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Pandora Report 10.19.2024

October 19, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report covers updates from the Biodefense Graduate Program, a new biosecurity and biosafety declaration from ASEAN leadership, the United States’ IV fluid shortage, new publications and upcoming events, and more.

Upcoming Virtual Information Sessions on the Biodefense Graduate Program

The Schar School PhD programs will be holding a virtual open house on Wednesday, October 30 from 6-7:30 PM. Please join Dr. Gregory Koblentz, director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, to learn more about the Biodefense PhD program and ask any questions you may have. Register here.

Biodefense MS Grads Starts at National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology as Policy Advisor

Olivia Parker, a recent graduate of the Biodefense MS program, recently joined the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) as a policy advisor. NSCEB is a legislative branch advisory entity charged with conducting a thorough review of how advancements in emerging biotechnology and related technologies will shape current and future activities of the Department of Defense. To learn more about NSCEB, visit their website here: https://www.biotech.senate.gov.

Establishing a National Biosafety and Biosecurity Agency for the United States
Professor Gregory Koblentz, director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, along with co-authors David Gillum and Rebecca Moritz, past presidents of the American Biosafety Association (ABSA), have published an article proposing the establishment of an independent Federal agency to oversee a unified national biorisk management system in the United States called the National Biosafety and Biosecurity Agency (NBBA). The current fragmented regulatory landscape needs to be refocused to address the complexities of modern biological research, including risks associated with accidental, inadvertent, and deliberate biological incidents. The NBBA would consolidate various regulatory functions, streamline processes, and enhance oversight. This oversight would encompass life sciences research in the United States, regardless of the source of funding or level of classification. The agency could also contribute to the bioeconomy by streamlining requirements to safeguard public health and the environment while fostering scientific and commercial progress. The proposed agency would govern high-risk biological pathogens, manage the Federal Select Agent Program, enforce policies related to dual use research of concern, pathogens with enhanced pandemic potential, and nucleic acid synthesis screening, administer regulations on the use and care of laboratory animals, as well as regulate other relevant biosafety and biosecurity activities. The goal would be to provide one-stop shopping for the biomedical research and biotechnology sectors subject to oversight by the Federal government. To ensure leadership in global biosafety and biosecurity, the agency’s mission would include international collaboration, applied research, education, workforce development, and coordination with national security initiatives. Creating an agency like the NBBA will be politically challenging but presenting a comprehensive vision and engaging stakeholders early and frequently, and being transparent in the process, will be essential for garnering support. Creating a unified biosafety and biosecurity governance system in the United States will ensure the safe and secure advancement of biological research while sustaining innovation and maintaining international competitiveness. The article is open access and can be downloaded here.

George Mason Scientist Secures $1.4 Million from DTRA to Study Viruses’ Impacts on Organ Health

George Mason University researcher Aarthi Narayanan recently secured a $1.4M grant from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to investigate how an infection spreads between organs, and how a therapeutic will impact connected organs. The work will initially focus on mosquito-transmitted viruses while Narayanan hopes to expand the implications from these studies to other human disease states. Read more here.

ASEAN Leaders Make Declaration on Strengthening Regional Biosafety and Biosecurity

Leaders of the nations comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) made a declaration on biosafety and security earlier this month during the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Their declaration includes an agreement to strengthen biosafety and biosecurity in the region by committing to strengthening multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder coordination at the national level on these issues, establishing the ASEAN Biosafety and Biosecurity Network, establishing or strengthening relevant national legal frameworks, upholding commitments around responsible and ethical research using high-risk pathogens and toxins and related data to prevent DURC issues, enhancing protocols and procedures for the safe storage and transport of high-risk pathogens and toxins, ensuring the provision of necessary relevant human resources, supporting efforts to develop sustainable lab infrastructure, and tasking ASEAN Health Ministers to cooperate with relevant ministries to begin consultation, coordinate, and monitor efforts to meet the declaration’s deliverables.

Amid IV Fluid Shortage, Biden Administration Invokes Defense Production Action

The Biden administration told news outlets this week that it has invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) in order to quicken the reconstruction of a Baxter facility in North Cove, North Carolina that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene. The plant was responsible for about 60% of the nation’s IV solutions, so the damage done to it by the storm has left many hospitals postponing surgeries and other procedures. Several products are affected, including multiple concentrations of dextrose IV solution, lactated ringers IV solution, peritoneal dialysis solution, sodium chloride 0.9% IV solution and for irrigation, and sterile water for injection and irrigation.

The DPA was passed in response to the Korean War and is historically based on the War Powers Acts of World War II. Over the years, Congress has expanded the term “national defense” as defined in the DPA so its scope includes things like enhancing and supporting “domestic preparedness, response, and recovery from natural hazards, terrorist attacks, and other national emergencies.” The DPA can be used to compel companies to prioritize government contracts and to help the federal government incentivize expansion of productive capacity and supply. The DPA was similarly invoked by both the Trump and Biden administrations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baxter said this week that 450 truckloads of undamaged products were removed from the site and that it is working with seven of its plants around the world to help address the shortage. The company is working with the FDA to import nearly 18,000 tons of product from Europe and Asia through the end of the year. Shipments from Baxter plants in Mexico and Spain began arriving last week, and the FDA has already authorized temporary importation from five sites in Canada, China, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The company is also looking into other strategies, such as expiration date extension requests.

While this recent escalation of IV solution shortage is concerning, it is part of a broader problem that has existed in the US for years. Many of the products listed above were already in shortage prior to Hurricane Helene damaging the North Cove facility. For example, sterile water for injection was placed on the FDA shortage list in November of 2021, and multiple types of dextrose IV solution were added in early 2022. Perhaps most shockingly, saline solution has been on the list since June of 2018.

The reason the US has been grappling with this shortage for years, unsurprisingly, comes down to their lack of profitability. There is a high barrier to entry in that companies must invest substantial time and money in meeting regulatory requirements and setting up a manufacturing facility. At the same time, they are pressured to keep the prices of these products low. There are also issues with managing storage and transportation of these products, as a single bag of saline is about a foot long and weighs more than two pounds. Maintaining the sterility needed to safely make these products further complicates matters as well. Erin Fox, Senior Pharmacy Director at the University of Utah Health, told NBC that “These are life-saving products, but at the same times these are absolutely treated as kind of commodities.”

This situation is mirrored in an even more threatening issue-the dearth of antibiotic research amid rising antimicrobial resistance. While the WHO firmly warned last year that “We have arrived in the post-antibiotic era,” research and development of new antibiotics are still falling flat. Similarly, much of the issue comes down to reliance on private companies for innovations when those companies no longer have enough incentive to try and bring new antibiotics to market. By the 1980s, pharmaceutical companies knew they were unlikely to develop broad-spectrum antibiotics, and it is not very profitable to treat specific types of infections. This hurt private sector research greatly and, by 2021, just four major US pharmaceutical companies had dedicated antibiotic divisions. The FDA and its EU equivalent, the European Medicines Agency, have approved just 12 new antibiotics since 2017, 10 of which were similar to existing drugs.

There are some measures in work to help address this issue, including ARPA-H’s recently announced Defeating Antibiotic Resistance through Transformative Solutions (DARTS) project. Another example is the proposed Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance Act, or PASTEUR Act. The bipartisan bill failed to pass the Senate in 2021, but a revamped version (albeit with less funding) was introduced last year. The bill calls for the creation of a Committee on Critical Need Antimicrobials, requirements for HHS to award grants that support appropriate stewardship of antimicrobial drugs, and authorization of HHS to enter into subscription contracts for critical-need antimicrobial drugs.

No one potential law will address the lack of antibiotic research in the US, let alone the broader challenge of AMR and superbugs. Similarly, using the DPA once to help hasten the rebuilding of the North Cove Baxter facility will not get the country completely out of trouble in maintaining adequate IV solution supply. These kinds of challenges are long games that are only going to get worse amid economic and supply chain challenges, in addition to problems like climate change. Addressing these kinds of problems requires long-term thinking and sustained funding, rather than relying on reacting to issues as they worsen.

“Public Health Departments Face a Post-COVID Funding Crash”

Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez tackles the newest iteration of the public health boom-and-bust funding cycle in this article for KFF Health News: “But public health leaders quickly identified a familiar boom-and-bust funding cycle as they warned about an incoming fiscal cliff once the federal grants sunset. Now, more than a year since the federal Department of Health and Human Services declared the end of the coronavirus emergency, states — such as Montana, California and Washington — face tough decisions about laying off workers and limiting public health services…Public health experts warn that losing staff who perform functions like disease investigation, immunization, family planning, restaurant inspection and more could send communities into crisis.”

“Mitigating Risks from Gene Editing and Synthetic Biology: Global Governance Priorities”

Stewart Patrick and Josie Barton authored this report for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: “Rapid advances in bioscience and bioengineering hold immense promise for human betterment. But as these disruptive technologies become more widely distributed, their inherently dual-use nature and susceptibility to unintended consequences could create unprecedented dangers.”

“AI Scans RNA ‘Dark Matter’ and Uncovers 70,000 New Viruses”

Smriti Mallapaty breaks down recent AI-powered research in this article for Nature News, explaining in part “Researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover 70,500 viruses previously unknown to science, many of them weird and nothing like known species. The RNA viruses were identified using metagenomics, in which scientists sample all the genomes present in the environment without having to culture individual viruses. The method shows the potential of AI to explore the ‘dark matter’ of the RNA virus universe.”

“Tackling AMR: A Call for Global Action to Preserve Medical Progress”

Paul Murray, CEO of Life and Health Reinsurance at Swiss Re, discusses AMR and compounding factors like climate change in this piece for the World Economic Forum, writing in part “More such efforts are needed. Ultimately, stewardship programmes that promote the appropriate use of antimicrobials will be critical to preserving the effectiveness of existing medications. In addition, renewed drug development efforts to invent novel antibiotics are necessary, with resistant species emerging more quickly after a new drug’s introduction.”

“The Changing Face of Pandemic Risk: 2024 Report”

From GPMB, this report is a “…call to action for global leaders, policy-makers, health professionals, and communities to build a safer, more resilient future. It outlines the key drivers of pandemic risk and provides a roadmap for strengthening our defences.”

“Emerging Trends in Chemical Weapons Usage in the Middle East”

Natasha Hall discusses multiple issues regarding CW in the Middle East in this CSIS Brief, including the international community’s failure to address the Assad regime’s use of these weapons, challenges in multipolarity, and how actors are most likely to challenge existing norms by escalating from using RCAs to TICs and PBAs while spreading disinformation and slowing evidence collection.

“Putin Ordered Novichok Attack, Double Agent Skripal Tells UK Inquiry”

This reporting from Reuters details Sergei Skripal’s statement to the public inquiry into the death of Dawn Sturgess, and the poisoning of Yulia and Sergei Skripal in addition to a police officer who responded to the incident. In it, Skripal says “I believe Putin makes all important decisions himself. I therefore think he must have at least given permission for the attack on Yulia and me.”

Read more here.

“Russia’s Chemical Weapons Lies”

John V. Parachini and Svitlana Slipchenko discuss Russia’s CW-focused disinformation in this piece for the National Interest, writing in part “State parties should demand that Russia stop weakening the global ban on chemical weapons use with its torrent of falsehoods about others, disclose its own secret chemical weapons activities, and lay out a plan for coming into compliance with an accord it helped negotiate.”

“Russia’s Latest Target in Africa: U.S.-Funded Anti-Malaria Programs”

The New York Times‘ Elian Peltier discusses Russia’s use of African influencers to discredit US-funded anti-malaria programs on the continent amid to help stoke distrust and fear of the West in this article: “Western-backed health initiatives in Africa are one of Russia’s latest targets, a scenario reminiscent of the Cold War, when the Soviet Union accused the United States of spreading AIDS on the continent. The State Department says that African Initiative, a news outlet backed by Russia’s intelligence services, has spun similar accounts, including “disinformation regarding an outbreak of a mosquito-borne viral disease.”’

“Fueling China’s Innovation: The Chinese Academy of Sciences and Its Role in the PRC’s S&T Ecosystem”

Cole McFaul, Hanna Dohmen, Sam Bresnick, and Emily S. Weinstein recently published this CSET Issue Brief: “The Chinese Academy of Sciences is among the most important S&T organizations in the world and plays a key role in advancing Beijing’s S&T objectives. This report provides an in-depth look into the organization and its various functions within China’s S&T ecosystem, including advancing S&T research, fostering the commercialization of critical and emerging technologies, and contributing to S&T policymaking.”

What We’re Listening To 🎧

The BWC Global Forum: Biotech, Biosecurity & Beyond, Episode 15-Open-Source Intelligence

This episode features Yong-Bee Lim, an alumnus of the Biodefense PhD Program and the current Deputy Director of the Converging Risks Lab and Biosecurity Projects Manager at the Council on Strategic Risks.

“In this episode, we discuss the availability and use of open-source data to monitor BWC-related activities. Dr. Lim is leading a study to identify tools, techniques, and sources to support the ability to identify, track, and evaluate biological activities using publicly available information. Open-source analysis of biological activities, facilities, programs, and capabilities has been revolutionized through the convergence of radically expanded public access to data previosuly only available to state-level intelligence agencies and the emergence of advanced analytic tools, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). These new capabilities potentially offer civil society experts—or state governments without advanced intelligence programs—the opportunity to identify trends and patterns in data that can provide insight into the nature of biological activities.”

New: 13th Annual Jonathan Tucker Symposium

“The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies cordially invites you to the 13th annual Jonathan Tucker Symposium on chemical and biological weapons issues on November 13th and 14th, 2024.”

Among this year’s speakers are Dr. Yong-Bee Lim, an alumnus of the Biodefense PhD Program and Deputy Director of the Converging Risks Lab and Biosecurity Projects Manager at the Council on Strategic Risks, who will give a talk titled “Technology Democratization and its Implications for CBW Safety and Security: Lessons Learned from Engagement with Non-Traditional Communities.”

Learn more and register here.

NEW: 2024 CBD S&T Conference

From DTRA: “The CBD S&T Conference brings together the most innovative and influential chemical and biological defense community members from around the globe to share insights and collaborate on the emerging chem-bio threats of tomorrow.”

“Join the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Chemical and Biological Technologies Department in its role as the Joint Science and Technology Office (JSTO) for Chemical and Biological Defense, an integral component of the Chemical and Biological Defense Program, as we Focus Forward to uncover novel concepts and examine groundbreaking discoveries within the chem-bio defense landscape.”

“The 2024 CBD S&T Conference will be held at the Broward County Convention Center, December 2–5, 2024.”

Learn more and register here.

Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1)

“The National Academies will host a 2-day virtual public workshop, October 22-23, to explore research priorities for the ongoing H5N1 outbreak in the U.S. Recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, and their shared environment, this workshop will take a One Health approach to bring together federal government agencies, the academic community, and the private sector, as well as other relevant stakeholders across the health, agriculture, and food safety sectors.”

“Workshop discussions will focus on basic science and research areas of concern and may help inform future research that could provide local, national, and global communities with information about virus transmission, mitigation of risks, and appropriate measures to prevent the spread of disease.”

Learn more and register here.

The Advancing Threat Agnostic Biodefense Webinar Series

From PNNL: “Please join us in welcoming Drs. Matthew Kasper and Lindsay Morton from the Department of Defense (DoD) Global Emerging Infections Surveillance (GEIS) program for their talk titled “Challenges and Opportunities in Pathogen Agnostic Sequencing for Public Health Surveillance: Lessons Learned From the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Program.” This webinar will take place Tuesday, October 29th, at noon PT.”

Learn more and register here.

One Health and the Politics of COVID-19 Book Launch

The Writer’s Center is hosting a book launch for Dr. Laura Kahn’s new book, One Health and the Politics of COVID-19 (blurb below) on November 23 at 2 pm EST in Bethesda, MD. Learn more and RSVP here.

“One Health and the Politics of COVID-19 unpacks the mysteries of COVID-19’s origins to impart important lessons for future outbreaks. The One Health concept recognizes the interconnected links among the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment. By comparing the history, science, and clinical presentations of three different coronaviruses—SARS-CoV-1, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)—Kahn uncovers insights with important repercussions for how to prepare and avoid future pandemics. The One Health approach provides a useful framework for examining the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the origins of this zoonotic disease requires investigating the environmental and molecular biological factors that allowed the virus to spread to humans. The book explores the many ways in which the wild animal trade, wet markets, and the camel industry contributed to the spread of the earlier SARS-CoV-1 and MERS coronaviruses. For SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), Kahn examines the biosafety, biosecurity, and bioethics implications of gain-of-function research on pandemic potential pathogens. This book is a must read to understand the geopolitics of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

NEW: BID2025 Stakeholder Input Request
“From BARDA: We are excited to host our next BARDA Industry Day (BID) conference on June 30 – July 1, 2025, in Washington, D.C.! BID2025 will delve into the critical intersection of health security and sustainability with experts from various sectors to discuss cutting-edge medical countermeasure (MCM) innovations and strategies.”

