more than three million people still suffer serious health issues associated with the agents used by the US in the country during the Vietnam War. Fisayo-Bambi also discusses what the Trump administration’s cuts to USAID funding mean for Vietnam and its people as dioxin hotspots continue to spread across much of the country.
“The Threat of Inaction in Response to Violations of International Law: A Syrian Case Study”
Elisabeth Baer discusses the international legal ramifications of not prosecuting Bashar al-Assad and his senior officials in this article for the Small Wars Journal, writing in part “The continued failure to prosecute Assad and his senior officials threatens to undermine international law and the Western-led rules-based order. The situation in Syria, therefore, serves as an excellent case study of the international community’s ineffective response to war crimes and violations of international law. It demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the enforceability of international statutes, highlights the dangers of the lack of substantive action, and threatens to cause irreparable damage to the standing of the US and its allies on the world stage. To address this dangerous precedent, it is crucial to understand the structural and geopolitical factors limiting both past and potential actions and responses from the international system and consider recommendations for possible solutions to this dangerous precedent.”
ICYMI: Building Resilience: Enhancing Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Pandemic Preparedness
From Brookings: “On April 30, the Center on Regulation and Markets will hold a public event to examine how we can become more resilient against biological threats by enhancing biosafety, biosecurity, and pandemic preparedness.”
Watch the recording here.
ICYMI: The healthcare system in North Korea: How it Looks and Works
“The Korea Health Policy Project presents “North Korea’s International Health Engagement: Past, Present, and Future.” This four-part webinar series brings together leading experts to discuss the current state of public health in North Korea, policy priorities, and prospects moving forward. In each session a moderated discussion will follow afterward. This seminar is the product of collaboration with the National Committee on North Korea (NCNK), United States Institute of Peace (USIP), 38 North, Council of Korean Americans (CKA), and the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change at the Harvard Medical School.”
Watch here.
NEW: Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI
From PAN: “The risks of new pandemic threats are compounding. Zoonotic spillover and uncontained outbreaks are well-known risks that are not yet well enough addressed. Today, focus must also turn to biosecurity and biosafety risks. Beyond naturally occurring infectious disease threats, the risks of a manmade pandemic — by accident or by design — must be mitigated.”
“Pandemic Action Network (PAN) and The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response will convene a public event, Biosecurity: A Priority in the Era of Pandemics and AI, on the sidelines of WHA78 to discuss opportunities and risks in our evolving global health, technological, and geopolitical landscape, and offer concrete next steps to prioritise biosecurity and biosafety efforts needed to keep the world safe and secure.”
This event will take place on May 21, 07.00-09.00 CET. Learn more and register here.
Region 3 RESPTCs Special Pathogens Workshop
“Join the Region 3 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) for a free, full-day, hands-on training focused on caring for patients with high-consequence infectious diseases.”
“Open to all experience levels—this workshop is geared toward Pennsylvanians but welcomes participants from across Region 3: D.C., Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.”
This workshop will take place on May 7 from 7:30 am through 3 pm at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. 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.
Assessing Research Security Efforts in Higher Education, A Workshop
“The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine cordially invites you to attend a workshop to consider potential measures of effectiveness and performance, and the data needed, to assess research security and protection efforts in higher education by a range of Federal agencies.”
“The workshop will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM U.S. Eastern and Friday, May 23, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM U.S. Eastern at the National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20418. A remote participation option is available.”
Learn more and register here.
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.
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.
CTD-SPECTRE 2nd Annual Symposium
“The CTD-SPECTRE Symposium on Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases for Clinicians and Translational Scientists 2025 offers a unique opportunity to connect with global experts, gain cutting-edge insights, and collaborate with peers dedicated to infectious disease research and treatment.”
“Taking place September 16 -19, 2025, at the historic Grand Galvez in Galveston, TX, this immersive symposium will unite clinicians, translational investigators, and trainees to explore the latest breakthroughs in tropical and emerging infectious diseases.”
Learn more and register here.
NEW: OPCW-The Hague Award 2025 Open for Nominations
“The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in partnership with the City of The Hague has opened a call for nominations for the 2025 OPCW-The Hague Award. Full details of the eligibility criteria and requirements for nominations, as well as the online nomination form, are now available on the OPCW official website.”
Learn more about the award here.
NEW: WHO in Action – WHO Pandemic Fund Newsletter
The WHO recently created a newsletter providing updates on its Pandemic Fund and the projects it has in more than 70 countries focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response activities. The first newsletter is available here and introduces the Pandemic Fund Navigator, shares stories from Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Togo, and Yemen, and more. Subscribe here.
NEW: SIPRI Researcher, Biological Weapons or Biological and Chemical Weapons, WMD
“SIPRI’s Armament and Disarmament Cluster is hiring a Researcher, with specific focus on biological weapons or biological and chemical weapons, to join the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Programme.”
“The Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Programme at SIPRI seeks to contribute to the understanding of trends and developments pertaining to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. It considers their implications for an increasingly complex security landscape and seeks to identify approaches to address the risks and challenges WMD pose. To this end, the Programme examines the political, institutional, legal and technical aspects of WMD governance, focusing on international efforts at arms control and disarmament, materials security and non-proliferation, and risk reduction. Recent research in chemical and biological weapons at SIPRI focuses on strengthening global norms against chemical weapon use, risks at the convergence of biology and technology, and implications of dual-use research in the life sciences.”
Learn more and apply here by May 16.
NTI|bio Hiring Program Associate/Program Officer, Global Biological Policy and Programs
“NTI – a global security organization driving systemic solutions to nuclear, biological, and emerging technology threats imperiling humanity – is seeking a Program Associate/Program Officer (title to be determined based on candidate experience) to join the Global Biological Policy and Programs (NTI | bio) team.”
“This position reports to the Vice President, or other senior manager, of the NTI | bio team. This is a full-time hybrid position, working a minimum of three days per week in our Washington, DC office.”
“NTI | bio is focused on reducing catastrophic biological risks, and we are working toward this goal by strengthening biotechnology governance; bolstering biosecurity in countries around the world; strengthening international capabilities to uphold the norm against bioweapon development and use; driving progress in global health security; and building the biosecurity field.”
Learn more and apply here.
Call for Experts: Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG)
From WHO: “The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.”
The deadline to express interest is May 5.
The Pandora Report 