Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue examines the evolution of U.S. biodefense 25 years after 9/11, the continuing debate over H5N1 vaccination, and the emerging applications of AI for detecting biological threats.
Join the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition and Arms Control Association for a virtual briefing, “Syria’s Chemical Weapons Legacy: Current Issues and Challenges,” on September 16 from 11:00 AM-12:30 PM ET. The briefing will examine Syria’s ongoing efforts to address the chemical weapons legacy of the Assad regime. Gregory Koblentz, Director of GMU’s Biodefense Program, will moderate the discussion.
25 Years After 9/11: Remembering and Reflecting on the Evolution of Biodefense
By Carmen Shaw, Pandora Report Managing Editor
Twenty-five years ago today, the United States experienced one of the most consequential terrorist attacks in its history. On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people were killed in New York City, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and in Pennsylvania. Thousands more were injured, and countless families, communities, and first responders have continued to live with the consequences of that day.
For the Pandora Report, September 11 offers an opportunity for both remembrance and reflection on how the attacks transformed the way the United States understands and prepares for modern security threats.
In the weeks following the attacks, letters laced with Bacillus anthracis spores were mailed to news media organizations and U.S. Senate offices, resulting in 22 cases of anthrax and five deaths. The 2001 anthrax attacks radically changed U.S. biosecurity and public health preparedness, including through the creation of the Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP) to regulate and oversee the use of dangerous biological agents that pose a threat to public, animal, or plant health.
Together, the September 11 and the subsequent anthrax attacks helped accelerate the development of the modern U.S. biodefense enterprise. They also triggered a broader transformation in homeland security, including the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, which expanded government surveillance and law enforcement powers to prevent future terrorism.
Twenty-five years later, the threat landscape has continued to evolve. Emerging infectious diseases, advances in biotechnology, synthetic biology, artificial intelligence (AI), and the possibility of biological misuse present challenges that require many of the same capabilities that became priorities after 2001: early warning and biosurveillance, scientific expertise, interagency information sharing and coordination, and the ability to respond quickly when the nature of a threat is uncertain.
At its core, 9/11 is about the people who were killed and the families, first responders, service members, public servants, and communities forever changed by that day.
We remember those who were lost, honor those who responded, and reflect on our shared responsibility to build a safer and more resilient future.
Bird Flu Season Returns, So Does the Vaccination Debate
By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor
As the northern hemisphere begins to head into autumn, Bulgaria and France each confirmed their first H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks of the season. France’s case was notable because the affected ducks had already been vaccinated under the country’s mandatory H5N1 immunization program. This recent outbreak in France, alongside two articles published this week, reignites the question of the role of vaccination in H5N1 control and prevention efforts.
The first article, published in Poultry Science and Management by researchers in Egypt, tested six commercial H5 vaccines against currently circulating clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 and H5N8 strains in chickens. Most vaccines prevented death, with 75-100% survival compared to 100% mortality in the unvaccinated control group. However, none stopped birds from shedding virus for up to a week after exposure, and vaccines built on older or more distantly matched strains produced weaker protection. The authors concluded vaccination reduces mortality but, without regularly updated strains, still permits silent spread. Furthermore, use of suboptimal vaccines or inadequate vaccination programs may contribute to the selection of mutant strains through immune pressure, potentially reducing vaccine effectiveness.
The second, a Viewpoint article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, asks why the US still does not vaccinate its poultry against H5 HPAI at all? The authors, from the University of Minnesota’s Secure Food Systems team, note that while effective vaccines, risk-mitigation frameworks, and risk-based surveillance systems already exist in the US, trade is the biggest issue. Vaccination plans could alter trade agreements, putting the US poultry meat and egg trade surplus at risk. There are also fears that products from vaccinated flocks could carry undetected, asymptomatic infections, leading to import restrictions. Traceability is another major hurdle. A vaccination program would require tracking which flocks were vaccinated and following their products through the supply chain. The poultry industry already does this for other purposes, like antibiotic-free labeling, but adapting those systems to a centralized, auditable, and validated process that trading partners will accept remains a barrier.
Vaccination is a valuable tool, but it isn’t a complete solution. Vaccinated flocks can still become infected and continue shedding virus, particularly when vaccine strains fall out of step with circulating field viruses. Meanwhile, in places where vaccine adoption has stalled, the holdup often has less to do with vaccine efficacy and more to do with economic concerns. Closing the gap on H5N1 will require progress on both fronts. Vaccine programs need to become more adaptive and be backed by surveillance and policy frameworks that give countries the confidence to actually use them.