“We want to make sure that the event reflects the interests of our attendees. Your feedback will help us curate sessions, speakers, and topics that are relevant and engaging for you. This short questionnaire should take no more than three minutes to complete. Please share your thoughts on what you would like to see at the conference by October 30, 2024.“

Share thoughts here.

US AI Safety Institute Issues RFI on Responsible Development of Chem-Bio Models

From AISI: “The U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (U.S. AISI), housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), released a Request for Information seeking insight from stakeholders regarding the responsible development and use of chemical and biological (chem-bio) AI models.”

“Input from a broad range of experts in this field will help the U.S. AISI to develop well-informed approaches to assess and mitigate the potential risks of chem-bio AI models, while enabling safe and responsible innovation.”

“Respondents are encouraged to provide concrete examples, best practices, case studies, and actionable recommendations where possible. The full RFI can be found here.”

“The comment period is now open and will close on December 3, 2024, at 11:59PM Eastern Time. Comments can be submitted online at www.regulations.gov, under docket no. 240920-0247.”

ACHS Fellowship Program 2025

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “The ACHS Fellowship Program aims to inspire and connect the next generation of biosecurity leaders and innovators.”

“Newly launched in 2025, ACHS Fellowship is a highly competitive, part-time program that provides an opportunity for talented graduate students and professionals to deepen their expertise, expand their network, and build their leadership skills through a series of training and project work coordinated by the Asia Centre for Health Security based at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore (NUS).”

“This 12-month fellowship does not require relocation to Singapore and can be completed alongside full-time employment or an academic schedule.”

Learn more and apply here.

Pandora Report 10.11.2024

October 11, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report covers updates from ARPA-H, new UK guidance for use of nucleic acid synthesis technologies, the UK’s recently-announced sanctions on Russian troops and organizations for use of CW in Ukraine, and more.

Upcoming Virtual Information Sessions on the Biodefense Graduate Program

A virtual open house for the MS in Biodefense will be held online on Thursday, October 17, 7 to 8 p.m. ET . The Biodefense Program offers flexible part-time or full-time options that teach applicable, real-world skills for bridging the gap between science and policy. The online session will provide an overview of the program, as well as the application process, student experience and graduate outcomes. Register here.

ARPA-H Launches Predictive Drug Safety and Efficacy Model Program

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, recently announced a new funding opportunity through its Computational ADME-Tox and Physiology Analysis for Safer Therapeutics (CATALYST) program. The program aims to create human physiology-based computer models to accurately predict safety and efficacy profiles for Investigational New Drug (IND) candidates.

The announcement explains “Through a forthcoming Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO) solicitation, CATALYST invites proposals across three technical areas: data discovery and deep learning methods for drug safety models, living systems tools for model development, and in silico models of human physiology. If successful, CATALYST will significantly improve drug safety testing in preclinical and clinical studies and create a drug development tools pipeline for use in regulatory science applications.”

Read more here.

UK Announces Sanctions on Russian Troops Using CW in Ukraine

The UK government announced this week that it has sanctioned Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence Troops of the Russian Armed Forces and their leader, Igor Kirillov, following their use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. The announcement also described Kirillov as “a significant mouthpiece for Kremlin disinformation, spreading lies to mask Russia’s shameful and dangerous behaviour.” The UK also sanctioned two Russian MOD laboratories (the 27th Scientific Centre and the 33rd Central Scientific Research and Testing Institute) for the support they provided in developing and deploying the weapons.

UK Publishes Voluntary Guidance for Providers and Users of Synthetic Nucleic Acid

“The UK National Vision for Engineering Biology, published in December 2023, set out an ambition for the UK to be a world leader in responsible innovation in engineering biology. This Guidance delivers on that ambition by championing and enabling the legitimate use of nucleic acid synthesis technologies, whilst reducing the risks which could result from accidental or purposeful misuse.”

“The Guidance makes recommendations to UK providers and users of synthetic nucleic acid to promote screening practices. It supports the safe study or engineering of existing or novel biological systems to help unlock the exciting benefits of this technology in applications across healthcare, chemical and materials, low carbon fuels, and agriculture. Uptake of the Guidance will be reviewed to ensure that it is providing proportionate guardrails.”

Read Christopher East’s discussion of this guidance in this piece from the Council on Strategic Risks-“New “Gene Synthesis Screening Guidance” in the UK: A Positive Step Towards Responsible Innovation”

UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Launches Regulation Innovation Office

The UK government also recently announced the creation of the Regulation Innovation Office, which aims to “reduce the burden of red tape and speed up access to new technologies that improve our daily lives – from AI in healthcare to emergency delivery drones”. The announcement explains that “The new Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) will reduce the burden for businesses hoping to bring new products and services to the market in some of the UK’s fastest-growing sectors through innovations like –AI training software for surgeons to deliver more accurate surgical treatments for patients and drones which can improve business efficiency and quickly send critical deliveries to remote parts of the country.”

“To do so, it will support regulators to update regulation, speeding up approvals, and ensuring different regulatory bodies work together smoothly. It will work to continuously inform the government of regulatory barriers to innovation, set priorities for regulators which align with the government’s broader ambitions and support regulators to develop the capability they need to meet them and grow the economy.”

“National Security Debate on Global Health Enters a New Phase”

David P. Fidler discusses the debate about the expansion of the concept of national security and how global health fits into this in this piece for Think Global Health: “To date, the securitization of pandemics and climate change in U.S. policy has become orthodoxy but has failed, which raises questions about the value of national security arguments concerning global health problems. Geopolitical competition and polarized domestic politics are shrinking what national security means in U.S. policy, making national security claims about global health threats even more difficult to sustain.”

“Pathway to a Healthier America: A Blueprint for Strengthening Public Health for the Next Administration and Congress”

This report from Trust for America’s Health “…provides the Administration and Congress taking office in 2025 a policy roadmap for improving the nation’s health, economy, and national security.” It outlines several priorities, such as investing in public health infrastructure and workforce, improving health security threat readiness, and promoting health across the lifespan.

“Optimizing Federal, State, and Local Responses to Public Health Emergencies: Lessons from COVID Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief”

From NASEM: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on Science, Technology, and Law is pleased to announce the release of the proceedings of its May 30-31, 2024 workshop, Optimizing Federal, State, and Local Response to Public Health Emergencies. The workshop, which was organized by a planning committee co-chaired by Georges Benjamin (American Public Health Association) and Erwin Chemerinsky (University of California, Berkeley School of Law), featured the following sessions: Optimizing Federal, State, and Local Public Health Preparedness, The COVID-19 Pandemic: What happened? What went right? What went wrong? –, Public Health Emergency Authorities: What we know about them and how did we experience them before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic?, Exploring Routes and Barriers to Effective Public Health Response Efforts During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Looking to the Future: Where do we go from here?, and Concluding Thoughts from Workshop Planning Committee.

“AI in Public Health: Gaps, Disparities, and Remarkable Potential”

Shi En Kim covers a panel-“Making AI a Lifesaver”-hosted by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington DC in this article for Global Health Now, writing in part “The panelists broadly agreed that there needs to be more transparency in how AI is being used. For starters, noted Ehrenfeld, better visibility into AI will help flag flaws that lead to inequity as well as make AI a more effective tool for public health workers. Stuart noted the clear need for training on AI’s ethical issues and applications presents a big opportunity for schools of public health and medical schools.”

“Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening”

The NSTC’s Fast Track Action Committee on Synthetic Nucleic Acid Procurement Screening recently released this framework: “This framework outlines a unified process for screening purchases of synthetic nucleic acids and benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment. While the framework will be incorporated into requirements for recipients of federal research funding, including through domestic and international funding documents, broader use of the framework is encouraged. This approach guides providers of synthetic nucleic acids (“Providers”) and manufacturers of benchtop nucleic acid synthesis equipment (“Manufacturers”) to screen purchase orders to identify sequences of concern (SOCs) and assess customer legitimacy.”

“A New Biosecurity Strategy for the World to Follow”

CSR’s Jackson du Pont discusses CEPI’s recently launched Biosecurity Strategy in this blog post, writing in part “On Wednesday, September 25th, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) launched its inaugural Biosecurity Strategy—an incredibly important contribution towards galvanizing efforts to advance global biosecurity prioritization and governance. It represents a significant step in strengthening biosecurity norms and should serve as a model for future efforts to increase investments in addressing biological risks in the safest, most responsible ways possible.”

DHS Releases 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released its Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA) for 2025. The HTA aims to “…inform both the public and the Department’s partners of the threats to public safety and security, in order to assist federal, state, and local partners in preparing, preventing, and responding to an ever-evolving threat environment.” This year’s HTA explains that the threat environment is expected to “remain high” in the coming year. Among other topics, the HTA also discusses the potential for CBRN attacks and nefarious use of emerging technologies:

“We expect predominantly aspirational and rudimentary interest in CBRN attacks will continue in 2025. Among foreign and domestic threat actors, we assess that DVEs and criminals will remain the most likely perpetrators of deliberate CBRN-related attacks. Over the last year, there were 18 known deliberate chemical- or biological-related incidents in the Homeland, four of which were linked to political or ideological motives while the rest were criminal in nature. All of the incidents employed simple methods, and one incident caused at least one death. Two of the 18 incidents involved the alleged use of ricin, while 14 of the incidents employed easily obtainable chemicals—including a range of pesticides, chlorine, bear spray, and other chemical irritants. Fentanyl was weaponized in two instances. Foreign and domestic threat actors maintain aspirational interest in radiological and nuclear attacks, but these attacks remain unlikely.”

“We expect threat actors will continue to explore emerging and advanced technologies to aid their efforts in developing and carrying out chemical and biological attacks. Over the last year, foreign and domestic extremists online expressed interest in using DNA modification to develop biological weapons to target specific groups. We remain concerned about the potential exploitation of advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to proliferate knowledge that supports the development of novel chemical or biological agents. (For more information on AI and threat actors, see pages 26–27.) Such advances could be exploited by state and state-sponsored adversaries, but the necessary expertise for such exploitation most likely exceeds that of most nonstate actors. We also remain concerned about the potential for threat actors to use unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in chemical or biological attacks due to the continued advancement of UAS technology and the growing availability of UAS.”

“Tehran’s Tactical Knockout: Weaponized Pharmaceutical-Based Agents”

Matthew Levitt discusses Iran’s use of PBAs in this article from the CTC Sentinel: “As early as the 1980s, the U.S. intelligence community documented the ways in which Iran deployed chemical weapons for tactical delivery on the battlefield. Nearly 40 years later, U.S. officials formally assessed that Iran was in non-compliance with its Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) obligations, pointing specifically to Tehran’s development of pharmaceutical-based agents (PBAs) that attack a person’s central nervous system as part of a chemical weapons program. Over time, concern about this program has increased, with reports to the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), statements by multilateral groups such as the G7, and a variety of U.S. government reports and sanctions. Today, with Iran’s proxies wreaking havoc throughout the region, officials worry Tehran may have already provided weaponized PBAs to several of its partners and proxies. Such a capability, tactically deployed on the battlefield, could enable further October 7-style cross-border raids or kidnapping operations. With the region on edge following the targeted killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, followed by an Israeli ground campaign targeting Hezbollah infrastructure along the border, and the Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel, concern about the use of such tactical chemical weapons is high.”

What We’re Listening to 🎧

Poisons and Pestilence: ‘Back to Source’ with Seth Carus

“In this bonus episode I am joined by Seth Carus, as we explore some of the earliest allegations of biological warfare- as well as the more recent modern developments, which transformed ancient fears, into Cold War era weapon systems.”

Listen here.

NEW: The Advancing Threat Agnostic Biodefense Webinar Series

Learn more and register here.

Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1)

Learn more and register here.

One Health and the Politics of COVID-19 Book Launch

NEW-US AI Safety Institute Issues RFI on Responsible Development of Chem-Bio Models

“Respondents are encouraged to provide concrete examples, best practices, case studies, and actionable recommendations where possible. The full RFI can be found here.”

“The comment period is now open and will close on December 3, 2024, at 11:59PM Eastern Time. Comments can be submitted online at www.regulations.gov, under docket no. 240920-0247.”

NEW-Infodemic Management Course from Open WHO

“In the recent years, the circulation of health misinformation and disinformation has exploded with the digitalized information ecosystem. They cause confusion and risk-taking behaviours that can harm health. They also lead to mistrust in health authorities and undermines the public health response. Misinformation and disinformation can intensify or lengthen outbreaks when people are unsure about what they need to do to protect their health and the health of people around them especially during health emergencies. Public health workers need knowledge and skills to manage harm from health misinformation and disinformation. This course will help them to better understand the infodemic mechanisms that underlie the emergence and spread of misinformation, the complex and harmful nature of disinformation and how to intervene to better prevent and respond to both of these types of information-based harms.”

Access this self-paced course here.

NEW-ACHS Fellowship Program 2025

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “The ACHS Fellowship Program aims to inspire and connect the next generation of biosecurity leaders and innovators.”

“This 12-month fellowship does not require relocation to Singapore and can be completed alongside full-time employment or an academic schedule.”

Learn more and apply here.

External Review of Ethical, Legal, Environmental, Safety, Security, and Societal Issues of Engineering Biology Research and Development

From NASEM: “Engineering biology holds significant potential to transform the U.S. and global economy, with promise to deliver innovative solutions in health, climate, energy, food and agriculture, and more. As research and development in engineering biology and other areas of the bioeconomy advance, addressing the societal issues related to these technologies is imperative. As requested by the CHIPS and Science Act, this study will conduct an evaluation of the ethical, legal, environmental, safety, security, and other societal issues related to engineering biology, and make recommendations on research needs related to these issues and means to effectively incorporate their consideration into research practice.”

“The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will appoint an ad hoc committee to review and make recommendations on the ethical, legal, environmental, safety, security, and other appropriate societal issues related to engineering biology research and development. The committee will address the scholarship and practice of addressing these issues, focusing specifically on:

(1) An assessment of the current knowledge and practice on assessing and mitigating various societal issues including ethical, legal, environmental, safety, and security issues.
(2) A description of the gaps and needs relating to such issues, focusing on approaches for co-generation of assessment approaches and design of products, technologies, and services with users of engineering biology research and development
(3) Actionable recommendations on how the National Engineering Biology Research and Development Initiative, established by the CHIPS and Science Act, can address the identified gaps and needs.
(4) Actionable recommendations on how researchers across the range of disciplines engaged in engineering biology can best incorporate considerations of such societal issues into the development of research proposals and the conduct of research.”

“NASEM will produce a consensus report presenting the results of its work and offering its findings, conclusions, and recommendations.”

“We invite you to submit suggestions for experts to participate in this activity. The call for experts closes on October 16, 2024 at 11:59 (ET).”

Recommend an expert here.

Pandora Report 10.4.2024

October 4, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report covers the recently-reported outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Rwanda, the recent discovery of four more Missouri healthcare workers who experienced respiratory symptoms after caring for a patient infected with H5 avian influenza, new human cases of bird flu in California, and more.

Upcoming Virtual Information Sessions on the Biodefense Graduate Program

Marburg Outbreak Confirmed in Rwanda

Last week, the Rwanda Ministry of Health announced that it had confirmed cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in the country. Blood samples taken from symptomatic people were tested using RT-PCR, and were found to be positive for Marburg virus. So far, there have been 36 confirmed cases and eleven deaths across at least seven of the country’s 30 districts. As of last week, over 70% of cases were in healthcare workers from two locations in Kigali, the nation’s capital. More than 300 contacts have been traced so far.

This is the first time MVD has been reported in the country, and the WHO has emphasized that it is likely the disease will spread to neighboring countries, many of which are currently struggling amid the mpox outbreak. There is currently no available treatment or vaccine for MVD. WHO has assessed the risk of this outbreak to be very high nationally, high regionally, and low globally.

MVD, formerly known as Marburg hemorrhagic fever, is severe, often fatal in humans, and is caused by a virus in the Filoviridae family, which also includes Ebola virus. Egyptian fruit bats are natural hosts of the virus; it is spread from them to people, and it then spreads further via human-to-human transmission. While the average MVD case fatality rate is about 50%, this has varied from 24% to 88% during past outbreaks. Early supportive care improves survival odds.

Experts are concerned as there were already more than two dozen confirmed cases by the time the Rwandan government announced the outbreak. It can take as long as 21 days between exposure and symptom onset with MVD. Furthermore, because Rwanda has never had an outbreak before, healthcare professionals may have not been suspicious of MVD and did not think to test for it. All of these are worrying signs that the disease may have been circulating in the country for a few weeks before the announcement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory on Thursday to inform clinicians and health departments in the US about the outbreak and advise them to be aware of the potential for imported cases.

Read more:

“Deadly Marburg Virus: Scientists Race to Test Vaccines in Outbreak,” Ewen Callaway, Nature News
“Marburg Virus Outbreak in Rwanda Draws Concern Over Possibility of International Spread,” Helen Branswell, STAT News
“Marburg is an Especially Scary Virus. How Scared Should We Be of Rwanda’s Outbreak?” Gabrielle Emanuel, Goats and Soda

World Leaders Announce Target of 10% Fewer Superbug Deaths by 2030

World leaders gathered during a meeting at the UN General Assembly announced a new political declaration on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that was signed by 193 member states. Each year, AMR is linked to 4.7 million deaths, and that number is projected to reach 8.2 million by 2050. The declaration calls for increased action across sectors like farming, pharmaceutical manufacturing, environmental protection, and healthcare to combat AMR. Furthermore, it calls for financial support for poorer countries, who are most affected by this issue, and to commit to scaling up efforts in order to reduce AMR-related deaths by 10% by the end of the decade. The declaration also invites the Quadripartite organizations (WHO, UN Environment Programme, World Organisation for Animal Health, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN) to create an independent panel to provide scientific evidence to support strategies to combat AMR. They will also update a global AMR action plan by 2026.

Avian Influenza Updates

Four More Missouri Healthcare Workers Develop Respiratory Symptoms After Contact with Bird Flu Patient

Four more healthcare workers who came into contact with a hospitalized bird flu patient in August are now confirmed to have later developed mild respiratory symptoms, bring the total to six. The Missouri patient had no contact with infected animals. One worker tested negative on a flu test, while the others’ symptoms were discovered too late to do testing. Missouri is continuing to investigate this situation with CDC’s assistance.

New Human Cases in California

CDC has confirmed two additional human cases of H5 bird flu from specimens submitted by California. Both cases are in people with occupational exposure to infected cattle. While California’s investigation is ongoing, there is no known link or contact between the two cases, which suggests these are two separate instances of animal-to-human spread of the virus. As the identification of H5 in people with exposure to infected animals is expected, CDC has not changed its risk assessment for the general public.

Read more:

“Pathogen Detection, Testing & Monitoring the H5N1 Outbreak,” Ava Desouza, Council on Strategic Risks

ISC Announces Expert Group for the Biological Weapons Convention

The International Science Council (ISC) recently announced the formation of its Expert Group dedicated to enhancing the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). In May, ISC and the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs were jointly awarded a grant by the Geneva Science Policy Interface to strengthen the BWC. In a statement, ISC said this “…initiative is a significant step toward integrating scientific advancements into the operations of the BWC, addressing the critical need for a structured mechanism to review relevant science and technology developments.”

It further explained that “The ISC project “Science-policy synergies for the Biological Weapons Convention” fosters collaboration between BWC delegates and scientific experts, developing methodologies that build mutual understanding and trust. By facilitating targeted discussions and creating tailored knowledge products, the initiative aims to equip delegates with tools to tackle current and future biological threats, enhancing the BWC’s effectiveness in global biosecurity.”

Learn more here.

“Inside HHS’ ‘One-Stop Shop’ for Health sector Cybersecurity”

Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday interviews Biodefense PhD Program alumnus and Schar School adjunct professor Brian Mazanec in this article and accompanying Federal Drive episode. Mazanec is currently the deputy director of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s Center for Preparedness. He discusses how his organization is responding to recent attacks like the Change Healthcare ransomware attacks and what HHS can offer health organizations recovering from major cyber incidents.

“Anonymous Answers: How Can We Manage Infohazards in Biosecurity?”

Anemone Franz and Tessa Alexanian discuss input from eleven experts on how to best manage infohazards in biosecurity in the third part of this series from 80,000 Hours. Answers focus on helping researchers use information responsibly, limiting secrecy to improve problem solving, considering the effects of withholding information, and more.

“Vanishing Workforce: An Antimicrobial Resistance Threat”

James Anderson, Chair of the AMR Industry Alliance, discusses the decline of the antimicrobial research and development field, its importance to the fight against AMR, and how this decline can be reversed, writing in his conclusion, “Ultimately, to meet the need for new antimicrobials that can stay ahead of the resistant bacteria, both the public and private sectors should invest in the people who are responsible for the discovery of antimicrobials to attract and retain the best scientists into the future.”

“Proceedings of Workshop: Mitigating Arboviral Threat and Strengthening Public Health Preparedness”

From NASEM: “Arboviruses, or viruses carried by arthropods like mosquitoes or ticks, are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide each year. As the climate changes globally, the geographic distribution of these diseases, including Zika, dengue, chikungunya, West Nile, and yellow fever, are steadily expanding. The National Academies Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop in December 2023 to explore avenues of threat reduction from known and emerging arboviral diseases in the context of public health preparedness and capacity building. The workshop featured talks from experts in entomology, public health, ecology, virology, immunology, disease modeling, and urban planning.”

“This proceedings highlights the presentations and discussions that occurred at the workshop.”

“WHO Technical Advisory Group on the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences and Dual-Use Research: Report of the Meeting, Geneva, Switzerland, 16-18 April 2024”

“The WHO Technical Advisory Group on the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences and Dual-Use Research (TAG-RULS DUR) was established to provide independent advice to WHO on the monitoring and mitigation of biorisks, the advances in the life sciences and related technologies, the governance of dual-use research and the responsible use of the life sciences. The first hybrid meeting of the group took place at WHO headquarters in Geneva, from 16 to 18 April 2024, in order to provide the opportunity for TAG-RULS DUR members to exchange on WHO and related advisory groups activities relevant to their areas of work; to discuss current and upcoming activities related to the implementation of the WHO Global Guidance Framework for the responsible Use of the Life Sciences and to provide technical guidance to WHO.”

Read the meeting report here.

“Exclusive: Sen. Todd Young on biosecurity, National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB)”

“Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) was recently named Chair of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB), established by Congress to recommend policy on biotech and national security. Bio.News spoke to him in an exclusive interview about the work of the commission, the BIOSECURE Act and PASTEUR Act, and more.”

1540 Compass Second Issue

“The second issue of the 1540 Compass explores the critical components of United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), with a focus on border and export control systems crucial for its full and effective implementation. This edition particularly underscores the significance of clauses in operative paragraph 3, highlighting the global commitment to securing a world where proliferation risks are minimized through robust domestic controls.”

“This issue offers a comprehensive look at the implementation, especially across Africa, examining the varied approaches to managing exports of biological weapons-related materials. It presents a range of contributions and in-depth interviews that delve into national efforts to develop voluntary action plans and regional collaborations.”

“Discussions also extend to the impact of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, on the resolution, especially concerning the need for end-user controls in exports. The edition further explores strategic trade controls with best practices from selected countries that have effectively implemented such measures.”

“A significant portion of this issue is dedicated to addressing the challenges of proliferation finance, providing insights into the complexities of this area without an official definition and offering practical recommendations for future approaches.”

“In recognizing the role of civil society in preventing weapons of mass destruction proliferation, the journal includes discussions on how various stakeholders can collaborate with governments and international organizations to ensure compliance with the resolution.”

“This issue also introduces a new Letters-to-the-Editor section, encouraging a thoughtful and nuanced discussion within the dedicated community towards enhancing global security through stringent border and export controls.”

“Reforming the Australia Group to Better Combat Biological Threats”

Kyle Wilgus discusses recent moves by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security to remove export controls on biological materials and technologies for companies and individuals residing in nations participating in the Australia Group. He argues that this is an important step in strengthening biotechnology and broader technological innovation because it “…incentivized free, unburdened trade in biological materials and technologies among its members and showcased the potential impact of the Australia Group.” He argues that, in the future, the group should build on this progress by “reformulating and expanding to better mitigate the ever-evolving spectrum of biological threats.”

“Healthy Ecosystems, Healthy Humans”

Tomas Weber discusses how biodiversity acts as a barrier against disease as “Flourishing ecosystems safeguard humans from a panoply of zoonotic illnesses,” in this piece from Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health. He covers multiple drivers of biodiversity loss and research work that is being done to help combat these effects.

“‘He Began to Complain of Sharp Pain in the Stomach”: Official Documents Obtained by The Insider Confirm Navalny Was Poisoned in Prison”

Roman Dobrokhotov re-visits Navalny’s death in this piece, writing in part “The Insider has obtained access to hundreds of official documents related to Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death in the Polar Wolf penal colony in the Russian Far North on Feb. 16, 2024. Officially, Navalny’s death was attributed to natural causes, and Russia’s Investigative Committee stated in July that the case “does not have a criminal nature.” However, the contents of the documents in The Insider’s possession demonstrate that Russian authorities consistently removed references to symptoms Navalny was noted by prison doctors to have been suffering — symptoms that did not fit with the Russian state’s official cause of death. As medical experts confirm, these symptoms clearly indicate that Navalny was poisoned.”

“Chemical Terrorism Threat Perceptions”

In his latest working paper, Alexander Kelle of the Arms Control and Emerging Technologies program at IFSH Hamburg examines the evolving salience of chemical terrorism within the CWC framework and the contribution of the OPCW. He finds that responses have been linked most often to the international cooperation and assistance norms, and regularly noted the work of the Open-Ended Working Group on Terrorism. Read the working paper here.

ICYMI: NTI|Bio Briefs Capitol Hill on Innovative Solutions to Biotechnology Risks

From NTI: “Against a backdrop of growing risks associated with advances in bioscience and biotechnology, NTI | bio and the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (CACNP) hosted a September 17 Congressional staff briefing on “Preventing Biological Catastrophe and Protecting the U.S. Bioeconomy.”’

“The event, which explored opportunities for Congress and the White House to mitigate the risks, featured a panel discussion on safeguarding evolving capabilities that arise from the combination of artificial intelligence with biotechnology and providing oversight of dual-use life science research of concern. Participants included:

Dr. Ryan Ritterson, specialist lead, Deloitte.

Mr. Daniel Gastfriend, director for Biodefense and Pandemic Preparedness, National Security Council

Dr. Gregory Koblentz, associate professor and director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, George Mason University”

Read more here.

NEW: Synthesis Screening Workshop 2-Securing Bioproduction Against an Evolving Threat Landscape

From AI for SynBio: “Advances in AI are changing the threat landscape in many fields, including in the field of biology. With AI assisted design tools, the complexity and obfuscation potential of the synthetic biological materials is expected to increase. Conversely, the same AI advances can be deployed to help screen DNA/RNA synthesis requests before they can be used for malicious purposes. This workshop seeks insight on current and future advances that will shape both the threat and countermeasure landscapes and prepare the community for the changing threat landscape. The workshop seeks perspectives from academia, industry, and government….The Fall Workshop will focus on the evolving landscape in the years beyond 2026 with an eye towards 2030.”

This hybrid event will take place on October 9. Learn more and register here.

NEW: Airfinity Avian Influenza Webinar

“Join Airfinity and its expert panelists in a discussion of the current avian influenza outbreak. Key topics will include the evolution of the virus, the potential of a recombination event and the current state of pandemic preparedness.”

This event will take place on October 10 at 10 am ET. Learn more and join here.

NEW: Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1)

Learn more and register here.

NEW: One Health and the Politics of COVID-19 Book Launch

Responsible AI: Design, Development, and Use

Join the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC) for this 3-day in-person course on Responsible AI: Design, Development, and Use!  As AI becomes increasingly pervasive across various domains, it is essential that we prioritize responsible principles, policies, and practices. Learn from top AI scholars and industry experts about ethical and safe AI deployment. You’ll also gain the critical skills to navigate the complexities of AI in business, healthcare, transportation and more.
Course Dates: October 15-17, 2024
Registration Deadline: October 8, 2024

FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza

“This Commission meeting, FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza, will be held on Tuesday, October 8th, in Washington, DC. The focus of this meeting will be to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: (1) national leadership to defend food and agriculture against influenza; (2) federal operational requirements for preparedness, coordination, and response; (3) biosurveillance, forecasting, and the need for diagnostic tests; and (4) front-line needs and partnerships in the fight against influenza.”

This event will take place in-person on October 8 from 9:20 am to 2 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

Bio and Beer (October 10)

From the Northern Virginia BioHub: Join us for a panel discussion with local investors as they share their funding priorities, insights on what’s ahead, and tips for meaningful engagement. Also, connect with our dynamic community of professionals from industry, academia, healthcare, investment, and government for a fun evening of networking!

Our panelists include:

Deborah Hemingway, Managing Partner, Ecphora Capital
Bibhash Mukhopadhyay, Managing Partner, Sound Bioventures
Kevin O’Connell, Senior Vice President, In-Q-Tel

Location: JLL Tysons Office, 1800 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, Virginia 22102

Hosted by: The Northern Virginia BioHub

Signature Sponsor: JLL

Additional Sponsors: Virginia Bio, the Prince William County Department of Economic Development, and George Mason University’s Institute for Biohealth Innovation

External Review of Ethical, Legal, Environmental, Safety, Security, and Societal Issues of Engineering Biology Research and Development

“NASEM will produce a consensus report presenting the results of its work and offering its findings, conclusions, and recommendations.”

“We invite you to submit suggestions for experts to participate in this activity. The call for experts closes on October 16, 2024 at 11:59 (ET).”

Recommend an expert here.

DARPA Invites Proposals for AI Biotechnology Pitch Days Dec. 5-6

“DARPA funds the research and development of technologies with the potential for transformational impact, central to delivering on the agency’s mission to create and prevent strategic surprise for national security. The agency’s Biological Technologies Office focuses on the natural world to derive revolutionary capabilities centered on:

Foundational technologies that promote simulation and prediction of biological systems and outcomes, like simulation, foundational models, and data generation,
Warfighter readiness, health, and recovery, such as medical countermeasures, diagnostics, health IT and medical devices, and
Operational support of U.S. forces to enable their execution of missions across the spectrum, ranging from fibers for garments to distributed, point-of-need manufacturing.”

“To capitalize on these new opportunities and further accelerate the pace of scientific and technological discovery and development, DARPA looks to include targeted and limited-scope investments via an AI BTO solicitation seeking proposals on technologies focused at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biotechnology.”

‘“AI BTO seeks to fund proposals that catalyze the formation of future research projects by clarifying the opportunity space and de-risking technical barriers to achieving high impact,” said BTO Director Dr. Michael Koeris. “To this end, the office is providing $4.5 million to support up to 45 revolutionary catalyst projects and will be finalizing research agreements day of. We look forward to reviewing the novel biotechnology approaches to further our national security mission.”’

“BTO leadership is interested in engaging first-time or non-traditional proposers and seeks revolutionary approaches to emerging or anticipated Department of Defense challenges. During these events, BTO will introduce five new overarching topics that align with AI/ML applications:

Prediction and Health
Autonomous Science
Biomanufacturing/Synthetic Biology
Challenges with Scale
Exciting Frontiers”

Pitch Days

“DARPA will host AI BTO Pitch Days on December 5-6, 2024, in the Washington, DC, region to select and award AI BTO catalyst projects. To be considered for AI BTO Pitch Day participation, offerors must submit a short white paper consisting of a technical description of the proposer’s idea in response to one of the focus areas listed above.”

“DARPA will notify offerors if they are selected for further evaluation via an in-person Pitch Day presentation to a panel of BTO program managers at the AI BTO Pitch Day event.”

“If selected for award at Pitch Day, DARPA may issue a Research Other Transactions award for one of three award scenarios – $100,000, $200,000, or $300,000. The maximum amount of government funding given to any single proposer will be $300,000.”

“To submit a white paper, register at https://usg.valideval.com/teams/aibto_2024/signup. The deadline is Friday, October 9, 2024 by 4:00PM EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.”