Further Reading:
- “Predicting high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 susceptibility in wild birds,” Sara Ryding, Tobias A. Ross & Marcel Klaassen, Scientific Reports
- “Bird flu denial sweeps social media as Australian cases surge,” Christine Lee, Australian Associated Press
- “Uruguay declares health emergency for avian influenza,” Muhammed Yasin Güngör, Anadolu Agency
DHS S&T Launches “Ready, Set… ID The Biothreat” Prize Challenge to Advance AI-Assisted Biodefense
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has launched “Ready, Set…ID the Biothreat,” a prize challenge seeking AI-assisted algorithms for biodefense. The challenge is seeking innovative artificial intelligence approaches to help identify biological threats in complex environmental data. Eligible U.S. innovators, companies, academics, laboratories, and other technology developers over the age of 18 who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents can compete for up to $999,990 in prizes, with submissions due October 14, 2026. To learn more about the Challenge, visit the website here.
IN OTHER NEWS
Chemical Weapons & WMD Proliferation
- “Bombs, Bugs, and Bots: Preventing the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction 25 Years After 9/11,” Christina McAllister and Cindy Vestergaard, Stimson
- “Terrorists and Weapons of Mass Destruction: A History of Hype and the Possibility of a Dystopian Future,” Peter Bergen, Combating Terrorism Center
- “Syria begins destroying Assad-era chemical weapons,” Reuters
- “First Verified Destruction of Syrian Chemical Munitions Since 2014 Marks ‘Significant Progress’, Disarmament Chief Tells Security Council,” UN
- “BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2118,” Izumi Nakamitsu, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs
- “Trove of documents reveals alleged chemical weapons stockpile in Sudan,” Greg Miller and Elizabeth Dwoskin, WP
- “Secret Dossier Adds to Evidence of Chemical Weapons in Sudan,” Declan Walsh and Ronen Bergman, NY Times
- “Exclusive: Investigation finds evidence of possible chemical weapons use in Sudan,” Eleonora Vasques, EuroNews
- “Sudan’s military is accused of using chlorine bombs: here’s how they work and what the law says,” The Conversation
- “How Ready Is Ready Enough?” Matthew Turner, Homeland Security Today
- “Russian chemical attacks in Kharkiv region: nine Russian military personnel to stand trial.” Censor.NET
AI & Biosecurity
- “Detecting and countering misuse of AI: September 2026,” Anthropic
- “Anthropic Says It Blocked Possible Efforts to Build Biological Weapons,” Dustin Volz, NY Times
- “Biological Risks Are Growing. The BWC is Working to Keep Up.” David Stiefel and Gabrielle Essix, NTI
- “Newly created viruses are a warning. We still have a window to stop AI-enabled bioweapons,” Steph Guerra, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
- “AI Biosecurity Benchmarks and Real-World Risk,” Stephen Turner, SSRN
- “Operational Biosecurity Diplomacy: Technical expertise is the key to success.” Yukimasa Matsuzawa, Dan Hanfling, Adam Tewell, GMF
U.S. Biodefense Policy and Institution & Funding
- “Interagency Agreement Between U.S. Department of War, Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs and the National Institutes of Health, National Institute for Allergic and Infectious Diseases,” U.S. Department of War & National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
- “Pentagon Agreement With N.I.H. on Biodefense Draws Alarm From Democrats,” Catie Edmondson and Carolyn Y. Johnson, NY Times
- “Revealed: inside the US military’s plan to tap huge sums from the NIH,” Max Kozlov, Nature
- “Outrage greets NIH pact that could funnel biodefense research funds to Pentagon,” Phie Jacobs, Science
- “Pentagon sought to divert NIH funds for defense use, top House Appropriations Democrat says,” Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill
- “Why International Research Is Vital To The NIH’s Scientific Mission,” Peter H. Kilmarx, Health Affairs
- “WHO launches the Biorisk Implementation and Evaluation Tool for biorisk management,” WHO
- “Biorisk Implementation and Evaluation Tool (BRIET),” WHO
Global Health Security
- “Polls show Americans have lost confidence in federal government, public health leaders,” Stephanie Soucheray, CIDRAP
- “WHO says staff shortage, funding challenges hamper Congo Ebola response,” Olivia Le Poidevin
- “The Future of Global Health: Themes and Thorny Questions,” Stephanie. Psaki, Anya Hirschfeld, Annabelle Gallinek, Thomas J. Bollyky, Think Global Health
- “Inside the D.O.J.’s Investigation of Fauci and Other Virus Scientists,” Benjamin Mueller and Glenn Thrush, NY Times
- “Global initiative launched to improve access to mpox vaccines,” WHO
NEW: America’s Ebola Response: Travel Restrictions, Quarantines, and Citizen Rights
From The Pandemic Center: “As part of the U.S. response to the still-ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Trump administration took unprecedented steps to block American citizens in the DRC from returning to the U.S., placing them on a “do-not-board” list until they spend at least 21 days in a third country. These travel restrictions, the quarantining and detainment of US citizens, and the construction of the facility in Kenya have spurred ethical concerns and even legal challenges.”