“Additional information is available on SAM.gov.”

Call for Experts: Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG)

“The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking two experts to serve as new members of the Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.”

“The concept of Health-Security Interface (HSI) applies to those public health activities whose performance involves to some extent the security sector broadly understood (e.g. international and non-governmental organizations, civil defense, military health personnel, law enforcement and armed forces, defense-related research programmes), certain international organizations and other entities with a security relevant mandate. These activities may include protection of health from traditional and emerging infectious disease threats; deliberate events and investigation of alleged use of chemical and biological agents including non-permissive environments and conflict zones; and any health activities performed in collaboration with security actors.”

“The HSI-TAG is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the Health-Security Interface.”

“Considering the recent developments and global trends, the Secretariat realized that there was a need to strengthen the following areas of expertise/experience, hence welcomes expressions of interest from:

Bioterrorism experts (knowledge on pathogens of security concern, their microbiological characterization and application/modification for weaponization, diagnostics, countermeasures and containment measures),
Decision/policy makers with hands-on experience dealing with significant deliberate event(s) (biological/chemical) response at the local, regional, or national level.”

“For the improved geographical and gender representation of the HSI-TAG members, the WHO Secretariat encourages applications from the WHO African, Western Pacific, European, Eastern Mediterranean and Pan American Health Organization/Americas regions and female or non-male gender identities.”

Learn more about the HSI and express interest by October 7 here.

Pandora Report 9.27.2024

September 27, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report covers updates from the Biodefense Graduate Program, the Risky Research Review Act, H5N1 updates, the UNGA’s adoption of the Pact for the Future, and more.

Schar School Virtual Information Sessions

If you are interested in a career in biodefense or global health security or want to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to work at the nexus of health, science, and security, find out what the Schar School of Policy and Government has to offer. A virtual open house for all of the Schar School’s master’s and certificate programs will be held online on Monday, September 30, 7-8 PM ET. The Schar School offers flexible part-time or full-time options for graduate certificate and master’s degree programs that teach applicable, real-world skills for in-demand careers. Register here.

Talking Global BioLabs in Galveston

Dr. Gregory Koblentz, Director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, was in Galveston, Texas this week to give a talk as part of the Biosafety and Bioethics Seminar series sponsored by the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, the Institute for Translational Sciences, and the Department of Bioethics and Health Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Dr. Koblentz’s talk, “The Global BioLabs Initiative and Biorisk Management,” provided an overview of the results of the Global BioLabs 2023 report and its recommendations for strengthening global biorisk management. While in Galveston, Dr. Koblentz was given a guided tour of the Galveston National Laboratory, one of two BSL-4 labs at UTMB. For biosafety and biosecurity reasons, he was not allowed into the lab space, but he enjoyed visiting the HVAC floors which are marvels of mechanical engineering. In addition, Dr. Koblentz visited the positive pressure suit storage area where he learned that Dover, the sole US-based manufacturer of positive pressure suits, is no longer producing these suits. Dr. Koblentz also had the opportunity to visit the Biocontainment Care Unit (BCU) operated by the Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment, Readiness, and Education (SPECTRE) Program at UTMB. The BCU is a 6-room critical care unit that can manage patients infected with highly infectious diseases such as Ebola. Luckily, the BCU has not had to treat such a patient, but it stays busy by providing training, education and research to benefit other healthcare facilities in HHS/FEMA Region VI.

Risky Research Review Act 2.0

On September 25, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee voted 8-1 to approve an amended version of the Risky Research Review Act introduced by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), ranking member of the committee. According to Senator Paul, the “bipartisan Risky Research Review Act, a first-of-its-kind proposal to establish a Life Sciences Research Security Board within the Executive Branch…The Life Sciences Research Security Board will serve as an independent body responsible for thoroughly evaluating gain-of-function research and other potentially harmful studies involving high-consequence pathogens.” The text of the bill can be found here. In July, Biodefense program director Gregory Koblentz co-authored an opinion piece with David Gillum and Rebecca Moritz that identified significant problems with original version of the bill, “While the Risky Research Review Act aims to address legitimate concerns about the potential hazards associated with life sciences research, its current form is deeply flawed, posing significant threats to scientific progress and public safety. The broad and ambiguous definition of high-risk research, the overreach in funding decisions, and the inadequacies in the board’s composition all point to a need for a more thoughtful and effective approach.” It remains to be seen whether the amended version satisfactorily addresses the deficiencies in the original bill.

UN Adopts Pact for the Future

World leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Pact for the Future last week. In a press release, the UN described the pact as “… the culmination of an inclusive, years-long process to adapt international cooperation to the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow. The most wide-ranging international agreement in many years, covering entirely new areas as well as issues on which agreement has not been possible in decades, the Pact aims above all to ensure that international institutions can deliver in the face of a world that has changed dramatically since they were created.”

The pact promises to refocus on existing obligations and commitments to nuclear and biological disarmament, aiming to make relevant global institutions more representative and responsive in the process. Action 26 in the document specifically focuses on disarmament obligations and commitments. It reads:

47. We express our serious concern at the increasing number of actions that are contrary to existing international norms and non-compliance with obligations in the field of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. We will respect international law that applies to weapons, means and methods of warfare, and support progressive efforts to effectively eradicate the illicit trade in arms. We recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening the role of the United Nations disarmament machinery. Any use of chemical and biological weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances is unacceptable. We call for full compliance with and implementation of relevant treaties. We reaffirm our shared determination to exclude completely the possibility of biological agents and toxins being used as weapons and to strengthen the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction. We decide to:

(a) Revitalize the role of the United Nations in the field of disarmament, including by recommending that the General Assembly pursue work that could support preparation of a fourth special session devoted to disarmament (SSOD-IV);

(b) Pursue a world free from chemical and biological weapons and ensure that those responsible for any use of these weapons are identified and held accountable;

(c) Address emerging and evolving biological risks through improving processes to anticipate, prevent, coordinate and prepare for such risks, whether caused by natural, accidental or deliberate release of biological agents;

(d) Identify, examine and develop effective measures, including possible legally binding measures, to strengthen and institutionalize international norms and instruments against the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling, retention and use of biological agents and toxins as weapons;

(e) Strengthen measures to prevent the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors;

(f) Redouble our efforts to implement our respective obligations under relevant international instruments to prohibit or restrict conventional weapons due to their humanitarian impact and take steps to promote all relevant aspects of mine action;

(g) Strengthen our national and international efforts to combat, prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects;

(h) Address existing gaps in through-life conventional ammunition management to reduce the dual risks of unplanned conventional ammunition explosions and the diversion and illicit trafficking of conventional ammunition to unauthorized recipients, including to criminals, organized criminal groups and terrorists.

H5N1 Updates

Missouri Healthcare Workers Who Cared for H5N1 Patient Not Tested After Developing Respiratory Symptoms

Last Friday, the CDC reported that a second healthcare worker who cared for a patient hospitalized in Missouri with H5N1 avian influenza developed respiratory symptoms. The patient and a household contact who also became ill have both recovered. Through contact investigation, the state discovered that healthcare workers who cared for the patient developed mild respiratory symptoms. The first worker’s symptoms resolved before the investigation began. State health officials told the CDC they did not learn of the second worker’s symptoms until after they had recovered, making it too late for diagnostic testing. CDC says that serologic testing will be offered to this worker.

Concerns About Lack of Testing Grow as California Reports More Outbreaks

Questions and concerns about the true extent of the H5N1 outbreak in the US are growing, with California reporting eighteen more outbreaks concentrated in herds in its Central Valley this week. Experts worry a lack of testing in both humans and animals is helping conceal the true extent of the outbreak across the nation. In addition to the Missouri healthcare workers, 663 poultry workers in Colorado are known to have been exposed. Of those, 109 reported symptoms and consented to testing, with nine testing positive in July.

Farms near the affected herds in California will begin bulk milk testing. Colorado mandated bulk milk testing, which promptly led to the discovery of outbreaks in an additional eleven herds. Eric Deeble, Deputy Undersecretary for Marketing and regulatory Programs at the USDA, said in a call in August that officials have considered requiring such testing through mandates, but had opted not to. He also said that the success in Colorado is “probably unique to Colorado, and extrapolating out to the rest of the country is not entirely appropriate.”

Currently, the USDA requires H5N1 testing only for dairy cows who are lactating and will be moved across state lines. Deeble expressed a high degree of confidence that the current level of testing is accurately capturing cases in animals being moved between states. He did also say “I do feel like the response is adequate,” in regards to spread and movement within states, even though it is not being monitored as closely.

Efforts to Control Mammal-to-Mammal Transmission Aren’t Working

Researchers led by the UK’s Pirbright Institute recently published an article in Nature that offers an overview of the current H5N1 avian influenza panzootic in mammals. The article-“The Global H5N1 Influenza Panzootic in Mammals”-includes analysis of H5N1 outbreaks European fur farm animals, South American marine mammals, and US dairy cattle. It notes the diversity of these outbreaks and that the virus is at increased risk for spillover to different mammals because of changes to its ecology and molecular evolution in birds.

Read CIDRAP’s Lisa Schnirring’s discussion of the article and its implications here.

US Announces More Mpox Vaccine Donations

This week, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), announced it is undertaking actions to help increase the United States’ supply of mpox vaccine and support the nation’s commitment to make more than a million doses available to the global mpox response. These actions include:

“The United States is donating 1,000,000 doses to the international mpox response. The United States has also committed to provide at least $500 million to support the mpox response, aligned with the WHO and Africa CDC Joint Response Plan.”
“ASPR is also loaning JYNNEOS manufacturer Bavarian Nordic 200,000 doses of ASPR-procured vaccine to ensure continued supply within the domestic commercial market. This action allows uninterrupted access to Americans without diminishing the manufacturer’s availability to fulfill international orders and donations.”
“ASPR is collaborating with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to make JYNNEOS that may otherwise expire available to HRSA funded health centers and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C and D clinics. These doses are available from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) for the purposes of expanding vaccine access for at-risk uninsured and underinsured individuals who otherwise cannot afford them.”
“These latest vaccine donation announcements follow a USG donation of 50,000 doses of mpox vaccine that was delivered to the DRC on September 10.”
“Another 10,000 doses of USG donated mpox vaccine were delivered to Nigeria in August 2024 to support the government’s clade I mpox response.”
“These vaccine efforts build off the $1.94 billion ASPR has invested in funds and technical expertise to develop and sustain JYNNEOS. The product would not exist without the investment and technical expertise provided by the USG.”
“Other HHS actions include case surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, laboratory supplies and diagnostics, infection prevention and control, increasing capacity for local field epidemiologists, and vaccine planning.”

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement, “A public health threat to one is a public health threat to all. HHS is committed to fighting the current mpox outbreak, including through this vaccine donation. Disease doesn’t respect borders and it is our duty to work together to make our world healthier. Our partnerships across the globe in fighting infectious disease will help keep us safe.”

ARPA-H Announces Awards for Developing Multi-Virus Vaccine Design Computational Platform

HHS’ Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) announced this week the teams that will receive awards from the agency’s Antigens Predicted for Broad Viral Efficacy through Computational Experimentation (APECx) program. The announcement explains that “APECx will pursue three technical areas: high-throughput biochemical analysis and protein engineering, protein modeling toolkit development for antigen design, and translational candidate development and clinical evaluation. Antigens and targets identified through these technical areas will then be evaluated for their ability to target entire viral families with a single vaccine.”

The teams are led by:

La Jolla Institute for Immunology focusing on beta and gamma-herpesvirus antigen and vaccine candidate development, including cytomegalovirus infections.
University of Washington focusing on alpha and gamma-herpesvirus antigen and vaccine candidate development, including herpes simplex virus infections.
Vaccine Company, Inc. focusing on vaccine development for flaviviruses, which include threats such as West Nile virus, dengue virus, and Zika virus.
Vanderbilt University focusing on antigen design and vaccine candidate development against alphaviruses, such as Chikungunya virus and Eastern equine encephalitis virus.

Furthermore, ARPA-H has chosen a team led by the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station that will focus on data and tool integration across the program.

“HHS Needs to Match Speed of Cyber Threats to Better Protect Health Care”

Brian Mazanec-an alumnus of the Biodefense PhD Program, Schar School adjunct professor, and Deputy Director of ASPR’s Office of Preparedness-recently discussed his office’s tools to help address cyber threats in healthcare at the GovCIO Media & Research’s 2024 Health IT summit. Read more and watch here.

“COVID-19: HHS Needs to Identify Duplicative Pandemic IT Systems and Implement Key Privacy Requirements”

This new study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviews HHS’ efforts to “reduce unnecessary duplication, overlap, or fragmentation in the systems it uses to collect this kind of data, and its efforts to protect personal information.” It finds that HHS lacks a comprehensive list of these systems, and that it has not identified nor reduced unnecessary duplication. Furthermore, GAO finds that HHS has not fully implemented key privacy safeguards for the nine systems the Office reviewed.

“Strengthening Democracy and Pandemic Preparedness Go Hand in Hand”

This article in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was authored by John Bridgeland, Elizabeth (Beth) Cameron, J. Stephen Morrison, Jennifer B. Nuzzo, and Aquielle Person. In it, they argue “American democracy and public health effectiveness are inextricable. American health security depends on maximizing the ability to live in a free, pluralistic society able to coherently manage a public health emergency. In turn, the health of US democracy depends on citizens’ faith and trust in institutions—especially government—to protect them in a crisis such as a pandemic. Given disease threats like mpox or H5N1 avian flu, the looming potential for a worst-case biological crisis begs for a well-prepared nation. Unfortunately, the United States, because of or despite the challenges of the COVID pandemic, is now more politically polarized and less prepared to mount a united response to a major health emergency. That is a collective danger that threatens Americans and imperils the world.”

“The 2024 U.S. Elections: An Existential Crossroads for Global Health Policy”

Benjamin Mason Meier, Neha Saggi, Muhammad Jawad Noon, and Xinshu She breakdown the United States’ importance in global health and what all is on the line in this regard during the upcoming presidential election in this article for Global Health Now: “The 2024 U.S. elections will shape the future of global health policy, determining whether the nation will continue to provide crucial leadership to advance global health. Yet, with only passing mention of the field’s challenges in the presidential debate, the global health community must raise awareness of the global health positions of U.S. political candidates.”

“Republican Governors on International Pandemic Plan: We Will Not Comply”

Route Fifty’s Kaitlyn Levinson discusses a recent joint statement from 24 republican governors regarding the WHO’s pandemic agreement in this article: “In yet another example of how all things related to the pandemic have become political, nearly all of the country’s Republican governors have expressed their staunch opposition to a World Health Organization agreement about how nations should collectively prevent, prepare and respond to future global public health emergencies.”

“‘Not Enough Progress’ Made at 11th Round of Pandemic Agreement Talks”

Kerry Cullinan breaks down recent rounds of negotiations on the WHO’s pandemic agreement in this piece for Health Policy Watch. Cullinan explains in part, “According to the latest draft of the pandemic agreement, the most controversial part of the agreement – developing a pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system (Article 12) – will now be addressed via a separate “instrument”…The provisions governing the PABS system – described as a “multilateral system for safe, transparent, and accountable, access and benefit sharing for pathogens with pandemic potential” – will be developed by the Conference of the Parties (COP). This COP will be set up after the World Health Assembly has adopted the pandemic agreement.”

“How to Prevent the ‘Grand Pandemic'”

This Devex article summarizes a recent World Bank report-“Stopping the Grand Pandemic: A Framework for Action.” In the report, “…the World Bank argues that addressing AMR must become a critical priority for governments and their development- and private-sector partners. It also highlights strategies for helping address AMR through holistic and sector-led interventions and unlocking finance to fund them. A menu of specific technical, operational, and financial considerations helps guide government action to prevent AMR.”

“Modern Biosurveillance Methods: A Lay Introduction to Effective Use of Nucleic Acid Methods”

From the RAND Corporation: “The devastating impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led governments, health care institutions, and researchers to intensify their focus on developing improved means to detect, contain, and manage potential future outbreaks. As part of these efforts, policymakers and other nontechnical personnel need to understand available biosurveillance technologies. In this report, the authors summarize how current and emerging nucleic acid biosurveillance techniques work, describe their capabilities and limitations, and discuss the promise of emerging technologies.”

“Biosurveillance systems are used to detect, monitor, and characterize health threats, or pathogens, in human and animal populations, food, wastewater, and the environment. Nucleic acid testing assesses nucleic acids, comprising deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), to determine the biologic agents present in clinical samples (i.e., a sample collected by a medical laboratory from a symptomatic human) or environmental samples (e.g., wastewater).”

“The authors describe a scenario of testing for pathogens in wastewater that uses detection technology within a comprehensive and pathogen-agnostic biosurveillance system. Wastewater testing offers a method for collecting samples without needing symptomatic individuals to present at clinics for care. Such testing can, therefore, offer data prior to symptoms and from those who have less access to clinical care. The case study demonstrates the advancements needed to develop a truly pathogen-agnostic, cost-effective wastewater biosurveillance system.”

“The authors conclude that policymakers interested in establishing a biosurveillance program should carefully evaluate their specific research questions and their resource limitations to determine which technology is best suited to their needs.”

CEPI Biosecurity Strategy

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations recently released its new Biosecurity Strategy “…aimed at bolstering global health security and underscoring its commitment to tackling emerging epidemic and pandemic threats, whether they arise naturally, accidentally or through deliberate misuse.”

According to the coalition, “The strategy, published during United Nations General Assembly High-level Week 2024 in New York, will harness cutting-edge technologies and foster international collaboration to mitigate the risks posed by emerging pathogens. Its launch is a significant step in CEPI’s evolution, positioning it as a thought leader in the rapidly-developing fields of biosafety and biosecurity.”

“Team-Based Learning and Threshold Concepts in Biological Security and Dual-Use: Toward a Transformative Biological Security Pedagogy—The Game Changing Implications of CRISPR/Cas and the Design of a Novel Methodology for Influencing the Culture of Life and Associated Science through Awareness Raising and Education”

Simon Whitby, Malcolm Dando, Rebecca McCarter, and Simon Tweddell published this article in Creative Education: “CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) gene editing technologies appear to be a game-changer and suggest great potential for genome manipulation and for developments in next-generation therapeutics. Ethical, legal and social concerns have been raised in light of recent applications in humans. Concern also arises in relation to the potential of such developments for misuse. In addressing the post-COVID19 challenges raised by responsible research innovation and in confronting what to do about the vexed question of “dual-use”, we contend that awareness-raising and education concerning the ethical, legal and social implications of scientific research innovation represents a welcome and empowering alternative to top down regulatory responses that may serve to stifle innovation. The design and subsequent implementation of a novel transformative pedagogy combining Team-Based Learning and Threshold Concepts yields both empirical evidence-based metrics for real-time learning. As well as generating novel empirical data-sets for the identification of subject-specific threshold concepts across discrete specialisms in the life sciences, we argue that this hybrid methodology can be used to engage science professionals and students alike in meaningful and much-needed dialogue about developments relating to genome manipulation. We demonstrate how evidence-based threshold concepts can inform the design of bespoke subject-specific training as we suggest was the case from our deployment of team-based learning and threshold concepts during our proof of concept application, prior to the pandemic, during the course of two European Union Human Brain Project training programmes undertaken in 2017 and 2018, with experts in neuroscience research at the Karonlinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.”

“A New Risk Index to Monitor AI-Powered Biological Tools”

This post from RAND Europe discusses a collaboration with the Centre for Long-Term Resilience, explaining that the two organizations “…are collaborating to develop a new approach to assess the risks posed by AI-enabled biological tools. We will develop a risk index that assesses current risks from tool capability, tool evolution and maturity, to enablement of bioweaponisation that could result in biosecurity risks. Our index also takes into account how these risks may change over time in this rapidly evolving area. Our work will expand upon and update previous work conducted by CLTR on tool categorisation (Rose & Nelson 2023) and risk assessment (Moulange et al. 2024).”

“Food, Climate Change and National Security: The Feeding Resilience Plan and USAID’s Feed the Future Accelerator”

Tom Ellison and Noah Fritzhand recently published this Council on Strategic Risks blog post discussing the Council’s new Center for Climate and Security (CCS) report and the new US food security policy initiative. They explain in part “Attendees and panelists discussed the stability benefits of US agricultural innovation, the role of international legal frameworks on weaponization of food, the role of food security in US-China relations, and the criticality of US interagency collaboration on food security. Read the Feeding Resilience storymap and full report for analysis and recommendations endorsed by 30+ national security leaders, including former US combatant commanders, ambassadors, intelligence leaders, and heads of USAID and the World Food Program.”

“Strategic Stockpiling: How New State Policies will Impact Emergency Preparedness”

Maggie Nilz offers an overview of the Strategic National Stockpile in this blog post from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials: “Preparedness is a vital component of public health, especially in the wake of the Mpox response and ongoing H5N1 outbreak. As states work to implement lessons learned from these events, stockpiling essential supplies is a critical part of the discussion. Stockpiling ensures that resources are available during emergencies allowing for a swift and effective response. To enhance preparedness policy, it’s important to understand the history of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and how it has shaped recent state readiness legislation.”

“23andMe Is in Trouble. What Happens to All the DNA Data?”

The hosts of NPR’s All Things Considered talk 23andMe’s potentially looming collapse and what is likely to happen to the data of its more than 14 million customers if the company goes under in this clip.

ICYMI: Capitol Hill Steering Committee on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Security-The Current Mpox Crisis and Congress’s Role in Protecting the US from Health Security Threats

This event was hosted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security on September 18. At it, a panel of experts from government, industry, and academia discussed the US government’s response to the current mpox emergency. Learn more and watch the event recording here.

NEW: Bio and Beer (October 10)

Our panelists include:

Deborah Hemingway, Managing Partner, Ecphora Capital
Bibhash Mukhopadhyay, Managing Partner, Sound Bioventures
Kevin O’Connell, Senior Vice President, In-Q-Tel

Location: JLL Tysons Office, 1800 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, Virginia 22102

Hosted by: The Northern Virginia BioHub

Signature Sponsor: JLL

Additional Sponsors: Virginia Bio, the Prince William County Department of Economic Development, and George Mason University’s Institute for Biohealth Innovation

Responsible AI: Design, Development, and Use

FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza

This event will take place in-person on October 8 from 9:20 am to 2 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

External Review of Ethical, Legal, Environmental, Safety, Security, and Societal Issues of Engineering Biology Research and Development

“NASEM will produce a consensus report presenting the results of its work and offering its findings, conclusions, and recommendations.”

“We invite you to submit suggestions for experts to participate in this activity. The call for experts closes on October 16, 2024 at 11:59 (ET).”

Recommend an expert here.

DARPA Invites Proposals for AI Biotechnology Pitch Days Dec. 5-6

Foundational technologies that promote simulation and prediction of biological systems and outcomes, like simulation, foundational models, and data generation,
Warfighter readiness, health, and recovery, such as medical countermeasures, diagnostics, health IT and medical devices, and
Operational support of U.S. forces to enable their execution of missions across the spectrum, ranging from fibers for garments to distributed, point-of-need manufacturing.”

Prediction and Health
Autonomous Science
Biomanufacturing/Synthetic Biology
Challenges with Scale
Exciting Frontiers”

Pitch Days

“DARPA will notify offerors if they are selected for further evaluation via an in-person Pitch Day presentation to a panel of BTO program managers at the AI BTO Pitch Day event.”

“To submit a white paper, register at https://usg.valideval.com/teams/aibto_2024/signup. The deadline is Friday, October 9, 2024 by 4:00PM EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.”

“Additional information is available on SAM.gov.”

BWC Advanced Education Course

“State Parties, particularly from the Global South, often lack the resources, knowledge, and expertise to participate in the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) diplomatic process more meaningfully. To address this challenge, UNIDIR, Diplo Foundation and FRS are organizing the BWC Advanced Education Course (BWCedu).”

“The course will equip key stakeholders – government officials in capital with responsibilities in BWC implementation, aspiring and active diplomats and life scientists working on BWC issues and biological threats – with the essential knowledge, skills and expertise to actively participate in the BWC diplomatic process and thus contribute to a stronger and more effective Convention.”

“The BWCedu comprises a five-month advanced education programme. Through this programme, 25 participants will gain in-depth knowledge of the Convention, the diplomatic landscape and relevant scientific advancements.”

“The course will employ diverse learning methods, including online lectures, real-time engagement through webinars with experts and Working Group delegates and a week-long interactive in-person session in Geneva. Course participants will be provided with access to a collection of resources and information to support independent study on aspects of the BWC.”

“In its first iteration, the comprehensive programme will focus on the current Working Group agenda items, including the two mechanisms on science & technology and international cooperation and assistance being developed for consideration at the Tenth Review Conference, or earlier at a Special Conference if requested by a majority of State Parties. The course will prepare participants for ongoing engagement in the evolving framework of the BWC, empowering them to contribute to informed decision-making.”

Applications close on September 29. Learn more and apply here.

Call for Experts – Technical Advisory Group on Laboratory Services, Systems and Diagnostics in Health Emergencies

“The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Laboratory Services, Systems and Diagnostics in Health Emergencies (TAG-LAB). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.”

“Well-functioning and sustainable laboratory services, systems and diagnostics, operating according to international principles of equity, quality and safety, are essential to implement the International Health Regulations (2005)1 and achieve global health security. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published the health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR) framework, describing the critical role of the laboratory to implement Collaborative Surveillance.”

“Laboratories also provide essential data to guide clinical care and inform coordination operations, as well as public health and social measures, in a range of emergency situations including outbreaks of pandemic and epidemic prone pathogens and humanitarian settings involving conflict, protracted crises and natural or man-made disasters. Considering this, a global strategy focused on laboratory services, systems and diagnostics for health emergencies is needed to address all of these contexts.”

“This strategy will connect global efforts and advance implementation of the laboratory components of the HEPR framework and World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution 74.7 on strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies that called for countries to “strengthen laboratory-based detection capacities”.”

“In this context, WHO is establishing a Technical advisory group on laboratory, services, systems and diagnostics for health emergencies (“TAG-LAB”). The TAG-LAB will act as an advisory body to WHO in this field.”

“The TAG-LAB is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to virus evolution. Up to 25 Members may be selected. WHO welcomes expressions of interest from experts in laboratory services, systems or diagnostics, clinical scientists, academic researchers, healthcare professionals, or others with expertise in one or more of the following areas:

Laboratory Systems
Laboratory Services
Diagnostics
National and International Policy, Regulation and Guidance
Biosafety
Biosecurity
Bioinformatics
Clinical Management
Outbreak Preparedness, Response and Resilience
Emergency response in humanitarian settings involving conflict, protracted crises and natural or man-made disasters
Academic Research
Public Health
Virology, Microbiology, Mycology, and Emerging or Re-emerging diseases”

Learn more and submit and expression of interest here by September 30.

Call for Experts: Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG)

“The HSI-TAG is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the Health-Security Interface.”

Bioterrorism experts (knowledge on pathogens of security concern, their microbiological characterization and application/modification for weaponization, diagnostics, countermeasures and containment measures),
Decision/policy makers with hands-on experience dealing with significant deliberate event(s) (biological/chemical) response at the local, regional, or national level.”

Learn more about the HSI and express interest by October 7 here.

Pandora Report 9.20.2024

September 20, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report covers updates on mpox, H5N1, polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, and more. Have a happy weekend and autumn equinox!

Schar School Virtual Information Sessions

OSTP Soliciting Feedback on New Biosecurity Policies

“The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has created email accounts to collect feedback from stakeholders on interpreting and/or implementing two new biosecurity policies that are due to go into effect soon. Starting October 26, 2024, the Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening, established under the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, will require that federally funded entities conducting life sciences research to only purchase synthetic nucleic acids and equipment from providers and manufacturers that adhere to the Framework. Stakeholders with questions about the interpretation and/or implementation of the Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening should submit their questions to syndnaguidance@hhs.gov.”

“Starting May 6, 2025, the United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential will require recipients of Federal funds for life sciences research to have policies and procedures in place to provide oversight of biological agents and toxins that, when enhanced, have the potential to pose risks to public health, agriculture, food security, economic security, or national security. Stakeholders with questions about the interpretation and/or implementation of United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential can send their questions to ASPRBIO@hhs.gov.”

“In both cases, feedback will be used for policy evaluation purposes and may result in FAQs, but not all emails will receive a response.”

National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology Selects Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) as Chair

Last week, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology announced the selection of Senator Todd Young as the Commission’s new chair. The announcement explains that “The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology is a legislative branch advisory entity whose purpose is to advance and secure biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and associated technologies for U.S. national security and to prepare the United States for the age of biotechnology. The Commission submitted an interim report to the President and the Armed Services Committees in December 2023 and will publish a comprehensive report in early 2025, including recommendations for action by Congress and the federal government. The bipartisan Commission is composed of Congressionally-appointed Commissioners with members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives as well as experts from industry, academia, and government. For more information about the Commission, visit https://biotech.senate.gov.”

Van Kerkhove: US Can and Should Do More About H5N1

STAT News’ Helen Branswell recently interviewed Maria Van Kerkhove, an American epidemiologist and current WHO Acting Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, about H5N1’s spread in the United States. During the interview with STAT, Van Kerkhove said in part: “I think the surprise for me is a highly capable country that has incredible scientists across multiple sectors, what they are trying to do to tackle this. Because the world is watching. And they know that they can do more.”

“Our relationship with the U.S. — with Health and Human Services, CDC, the National Institutes of Health — on the human health side is really strong. We have these conversations all the time. I think what we need to see is more on the animal sector. We need to see much more cross collaboration.”

“My worry in saying this to you right now is the blame game. You know, ‘The human health [side] does this’ and ‘The animal health [side] does this.’ But for me, if we’re actually in this together, then we need to really collectively do more to address this together.”

“I don’t question the will. I do not question the USDA by any means. I’m questioning what it is that is prohibiting animal and human health sectors globally to work more cohesively together.”

“I think more can be done.”

Read the full interview here.

Bonus: Read Think Global Health’s interview with Michael Osterholm focused on H5N1 and other relevant topics here.

NIH Releases Mpox Research Agenda

The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) recently released an update on the organization’s priorities for mpox research. A press release on the update explained that “The NIAID mpox research agenda focuses on four key objectives: increasing knowledge about the biology of all clades—also known as strains—of the virus that causes mpox, including how the virus is transmitted and how people’s immune systems respond to it; evaluating dosing regimens of current vaccines to stretch the vaccine supply and developing novel vaccine concepts; advancing existing and novel treatments, including antivirals and monoclonal antibodies; and supporting strategies for detecting the virus to facilitate clinical care and epidemiological surveillance.”

Read more here.

Canada Announces Mpox Vaccine Donations

Canada’s Ministries of International Development and Health announced last week that the country will be making 200,000 doses of the Imvamune (another brand name for Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS) vaccine from its supply available to support the ongoing global response to mpox. The announcement further explained that “Canada’s international assistance efforts prioritize the production of vaccines closer to the people who need them the most. In June 2024, the Government of Canada announced an $85-million contribution for Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA). AVMA aims to contribute to a sustainable manufacturing base and improved pandemic and outbreak vaccine supply resilience in Africa. Today’s announcement highlights Canada’s ongoing commitment to enhancing health security on the African continent and to stemming the spread of mpox.”

Taliban Suspends Polio Vaccination Campaigns

The AP recently reported that, according to the United Nations, the Taliban has suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan. This decision is likely to have consequences for both Afghanistan and neighboring countries. In addition to Pakistan, Afghanistan is one of the only countries were polio transmission never ceased. According to the AP, “News of the suspension was relayed to U.N. agencies right before the September immunization campaign was due to start. No reason was given for the suspension, and no one from the Taliban-controlled government was immediately available for comment.”

“Gender Representation in Biosecurity Leadership”

Shravishtha Ajaykumar recently authored this piece for the Observer Research Foundation, writing in part “The underrepresentation of women in biosafety, health, and even biosecurity is a critical issue that warrants immediate attention, especially in light of the rapidly evolving biosecurity landscape. While male dominance in other security fields, such as nuclear security, is widely acknowledged and the need for greater female representation in these areas is often highlighted, the same urgency has not been applied to biosecurity. This oversight is significant, as biosecurity has unique implications for underrepresented genders that remain largely unaddressed. The absence of gender diversity in decision-making roles can lead to blind spots in policy development, where gender-specific vulnerabilities and perspectives are overlooked. This gap is particularly concerning in the context of biosecurity, where the impacts of threats such as pandemics and biological attacks can vary significantly across different genders.”