This webinar will take place on Friday, September 18 at 12:00 PM ET. Learn more and register here.
Exponential AI and Biotech Growth: Translating Technical to Policy – Workshop
From AI for SynBio: “The continued acceleration of agentic artificial intelligence (AI), Biological Design Tools (BDTs), and Biological AI Models (BAIMs) has transformed the technological landscape, enabling tremendous benefits and potential misuse that could massively impact national security, defense, health, and economy. Mitigating this risk will require collaboration across Government, Industry, and Academia with both technical and policy focuses. Significant effort, especially at the federal level, has been made to raise awareness of this challenge, yet additional discussion is necessary to keep pace with the ever-evolving speed of this global technology.’
This workshop will take place from September 15-17 at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC. Learn more and register here.
Bioeconomy Summit
The Bioeconomy Summit, hosted by TechConnect, will bring together industry leaders, investors, federal officials, and experts to examine how the United States can strengthen and scale its bioeconomy. The summit will focus on aligning capital, policy, infrastructure, procurement, and industrial capacity; addressing vulnerabilities in biomanufacturing supply chains; and accelerating the deployment of bioindustrial technologies.
The summit will take place on Monday-Tuesday, September 21-22, at the National Harbor in Maryland. Learn more and register here.
Science of Evaluation of Artificial Intelligence for Life Sciences and Biotechnology Conference
From the National Academies: “This meeting brings together researchers and practitioners across various fields to define the emerging scientific method for artificial intelligence, focusing on benchmarks, leaderboards, challenges, and the evidence needed to trust systems that reason, act, discover, and operate in high-stakes domains, including the life sciences and biotechnology sectors.”
This conference will take place on Tuesday-Wednesday, September 22-23. Learn more and register here.
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.”
This workshop series will take place on September 23. Learn more and register here.
The Second Bio-Responsibility Policy Lecture: “From Lab Safety to Bio-Responsibility: Building the Human Infrastructure for Safe and Secure Science.”
From organizers: “Advances in the life sciences are creating new opportunities for health, biotechnology, and economic development while also presenting increasingly complex biosafety and biosecurity challenges. The lecture will examine how institutions can develop practical, risk-based biorisk management systems, with a focus on the trained professionals and institutional capacity needed to translate policy into practice. It will also explore approaches to expanding biorisk management capacity through scalable training, competency development, and institutional support, including in resource-constrained settings.”
The virtual lecture will take place on Thursday, September 24, 8:00 AM – 9:15 AM ET. Learn more and register here.
International Bio-Responsibility Conference 2027
Organized under the Bio-Responsibility Initiative at the Centre for Society and Policy (CSP), the conference brings together people to advance dialogue, build partnerships, and promote safe, secure, and responsible life science research, development, and innovation. The conference will host experts, policymakers, and practitioners around the world to discuss emerging biological risks and ways to strengthen responsible governance.
The deadline to register is September 30. 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.
Biomanufacturing for Defense & Security Summit
From Diversified Solutions Incorporated (DSI Groups): “This event will bring together senior thought leaders and stakeholders from across DoW, Military Research Labs, Federal Government, Commercial Industry, & Academia to discuss how each are advancing biomanufacturing to enhance national security objectives, produce critical materials for defense applications, and strengthen the overall U.S. bioindustrial manufacturing base. Biomanufacturing is crucial for U.S. national security because it enables domestic production of critical materials, medicines, and defense supplies, reducing reliance on foreign adversaries, which in turn creates resilient supply chains for the military and economy.”
This event will take place from October 27-28 at the National Harbor, MD. Learn more and register here.
Frontiers in Synthetic Biology: SpudCells, Mirror Life and Societal Implications
From the Consortium on Law and Values: “Advances in cell engineering and synthetic biology offer enormous potential benefits, while raising ethical and policy issues. SpudCell, the first synthetic cell that can grow and reproduce, built from non-living chemicals, was developed by a team at the University of Minnesota. Scientists have cautioned against creating organisms with molecules that are mirror images of the biological components of known life, as existing organisms would have no immune defenses. Join three experts on synthetic biology, biosecurity, and bioethics to explore how to realize the promise of synthetic biology while controlling potential risks.”
This webinar will take place on Thursday, October 29, at 3:00 PM ET. Learn more and register here.
The Pandora Report 