Health Security Intelligence: Managing Emerging Threats and Risks in a Post COVID World

This volume from Routledge UK, edited by Patrick F. Walsh, includes multi-disciplinary contributions from a range of scholars who explore what role national security intelligence agencies played during COVID-19, and, more importantly, how they can improve their capabilities to better understand and mitigate against emerging health and biological threats, risks, and hazards into the future. This book is open access here.

“Apathy and Hyperbole Cloud the Real Risks of AI Bioweapons”

Filippa Lentzos, Jez Littlewood, Hailey Wingo, and Alberto Muti authored this article from The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, explaining in part “Like other scientific and technological developments before it, AI is dual use: It has the potential to deliver a range of positive outcomes as well as to be used to support nefarious activity by malign actors. And, as with developments ranging from genetic engineering to gene synthesis technologies, AI in its current configurations is unlikely to result in the worst-case scenarios suggested in these and other headlines—an increase in the use of biological weapons in the next few years…Bioweapons use and bioterrorism has been, historically, extremely rare. This is not a reason to ignore AI or be sanguine about the risks it poses, but managing those risks is rarely aided by hype.”

“The Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit 2024: Outcomes Report”

From CEPI: “The Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit 2024: Outcomes Report, published today [September 17], distils the discussions, reflections, and recommendations that emerged from the Summit. The report aims to inform global leaders’ decision-making around international pandemic preparedness efforts by presenting outcomes and recommendations that summarise the views of the Summit’s diverse field of over 80 expert speakers and panellists.”

“Global Health Experts Note Improved Post-COVID Pandemic Preparedness, but Large Gaps Remain”

In this CIDRAP article, Stephanie Soucheray breaks down a recent survey of global infectious disease experts that was conducted by Abbott and “…shows that most experts agree that pandemic preparedness has improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, but significant gaps remain in building surveillance programs to identify emerging pathogens, public health funding, and adequate testing infrastructure.”

“Pandemic Recovery Metrics to Drive Equity (PanREMEDY): Guidelines for State and Local Leaders in Anticipation of Future Catastrophic Outbreaks”

The Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins recently released this report. Its executive summary explains in part: “The Pandemic Recovery Metrics to Drive Equity – PanREMEDY project sought to give form to the least considered phase of a catastrophic outbreak of infectious disease, while applying an equity lens. The project inquired, “By what measures could local and state decision makers know that efforts at holistic recovery were working, especially for the socially vulnerable individuals and communities hit hardest by COVID-19?”’

“To answer this question, the project team gathered and analyzed a wide range of evidence. They consulted disaster recovery and resilience experts, convened a scoping symposium, reviewed academic and gray literature on epidemic/pandemic recovery, and elicited input from diverse participants via listening sessions. Based upon thematic analyses of these inputs, the team generated an initial set of 44 indicators and distilled ethical and practical considerations concerning their implementation.”

Read more here.

“The United Nations Must Ensure Sustainable Access to Effective Antibiotics”

Ramanan Laxminarayan discusses the UN’s role in addressing AMR in this piece for Think Global Health: “Effective antibiotics, once taken for granted, are no longer a guarantee in any country. Since they were first introduced, the hundreds of millions of tons of antibiotics used—and sometimes overused—for medicine to improve human illness, in livestock for growth promotion, and in agriculture to prevent and treat plant diseases, have resulted in the gradual accumulation of resistance genes in disease causing bacteria, leading to the ability to evade antibiotics and develop AMR.”

“Drug-Resistant Germs Will Kill Millions More People in Coming Decades, Researchers Warn”

Corinne Purtill breaks down recent research on AMR and superbugs in this piece for the Los Angeles Times: “Now, a new report finds that unless officials take action to develop new medications, “superbug” infections could kill nearly 2 million people a year in 2050 — a 67.5% increase from the 1.14 million lives lost this way in 2021…An additional 8.22 million will die of causes related to those infections in 2050, according to a study from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance Project published this week in the Lancet, a medical journal.”

“Into the Unknown: How Quickly Can Vaccines be Developed for Disease X”

Robert Barrie discusses countries’ efforts to prepare for new infectious disease threats and conduct vaccine development in this piece for Pharmaceutical Technology, writing in part “‘Disease X’ is the term the World Health Organization (WHO) coined for the next unknown infectious pathogen that could cause an epidemic or even a pandemic. The phrase ‘Disease X’ was introduced in 2018 to act as a placeholder alongside other priority diseases for research and development (R&D) initiatives. The aim was to create a robust framework for a swift public health response and encourage vaccine research, treatment rollout, and diagnostic test development to combat an unknown pathogen…Despite this available framework, the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 was mired with several challenges. A recent UK Covid-19 inquiry report went so far as to say that government officials had been planning for the “wrong pandemic”, funnelling resources into influenza-based infections.”

African Newsletter on One Health & Biosecurity, September 2024

The latest edition of the African Newsletter on One Health & Biosecurity is dedicated to the intersection of AI and biosecurity as it pertains to Africa. Read the newsletter here.

“Preparing the World for the Next Pandemic: Evidence from China’s R&D Blueprint for Emerging Infectious Diseases”

Ma et al. recently published this article in the Journal of Infection and Public Health:

Background

“With double pressures of endemic and imported emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), China’s ability to detect, prevent and control the unknown virus is of regional and global interest. This study aimed to establish an R&D Blueprint for EIDs in China by identifying the list of prioritized diseases and medical countermeasures (MCMs) that need proactive actions for the next pandemic.”

Methods

“The process mainly referred to the World Health Organization’s prioritization methodology, supplemented by pipeline landscape, rapid risk assessment and multi-dimensional analysis. The study included five steps: 1) identifying potential pathogens, 2) screening into the long list, 3) prioritizing the long list, 4) identifying the final list and 5) generating an R&D Blueprint.”

Results

“China’s R&D Blueprint identified 14 viral pathogens and two virus groups (i.e., Influenza HxNy and Coronavirus X) for proactive and representative MCM development. At least one diagnostic candidate in preclinical study, and one therapeutic and one vaccine candidate in Phase I/II clinical trials for each prioritized pathogen were suggested to be developed as strategic national stockpiles. Various generalized and innovative platform technologies were also highlighted for enhancing overall capacities of EID preparedness and response, covering basic research, experiment, detection, prevention and control, surveillance and information sharing.”

Conclusions

“This is the first study in developing countries that established an R&D Blueprint of prioritized diseases, countermeasures and technologies. Our findings could help to drive pre-emptive scientific and technological actions toward emerging pathogens that may cause the next epidemic and could provide evidence-based strategies for developing countries to establish their national health research agenda tailored to health and research context under resource-limited settings.”

NEW: Accelerating Global Connectivity and Progress Towards the SDGs

From Foreign Policy: “As emerging technologies reshape global dynamics, policymakers are tasked with developing robust frameworks that can keep pace, ensuring that innovation and technology advance the public good. They, along with industry, finance, development, and civil society, must navigate the complexities of supporting equitable growth, managing evolving threats, and addressing critical issues such as AI ethics, digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, biosecurity, and more.”

“This year’s forum will explore how advanced technologies can foster greater connectivity and prosperity, emphasizing the crucial role of science, biotech, technology, and innovation (STI) within the UN framework. Through a series of panel discussions and one-on-one conversations, the FP Tech Forum @ UNGA79 will take a candid look at the state of technology, increasing global fragmentation, and the steps necessary to mitigate risks and leverage technology for material progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.”

This event will take place on September 25 at 8:30 am at 45 Rockefeller Plaza. Register here.

Available Now: The Role of AI in Advancing Public Health Webinar

From ICF: “For health departments that a short time ago were struggling to move from faxing to online reporting, the leap into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) may seem like a bridge too far. Even those with well-resourced data systems might find it challenging to grasp AI’s impact. However, AI has the potential to revolutionize how work gets done in local, state, tribal and territorial public health departments, improving day-to-day operations and unlocking new ways to advance health outcomes.”

“In this webinar, leading public health experts explore how AI can optimize operations at local, state, and national levels—from transforming data collection, analytics, and forecasting to customizing communication messages, responding to misinformation, and targeting resources to better promote equity.”

Session on Public Stakeholder Perspectives for Potential Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Research Priorities

From NASEM: “On Monday, September 23, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will host an open online public listening session to hear perspectives from stakeholders on potential research priorities for the ongoing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) outbreak. Members of the public are invited to participate and register to provide a presentation during this listening session.”

“This event will be held to inform planning for Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1): A Workshop.”

Learn more and register here.

Pandemics, Climate, Health, Conflict: Preventing Future Shocks

From the Pandemic Action Network (PAN): “How can this year’s UN Summit of the Future (Sept. 22-23) serve as a springboard for action in the year ahead?”

“Join PAN, the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, and RANA for Pandemics, Climate, Conflict: Preventing Future Shocks on Sept. 24. This event will include former Heads of State and government, senior policymakers, and non-governmental leaders sharing their perspectives on the current political state of play, opportunities, and actions necessary to ensure we are prepared to respond to, and prevent, future global shocks.”

“Please register to indicate interest. Confirmation, full program, and location details to follow. In-person space is limited for this event.”

MPOX: A Public Health Emergency of International Concern

From the Brown Pandemic Center: “On September 27th at 12:00PM ET the Pandemic Center will host a webinar titled Mpox: A Public Health Emergency of International Concern.“

“In August, the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). At the time of the declaration, the DRC had reported 27,000 mpox cases, mainly in children, and 1,100 deaths since the beginning of 2023. The WHO has since announced a six month plan to stanch the outbreak, which includes boosting surveillance, increasing staffing in affected countries and improving access to vaccines, among many other measures.”

“This webinar will convene a panel of experts to discuss the current situation and what the global health community should be doing. It will be hosted by Jennifer Nuzzo, Director of the Pandemic Center and Professor of Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. The panel will include:

Dr. Placide Mbala, Associate Professor, University of Kinshasa School of Medicine & Head of the Epidemiology and Global Health Division, National Institute of Biomedical Research, Democratic Republic of Congo

Dr. Christy Hutson, Senior Science Advisor for Clade I Mpox Response & Chief of the Poxvirus and Rabies Branch at CDC”

“This webinar is part of the Pandemics & Society series, created and sponsored by the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health, which focuses on current pandemic threats and response systems as well as how to build preparedness for the future.”

Learn more and register here.

Responsible AI: Design, Development, and Use

FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza

This event will take place in-person on October 8 from 9:20 am to 2 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

NEW: External Review of Ethical, Legal, Environmental, Safety, Security, and Societal Issues of Engineering Biology Research and Development

“NASEM will produce a consensus report presenting the results of its work and offering its findings, conclusions, and recommendations.”

“We invite you to submit suggestions for experts to participate in this activity. The call for experts closes on October 16, 2024 at 11:59 (ET).”

Recommend an expert here.

NEW: DARPA Invites Proposals for AI Biotechnology Pitch Days Dec. 5-6

Foundational technologies that promote simulation and prediction of biological systems and outcomes, like simulation, foundational models, and data generation,
Warfighter readiness, health, and recovery, such as medical countermeasures, diagnostics, health IT and medical devices, and
Operational support of U.S. forces to enable their execution of missions across the spectrum, ranging from fibers for garments to distributed, point-of-need manufacturing.”

Prediction and Health
Autonomous Science
Biomanufacturing/Synthetic Biology
Challenges with Scale
Exciting Frontiers”

Pitch Days

“DARPA will notify offerors if they are selected for further evaluation via an in-person Pitch Day presentation to a panel of BTO program managers at the AI BTO Pitch Day event.”

“To submit a white paper, register at https://usg.valideval.com/teams/aibto_2024/signup. The deadline is Friday, October 9, 2024 by 4:00PM EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.”

“Additional information is available on SAM.gov.”

BWC Advanced Education Course

Applications close on September 29. Learn more and apply here.

Call for Experts – Technical Advisory Group on Laboratory Services, Systems and Diagnostics in Health Emergencies

Laboratory Systems
Laboratory Services
Diagnostics
National and International Policy, Regulation and Guidance
Biosafety
Biosecurity
Bioinformatics
Clinical Management
Outbreak Preparedness, Response and Resilience
Emergency response in humanitarian settings involving conflict, protracted crises and natural or man-made disasters
Academic Research
Public Health
Virology, Microbiology, Mycology, and Emerging or Re-emerging diseases”

Learn more and submit and expression of interest here by September 30.

Call for Experts: Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG)

“The HSI-TAG is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the Health-Security Interface.”

Bioterrorism experts (knowledge on pathogens of security concern, their microbiological characterization and application/modification for weaponization, diagnostics, countermeasures and containment measures),
Decision/policy makers with hands-on experience dealing with significant deliberate event(s) (biological/chemical) response at the local, regional, or national level.”

Learn more about the HSI and express interest by October 7 here.

Pandora Report 9.13.2024

September 13, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

Happy Friday the 13th! This week’s Pandora Report covers updates from the Biodefense Graduate Program, the 14th human case of avian influenza reported in the US, preparations for mpox clade II’s potential arrival in the US, and more. Luck is also on your side on this unlucky day as we have new professional opportunities in the announcement section and even more upcoming events.

Schar School Virtual Information Sessions

If you are interested in a career in biodefense or global health security or want to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to work at the nexus of health, science, and security, find out what the Schar School of Policy and Government has to offer. The Biodefense PhD Program will hold a virtual open house on Wednesday, September 18 from 5:30-7:30 PM ET. Register here. In addition, a virtual open house for all of the Schar School’s master’s and certificate programs will be held online on Monday, September 30, 7-8 PM ET. The Schar School offers flexible part-time or full-time options for graduate certificate and master’s degree programs that teach applicable, real-world skills for in-demand careers. Register here

Biodefense Program Adjunct Professor Joins DHS
Dr. Ashley Grant, an adjunct professor in the Biodefense Graduate Program at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, has joined the Office of Health Security in the Department of Homeland Security as the Senior Health Security and Biodefense Advisor, a career Senior Level position. The Office of Health Security serves as the primary authority on medical, workforce health and safety, and public health for DHS. In her new position, Dr. Grant will help mitigate the impact of biological threats, whether arising naturally, by accident, or through deliberate action.

Previously, Dr. Grant served as a principal scientist at the MITRE Corporation, as the senior biological scientist at the Government Accountability Office where she led government-wide technical performance audits focused on biosafety and biosecurity issues, as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Fellow in the Chemical and Biological Defense Program Office in the Department of Defense, and as an Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellow at the National Academies of Science on the Committee on International Security and Arms Control.

In the Biodefense Program, Dr. Grant teaches BIOD 604: Emerging Infectious Diseases: Viral Threats and BIOD 620: Global Health Security Policy. As a biodefense practitioner, Dr. Grant brings her real-world experience into the classroom and provides a role model for Biodefense students on how to bridge the gap between science and policy in the domains of homeland and national security.

14th Human Case of Bird Flu Reported in US Since March

Health officials in Missouri have reported a 14th human case of H5 avian influenza, this time in a person who had no contact with dairy cows or other animals associated with ongoing outbreaks across the country. All previous 13 cases, and an addition one in 2022, were in patients who had direct contact with infected animals. In a September 6 statement, the CDC explained that the case was identified through Missouri’s seasonal flu surveillance program and emphasized that risk to the general public remains low. California also reported two more outbreaks of H5N1 in dairy cows this week. The state continues to investigate how the virus spread to the two farms.

Read more: “5 Burning Questions About Missouri’s Mysterious H5 Bird Flu Case,” Helen Branswell, STAT

United States Preparing for Possible Arrival of Mpox Clade I

Senior officials in the Biden administration told reporters on a call yesterday that, because mpox infections continue to rise in Africa, the US is preparing for its own potential cases. Officials explained that the US government is “…expanding its mpox surveillance efforts, primarily through wastewater analysis, and is reaching out to the medical community to educate members on what to watch for, including the severity of clade 1 and how it spreads, according to officials.”

So far during this outbreak, there have been nearly 25,000 reported cases and 600 deaths. An outbreak of clade II (which is generally less severe than clade I) in 2022 spread to all US states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The US recorded more than 33,000 cases and 60 deaths.

“Signs of Progress on Strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention”

Dan Regan and Christopher East recently published this post on the Council on Strategic Risks’ blog, covering a recent meeting of the Working Group on Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). They write in part “Attending in an observer capacity, the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) was heartened to witness the largely constructive discussions, most notably the progress on measures related to scientific and technological developments, and international cooperation and assistance…The session also marked an important milestone in the expansion of BWC member states. This was the first meeting in which Tuvalu and the Federated States of Micronesia were recognized as States Parties, having acceded to the BWC in June and July, respectively. This now brings the total number of States Parties to 187, an important step towards universalization of the treaty.”

Read more here.

Health Security Special Collection: NETEC International Partnerships and Programs Supplement

Health Security recently published a special collection of articles with the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC): “This supplement is truly unique because it compiles in a single volume descriptions of approaches taken by different countries and regions to achieve optimal clinical preparedness for and response to HCID cases and incidents. It explores the current state and prospects of HLIUs in managing HCIDs, emphasizing the national, regional, and global importance of these unique facilities and the expertise inherent to them. These papers underscore the opportunities and significance of sharing experiences, best practices, and establishing relationships with other teams in this specialized field to improve individual HLIU practices, as well as the broader field of HCID management.”

“Viral Outbreaks Threaten Our Food Supply. We’re Not Ready.”

The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense’s Susan Brooks and Donna Shalala recently authored this op-ed focused on HPAI and other viral diseases for the IndyStar, writing in part “We are again behind in developing and manufacturing point-of-use diagnostic tests that we can distribute widely and gather information from easily. Without more data, experts are struggling to understand this virus, why it is infecting such a broad range of animals, and whether avians are really the original source of the virus. While current economic and health impacts to industry appear minimal so far, history tells us that could change quickly if the virus mutates. Indeed, media reports have already indicated that some dairy cows experience difficulty in recovering from the disease, while others never recover and are culled. Other studies suggest the possibility that the virus can spread in both directions between poultry and dairy herds, which could threaten to further fuel the outbreak.”

“Harris, Trump Try to Relitigate the Pandemic”

Politico’s Ben Leonard recaps the pandemic’s role in the recent presidential debate in this short piece.

“Poliovirus That Infected a Chinese Child in 2014 May Have Leaked from a Lab”

Kai Kupferschmidt discusses a recently-discovered possibility that a 2014 case of polio in China may have been the result of an accidental release of poliovirus from a research laboratory or vaccine production facility: “Researchers at the Pasteur Institute in Paris working under strict biosafety conditions recently opened an old box that contained a virological time capsule: four poliovirus samples, each with a handwritten label on the vial, sent to the institute more than 60 years earlier by Albert Sabin, a giant in the field of poliovirus research.”

“The viruses had to be destroyed, as part of a global campaign to get rid of old poliovirus samples. But first, the Pasteur team would sequence them to preserve their genetic information.”

“Now, a paper about those sequences, published in Virus Evolution in July, has raised an unexpected and troubling possibility: A poliovirus that infected a 4-year-old child in China in 2014 may have originated in a research laboratory or a vaccine production facility.”

“The Pivotal Decision That Led to a Resurgence of Polio”

Apoorva Mandavilli discusses how a decision to pare down the oral polio vaccine has led to an uptick in polio cases in this New York Times article: “The poliovirus that paralyzed a child in Gaza, the first case in the region in 25 years, has traveled a long path…It most likely arose in Nigeria and made its way to Chad, where it was first detected in 2019, according to genetic analysis. It emerged in Sudan in 2020 and then found a foothold in Egypt, in unvaccinated pockets of Luxor and North Sinai — next door to Gaza.”

“This journey was the consequence of a fateful decision by global health organizations to pare down the oral polio vaccine in 2016. The move, now called “the switch,” was intended to help eradicate the disease…Instead, the change has led to outbreaks of polio in dozens of countries and has paralyzed more than 3,300 children. A formal evaluation, commissioned by the global polio eradication program and led by two independent experts, was unflinching in its assessment: “The switch was an unqualified failure.”’

“Designing a New National Center for Disease Control”

Think Global Health recently published this interview with Chikwe Ihekweazu, former Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, explaining in their introduction: “Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, Chikwe Ihekweazu and his wife, Vivianne, knew they needed to write a book about their experience.”

“At the time, Ihekweazu was serving as the first director general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, an organization he had helped build from scratch to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats in his home country.”

“Virtually overnight after COVID-19 arrived, Ihekweazu became the national spokesperson for keeping Nigerians informed about the rapidly evolving situation. He played a key role in coordinating the country’s public health response. The Ihekweazus’ new book, An Imperfect Storm: A Pandemic and the Coming of Age of a Nigerian Institution, is a personal account of navigating these challenges.”

“Ihekweazu had experience managing epidemics from HIV/AIDS to Ebola. That work, combined with his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, led to his current position as assistant director general at the World Health Organization’s Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin, where he and his colleagues use data analytics to prepare for future epidemics and pandemics.”

“Think Global Health interviewed Ihekweazu about his experiences and lessons learned over the years—including the critical role that institutions play in providing capacity and national and global levels to respond to infectious disease threats.”

“Anonymous Answers: What Are the Best Ways to Fight the Next Pandemic?”

From 80,000 Hours: “This is Part Two of our four-part series of biosecurity anonymous answers. You can also read Part One: Misconceptions.”

“Preventing catastrophic pandemics is one of our top priorities.”

“But the landscape of pandemic preparedness is complex and multifaceted, and experts don’t always agree about what the most effective interventions are or how resources should be allocated.”

“So we decided to talk to more than a dozen biosecurity experts to better understand their views. This is the second instalment of our biosecurity anonymous answers series.”

“Below, we present 12 responses from these experts addressing their views on neglected interventions in pandemic preparedness and advice for capable young people entering the field, particularly as it relates to global catastrophic risks.”

“‘The World’s Simply Not Noticing’: 2024 Likely to Be Deadliest Year for Aid Workers”

The Guardian’s Rebecca Root discusses the nearly 200 humanitarian workers’ deaths that have been documented so far this year in this piece: “By late August, 187 aid workers around the world, who play a vital role in delivering food, water and medical supplies during crises, had been killed, making 2024 likely to be the deadliest year ever for aid workers. Last year currently holds that title, when 280 lost their lives compared with 118 in 2022. The Israeli-Gaza war, where more than 280 aid workers have been killed since 7 October, as well as Sudan and South Sudan accounted for most of the deaths.”

“NASA, Partners Conduct Fifth Asteroid Impact Exercise, Release Summary”

From NASA: “For the benefit of all, NASA released a summary Thursday of the fifth biennial Planetary Defense Interagency Tabletop Exercise. NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, in partnership with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and with the assistance of the U.S. Department of State Office of Space Affairs, convened the tabletop exercise to inform and assess our ability as a nation to respond effectively to the threat of a potentially hazardous asteroid or comet.”

Read more here.

“No Manhattan Project for AI, but Maybe a Los Alamos”

David Ignatius discusses the Biden administration’s forthcoming national security memo on AI in this Washington Post opinion piece, explaining in part: “The new approach won’t propose the “Manhattan Project for AI” that some have urged. But it should offer a platform for public-private partnerships and testing that could be likened to a national laboratory, a bit like Lawrence Livermore in California or Los Alamos in New Mexico. For the National Security Council officials drafting the memo, the core idea is to drive AI-linked innovation across the U.S. economy and government, while also anticipating and preventing threats to public safety.”

“The new strategy will focus on defense and intelligence agencies, aided by the just-created AI Safety Institute at the Commerce Department and its National Institute of Standards and Technology. The Pentagon, the intelligence community and Commerce will work to develop partnerships with the five private companies that dominate AI research, all of them American: Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Google’s DeepMind, Elon Musk’s xAI, Meta AI and the start-up Anthropic.”

ICYMI: Global Health Security 2024

The Global Health Security Conference 2024 concluded in June, but slides and videos from the conference are available here, and the Post-Conference Report is here: “In June 2024, the third Global Health Security conference returned to Sydney, Australia, where it all began some five years previously. GHS2024 was held at a time when the international community is still dealing with impacts arising from the COVID-19 pandemic even as new and previously believed conquered diseases are resurging and spreading internationally, threatening not only human health but also animal and environmental health. Added to this, environmental degradation and our shifting climate are presenting new challenges, while the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), cuttingedge technologies, the proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, anti-science and anti-vax movements, as well as rising geopolitical tensions, has ensured that collectively we have a potent mix of challenges to confront in order to make the world safer and healthier for all. In this broader context, the need for a multisectoral, multidisciplinary meeting in which some of the world’s best minds examine the latest scientific evidence, identify gaps, build new partnerships, forge alliances, and build and strengthen a community of practice where we can learn from each other, has never been more important or critical.”

NEW: Complying with the New Biosecurity Requirements for Industry Webinar

“RTX BBN Technologies and Aclid invite you to a deep dive on the U.S. government’s “Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening”. Discover its impact on biosecurity screening standards and the steps required to achieve compliance before the October 2024 deadline.”

“Hear from thought leaders from Battelle, International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), US Department of Health and Human Services and Twist Bioscience!”

“Secure your spot now — registration closes on September 16 at 12:00pm ET.”

“The webinar takes place on September 19th, 2024 from 1:00pm – 2:00pm“

NEW: Session on Public Stakeholder Perspectives for Potential Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Research Priorities

“This event will be held to inform planning for Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1): A Workshop.”

Learn more and register here.

NEW: MPOX: A Public Health Emergency of International Concern

From the Brown Pandemic Center: “On September 27th at 12:00PM ET the Pandemic Center will host a webinar titled Mpox: A Public Health Emergency of International Concern.“

Dr. Christy Hutson, Senior Science Advisor for Clade I Mpox Response & Chief of the Poxvirus and Rabies Branch at CDC”

Learn more and register here.

BSL4ZNet International Conference

“The Biosafety Level 4 Zoonotic Laboratory Network (BSL4ZNet) is an international group of federal institutions in Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, United States and Canada responsible for high-containment laboratories that allows countries to work together to respond to dangerous zoonotic diseases that spread between animals and people.”

“The 2024 BSL4ZNet International Conference is taking place in September 2024. This year’s theme is “Emerging disease meets innovative science. The working language of the BSL4ZNet is English. The 2024 BSL4ZNet International Conference will be presented in English only.”

“The 2024 BSL4ZNet International Conference includes 4 sessions:

Wednesday, September 4: Threats and challenges – Delving into topics such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), Climate-Related Risks, and the nuanced landscape of Science Communication amidst Misinformation/Disinformation Challenges.
Wednesday, September 11: Innovation and emerging technologies – Innovation and Emerging Technologies: Exploring the latest advancements and breakthroughs in the realm of emerging technologies shaping our response to infectious diseases.
Wednesday, September 18: Biosecurity and biosafety – Addressing critical issues surrounding biosecurity and biosafety measures, crucial pillars in combating zoonotic diseases
Wednesday, September 25: Innovation for BSL4 activities and challenges – Featuring an enlightening panel discussion focusing on innovative approaches to address challenges inherent to BSL4 activities.”

Learn more and register here.

Pandemics, Climate, Health, Conflict: Preventing Future Shocks

From the Pandemic Action Network (PAN): “How can this year’s UN Summit of the Future (Sept. 22-23) serve as a springboard for action in the year ahead?”

“Please register to indicate interest. Confirmation, full program, and location details to follow. In-person space is limited for this event.”

Responsible AI: Design, Development, and Use

FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza

This event will take place in-person on October 8 from 9:20 am to 2 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

NEW: BWC Advanced Education Course

Applications close on September 29. Learn more and apply here.

Associate Professor (Health Security) – Practice Track Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore

“The Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, is seeking an exceptional and motivated early to mid-career academic to join our faculty as an Assistant or Associate Professor in Health Security. This position is designed for candidates with expertise in health security, biosecurity or related fields, with a strong public health background, and who are passionate about research, teaching, and contributing to global health initiatives. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in advancing the school’s Asia Centre for Health Security in improving health security across Asia and beyond. Details on the position can be found here.”

“The Asia Centre for Health Security (Asia CHS, https://asia-chs.org/) is a new research and policy centre in Singapore focused on preventing high-consequence biological risks of any origin. Asia CHS was established at the NUS Saw See Hock School of Public Health, in collaboration with the NTU’s Rajaratnam School of International Studies and the Singapore National Centre for Infectious Diseases. The centre was founded with philanthropic gifts from several Asian and European donors totaling more than $7M for the Centre’s first three years of operations.”

Call for Experts – Technical Advisory Group on Laboratory Services, Systems and Diagnostics in Health Emergencies

Laboratory Systems
Laboratory Services
Diagnostics
National and International Policy, Regulation and Guidance
Biosafety
Biosecurity
Bioinformatics
Clinical Management
Outbreak Preparedness, Response and Resilience
Emergency response in humanitarian settings involving conflict, protracted crises and natural or man-made disasters
Academic Research
Public Health
Virology, Microbiology, Mycology, and Emerging or Re-emerging diseases”

Learn more and submit and expression of interest here by September 30.

Call for Experts: Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG)

“The HSI-TAG is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the Health-Security Interface.”

Bioterrorism experts (knowledge on pathogens of security concern, their microbiological characterization and application/modification for weaponization, diagnostics, countermeasures and containment measures),
Decision/policy makers with hands-on experience dealing with significant deliberate event(s) (biological/chemical) response at the local, regional, or national level.”

Learn more about the HSI and express interest by October 7 here.

The Nonproliferation Review Special Issue on Understanding the Nexus Between AI and WMD

“The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) presents significant opportunities and challenges for WMD nonproliferation. On the one hand, AI introduces new risks in which state and non-state actors could employ these new technologies to enable weapons development and use. AI could introduce other existential risks, some of which we may not have imagined previously. However, AI also has the potential to be a powerful tool for detecting and analyzing proliferation risks, supporting arms-control verification and treaty negotiation, and gaining new insights into the decision calculus of proliferators. Even the benefits of AI come with major risks when applied to WMD nonproliferation. To harness these benefits, policy makers must also contend with a new set of risks, including cyber-vulnerabilities that are relatively new to WMD nonproliferation but inherent to AI systems that rely upon software, hardware, and penetrable networks. The breathtaking pace of progress in the development of AI demands urgent action from the WMD-nonproliferation community to get ahead of this curve. Policy makers confront a closing window to steer outcomes toward the positive and need new insights to help them navigate these challenges.”

“This special issue will examine specific risks and opportunities at the nexus of WMD and AI while highlighting some of the general implications of AI for the WMD-nonproliferation field. Authors will be expected to conduct interviews with subject-matter experts and/or engage in other original empirical research to ensure the paper makes an original contribution and provides a technical perspective to the ongoing discussion among scholars and policy makers (see journal guidelines for more information). We welcome submissions from both academic and policy angles, but we are targeting policy makers working at the nexus of AI and WMD as the primary audience for this issue.”

Learn more here.

Pandora Report 9.6.2024

September 6, 2024September 6, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

Happy September! This week’s edition of the Pandora Report discusses promising outcomes from early studies of Moderna’s mpox vaccine candidate, H5N1 in Californian dairy cows, Pathoplexus’ launch, Google DeepMind’s AlphaProteo, and more.

Biodefense Program Virtual Information Sessions

If you are interested in a career in biodefense or global health security or want to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to work at the nexus of health, science, and security, find out what the MS and PhD Biodefense degrees at the Schar School of Policy and Government have to offer. The MS in Biodefense offers the option of completing the degree entirely online. The virtual information session for the MS in Biodefense will be held on September 11 at 1 PM ET. This information session will provide an overview of the program, as well as the application process, student experience and graduate outcomes. Register here.

The PhD in Biodefense virtual open house will be held on September 18 from 5:30-7:30 PM ET. Register here.

Moderna’s Mpox Vaccine Bests Bavarian Nordic’s In Early Testing

Amid the sprint to develop new and improved mpox vaccines, Moderna, the biotech company probably best known for its SPIKEVAX COVID-19 vaccine, has found early success with its mRNA vaccine candidate targeted at mpox. The candidate-mRNA-1769-recently outperformed the dominant JYNNEOS vaccine from Bavarian Nordic, showing itself to be better at preventing severe disease and reducing viral loads in monkeys. In an article from Fierce Biotech, Jean Nachega, an epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh, was quoted saying, “The mRNA-1769 vaccine appears promising. The vaccine’s ability to elicit a strong immune response, combining neutralizing and functional antibodies, suggests its potential as an effective tool against mpox.”

California Dairy Cows Test Positive for H5N1

Animals at three dairy farms in California have tested positive for bird flu, the California Department of Food and Agriculture reported late last week. This marks the 14th US state to report cases of H5N1 in dairy cattle, this time in the top milk-producing state in the country. More than 190 herds have been infected across the country since March, in addition to 13 workers from dairy and poultry farms. The jump from birds to cows and human infections are worrying because they mean the virus may have the opportunity to mutate and spread from person-to-person, though risk to the general public remains low.

Pathoplexus Promises to be Simple to Use, Transparent

A group of scientists, in response to difficulties faced during the COVID-19 pandemic in using the primary database for sharing SARS-CoV-2 sequences, has created an open-source database focused on some of the world’s deadliest viruses. A ScienceAdivser article explains further: “Called Pathoplexus, the database launched this week at first will focus on the Sudan and Zaire strains of Ebola virus, as well as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and West Nile virus. Like similar databases, it hopes to help communities derail outbreaks before they grow, and, if that fails, better respond to epidemics and pandemics. “We believe that building trust through transparency is essential for encouraging broader participation in data sharing,” says Pathoplexus co-founder Anderson Fernandes de Brito, a computational biologist at the All for Health Institute.”

“But Pathoplexus aims to stand apart in other ways—especially compared with the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database, which has become a central repository of sequences for the viruses that cause COVID-19, influenza, mpox, pneumonia, chikungunya, dengue, and Zika. GISAID has been harshly criticized for concealing its finances and governance, and several scientists have complained about its founder, erstwhile businessman Peter Bogner, and his representatives reprimanding them for how they use the database and even cutting off access during disputes.”

Read more here.

Google DeepMind Creates AI System That Generates Proteins That Binds to Target Molecules

Google DeepMind recently introduced AlphaProteo, the company’s “…first AI system for designing novel, high-strength binders to serve as building blocks for biological and health research.” They explain in their press release that, “Protein design is a fast-evolving technology that holds lots of potential for advancing science in everything from understanding the factors that cause disease, to accelerating diagnostic test development for virus outbreaks, supporting more sustainable manufacturing processes, and even cleaning contaminants from the environment.”

“To account for potential risks in biosecurity, building on our long-standing approach to responsibility and safety, we’re working with leading external experts to inform our phased approach to sharing this work, and feeding into community efforts to develop best practices, including the NTI’s (Nuclear Threat Initiative) new AI Bio Forum.”

“Going forward, we’ll be working with the scientific community to leverage AlphaProteo on impactful biology problems and understand its limitations. We’ve also been exploring its drug design applications at Isomorphic Labs, and are excited for what the future holds.”

“At the same time, we’re continuing to improve the success rate and affinity of AlphaProteo’s algorithms, expanding the range of design problems it can tackle, and working with researchers in machine learning, structural biology, biochemistry and other disciplines to develop a responsible and more comprehensive protein design offering for the community.”

Read the accompanying white paper, “De novo design of high-affinity protein binders with AlphaProteo,” here.

Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins Launches Gene Synthesis Screening Information Hub

The Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University announced this week the launch of the Gene Synthesis Screening Information Hub, “…a new online platform dedicated to helping nucleic acid synthesis providers, manufacturers, and customers adhere to a new federal Framework aimed at preventing intentional misuse of synthetic nucleic acids and supporting safe scientific research practices in the United States.”

Learn more about the hub here and new US policies on nucleic acid synthesis screening here.

Members of Congress Introduce HR 9194, Nucleic Acid Standards in Biosecurity Act

Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) and Congressman Rich McCormick (R-GA) recently announced the introduction of HR 9194, Nucleic Acid Standards in Biosecurity Act. Caraveo’s press release on the bill explained, “Biotechnology companies routinely produce custom-ordered nucleic acids, such as DNA, for university, industry, nonprofit, and government researchers. Given the increases in production, there must be larger actions taken to establish and develop industry standards for best practices or standards for identifying, flagging, and screening nucleic acid sequences of concern. Given the use of nucleic acid synthesis in downstream biologic activities, such as developing diagnostic tests or engineering antibodies to treat diseases, the development of screening best practices and standards requires careful deliberation by stakeholders.”

“These best practices must minimize risks while also supporting stakeholders to use nucleic acids for research and development to drive major societal benefits as well as contributions to economic and national security. This challenge will only grow as Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems improve in their capabilities to design complex sequences consisting of natural or engineered properties that might go unnoticed by traditional detection methods.”

“The Nucleic Acid Standards for Biosecurity Act would authorize consortium activities at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to support the development and improvement of best practices and technical standards for biosecurity measures related to nucleic acid synthesis. Specifically, it would:

Mitigate potential risks without compromising biotechnology innovation and American biotechnology leadership. This bill gives industry the tools to evaluate the performance of their screening systems, which are critically important as technical capabilities in engineering biology, artificial intelligence, and other areas grow.

Authorize a consortium that includes representatives from industry, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and customers to develop consensus best practices and standards.

Provide technical guidance useful for practitioners by authorizing the development of voluntary, consensus-based technical standards and operational guidance useful for both industry and customers.”

“Preventing a Pandemic: Koblentz Promotes New Federal Agency at U.S. Senate Hearing”

This news post from the Schar School discusses Biodefense Graduate Program Director Gregory Koblentz’s recent testimony before the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs: “At a U.S. Senate Committee hearing on the origins of COVID-19 in June, Schar School associate professor Gregory Koblentz advocated for the creation of a new federal agency to manage the oversight of biological and pandemic risks. Koblentz, director of the Schar School’s biodefense program, emphasized that instead of trying to uncover the definitive origin of COVID-19 we should instead learn lessons from that mystery.”

“Russian Foreign Policy on Global Health: A Mini-Series Exploring Russian Foreign Policy on Global Health”

This mini-series from Think Global Health includes three articles: “A New Era for Russian Foreign Policy on Global Health” by Nataliya Shok, “Russian Cooperation with Venezuela Integrates Health” by Julio S. Castro Méndez and Victoria E. Castro Trujillo, and “Russia’s Growing Footprint on the African Health Landscape” by Aloysius Ssennyonjo and Eric Ssegujja.

“Farmed Fur Animals Harbour Viruses with Zoonotic Spillover Potential”

Zhao et al. recently published this article in Nature: “Animals such as raccoon dogs, mink and muskrats are farmed for fur and are sometimes used as food or medicinal products^1,2, yet they are also potential reservoirs of emerging pathogens³. Here we performed single-sample metatranscriptomic sequencing of internal tissues from 461 individual fur animals that were found dead due to disease. We characterized 125 virus species, including 36 that were novel and 39 at potentially high risk of cross-species transmission, including zoonotic spillover. Notably, we identified seven species of coronaviruses, expanding their known host range, and documented the cross-species transmission of a novel canine respiratory coronavirus to raccoon dogs and of bat HKU5-like coronaviruses to mink, present at a high abundance in lung tissues. Three subtypes of influenza A virus—H1N2, H5N6 and H6N2—were detected in the lungs of guinea pig, mink and muskrat, respectively. Multiple known zoonotic viruses, such as Japanese encephalitis virus and mammalian orthoreovirus^4,5, were detected in guinea pigs. Raccoon dogs and mink carried the highest number of potentially high-risk viruses, while viruses from the Coronaviridae, Paramyxoviridae and Sedoreoviridae families commonly infected multiple hosts. These data also reveal potential virus transmission between farmed animals and wild animals, and from humans to farmed animals, indicating that fur farming represents an important transmission hub for viral zoonoses.”

Read a summary and discussion of the implications of this study from Jon Cohen for ScienceAdviser here.

“WHO Global Framework to Define and Guide Studies Into the Origins of Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens with Epidemic and Pandemic Potential”

This new technical document is from the WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens: “The WHO global framework to define and guide studies into the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential, developed by the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) has been designed as a resource for Member States. It provides, for the first time, comprehensive guidance on the studies that are needed to investigate the origins of emerging and reemerging pathogens.”

“Timely investigations into pathogens’ origins are critical for preventing and containing global health crises. Their findings provide the basis for stopping outbreaks before they begin, halting transmission chains and reducing the risk of pathogen spillover from animals to humans. They can also confirm or exclude the possibility of an unintentional breach in laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.”

“The framework also offers recommendations on the capacities needed to conduct these studies and the critical importance of sharing all findings as soon as possible to guide next steps.”

“A Biomanufacturing Plan to Confront Future Biological Threats: Expert Panel Policy Review and Near-Term Recommendations”

The Council on Strategic Risks’ Nolan Center recently released this report. Its executive summary explains in part “The rising incidence of infectious disease outbreaks, re-emerging pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance, as well as the rising risk of future pandemics, highlight the urgent need for a close examination of our medical countermeasure production and response strategy, and implementation of changes where they are most needed. Some progress was made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with extensive investment and interest in the development of broad-based diagnostics and medical countermeasures that can be advanced rapidly to address current and emerging biological threats. However, in an urgent event, the ability of such new technology to bring diagnostic kits, therapeutics, vaccines, and personal protective equipment to those in need is limited by how long it takes to scale up and produce these items at the needed quantities. Being responsive and meeting threat-driven emergent government requirements necessitates a manufacturing system that is agile, adaptable, and able to rapidly produce large quantities in a distributed manner.”

“One promising way to do this is through biomanufacturing.”

“Biomanufacturing, the process of using biological compounds or biological systems to manufacture products, lends itself to all of the above requirements and provides an industrial process that can improve US preparedness.¹ It has significant potential to increase the resilience of our healthcare systems and economy, spur economic growth, and minimize dependence on foreign manufacturing for pharmaceuticals.”

“Two key US government documents have begun to envision aspects of a national biomanufacturing approach: Executive Order 14081 on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy (issued in September 2022) and the National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan for Countering Biological Threats, Enhancing Pandemic Preparedness, and Achieving Global Health Security (released in October 2022).² However, meeting these goals and requirements will require a whole-of-government approach along with public-private partnering efforts. Existing government capabilities and knowledge need to be leveraged, the private sector needs incentives and de-risking, the workforce needs to be trained and expanded, information and forecasting from pathogen early warning systems need to be fully distributed and rapidly shared, and pandemic response exercises using biomanufacturing need to be periodically conducted.”

Read more here.

“Eight Former CDC Directors: Hollowing Out the CDC Is a Prescription for Disaster”

William Foege, William Roper, Jeffrey Koplan, Julie Gerberding, Tom Frieden, Brenda Fitzgerald, Robert Redfield, and Rochelle Walensky, all former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently authored this article for STAT News. They write in part, “As former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we are deeply concerned that recent recommendations to pare back the CDC would cost lives and damage the economy…One misguided narrative is that the CDC should focus only on a “core mission” of combatting infectious diseases. In fact, the core mission of the CDC is to save lives and protect Americans from all health threats — not only infectious diseases but also cancer, environmental risks, injuries, and the conditions that are the leading causes of death among Americans.”

“Boom, Now Bust: Budget Cuts and Layoffs Take Hold in Public Health”

Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez discusses the currently-unfolding consequences of public health’s boom-and-bust funding cycle in this piece for KFF Health News: “Even as federal aid poured into state budgets in response to the covid-19 pandemic, public health leaders warned of a boom-and-bust funding cycle on the horizon as the emergency ended and federal grants sunsetted. Now, that drought has become reality and state governments are slashing budgets that feed local health departments.”

“Identifying Pathogens in the Field with F-FAST”

Parker Martin discusses the Army’s Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology (F-FAST) and its ability to identify biothreats in far-forward environments: “Future battlefields require an on-the-go approach to the identification of whatever biological threat our warfighters may come across. One such approach — Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology, or F-FAST – uses rapid DNA and RNA sequencing systems for biothreat identification in far-forward environments.”

“While these types of tests normally require a degree of scientific know-how, researchers at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) are working to make F-FAST’s rapid testing methods quicker and simpler than ever to address all potential biothreats – including those that are emerging and genetically modified.”

Journal of Strategic Trade Control Special Issue: Training Programs to Counter Current and Emerging Biological and Chemical Proliferation Risks: Themes, Practices, and Lessons Learnt

This special issue of the Journal of Strategic Trade Control includes articles like “The Nun Who Broke America’s Nuclear Sanctum: The Use of Case Studies in CBRN Nonproliferation Training,” “Training to Embrace Uncertainties? The ‘Pathway Evolution Process’ Serious Game for Assessing Toxic Waste Program,” “Addressing the Biological Security Educational Gap,” and more.

NEW: Schar School Master’s and Certificate Virtual Open House

Prospective students are invited to join the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University for our Master’s and Certificate Virtual Open House! The Schar School offers flexible part-time or full-time options for graduate certificate and master’s degree programs that teach applicable, real-world skills for in-demand careers.

This virtual event is the perfect opportunity to:
•   Explore our top-ranked master’s degree and graduate certificate programs;
•   Meet the graduate admissions team and program faculty;
•   Learn about your program of interest in depth, including the curriculum, admissions requirements, and career opportunities; and
•   Ask admissions team members specific questions about the application process.

WHEN: Monday, September 30, 7-8 p.m. Eastern

Learn more and register here.

NEW: The Role of AI in Advancing Public Health

This event will take place at 12 pm EST on September 12. Learn more and register here.

NEW: Pandemics, Climate, Health, Conflict: Preventing Future Shocks

From the Pandemic Action Network (PAN): “How can this year’s UN Summit of the Future (Sept. 22-23) serve as a springboard for action in the year ahead?”

“Please register to indicate interest. Confirmation, full program, and location details to follow. In-person space is limited for this event.”

NEW: FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza

This event will take place in-person on October 8 from 9:20 am to 2 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

NEW: Responsible AI: Design, Development, and Use

BSL4ZNet International Conference

“The 2024 BSL4ZNet International Conference includes 4 sessions:

Wednesday, September 4: Threats and challenges – Delving into topics such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), Climate-Related Risks, and the nuanced landscape of Science Communication amidst Misinformation/Disinformation Challenges.
Wednesday, September 11: Innovation and emerging technologies – Innovation and Emerging Technologies: Exploring the latest advancements and breakthroughs in the realm of emerging technologies shaping our response to infectious diseases.
Wednesday, September 18: Biosecurity and biosafety – Addressing critical issues surrounding biosecurity and biosafety measures, crucial pillars in combating zoonotic diseases
Wednesday, September 25: Innovation for BSL4 activities and challenges – Featuring an enlightening panel discussion focusing on innovative approaches to address challenges inherent to BSL4 activities.”

Associate Professor (Health Security) – Practice Track Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore

Call for Experts – Technical Advisory Group on Laboratory Services, Systems and Diagnostics in Health Emergencies

Laboratory Systems
Laboratory Services
Diagnostics
National and International Policy, Regulation and Guidance
Biosafety
Biosecurity
Bioinformatics
Clinical Management
Outbreak Preparedness, Response and Resilience
Emergency response in humanitarian settings involving conflict, protracted crises and natural or man-made disasters
Academic Research
Public Health
Virology, Microbiology, Mycology, and Emerging or Re-emerging diseases”

Learn more and submit and expression of interest here by September 30.

Call for Experts: Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG)

“The HSI-TAG is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the Health-Security Interface.”

Bioterrorism experts (knowledge on pathogens of security concern, their microbiological characterization and application/modification for weaponization, diagnostics, countermeasures and containment measures),
Decision/policy makers with hands-on experience dealing with significant deliberate event(s) (biological/chemical) response at the local, regional, or national level.”

Learn more about the HSI and express interest by October 7 here.

The Nonproliferation Review Special Issue on Understanding the Nexus Between AI and WMD

Learn more here.

Pandora Report 8.30.2024

August 30, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report covers updates on mpox, COVID-19 misinformation, the US Government’s plan to re-launch its no-cost COVID-19 testing kit program, and more.

Mpox Updates

WHO Launches Global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan

The WHO announced this week the launch of its global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan that is designed to stop outbreaks of human-to-human transmission of mpox. According to the organization, “The plan covers the six-month period of September 2024-February 2025, envisioning a US$135 million funding need for the response by WHO, Member States, partners including Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), communities, and researchers, among others,” and it aims to coordinate this through global, regional, and national efforts.

Furthermore, “The plan, which builds on the temporary recommendations and standing recommendations issued by the WHO Director-General, focuses on implementing comprehensive surveillance, prevention, readiness and response strategies; advancing research and equitable access to medical countermeasures like diagnostic tests and vaccines; minimizing animal-to-human transmission; and empowering communities to actively participate in outbreak prevention and control.”

The same statement also says that WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) will collaboratively spearhead the effort to respond to mpox in the WHO Africa Region with Africa CDC. It explains that “WHO AFRO and Africa CDC have agreed on a one-plan, one-budget approach as part of the Africa Continental Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, currently under preparation.”

However, not everyone is convinced the WHO will find success in its approach. In a recent article for The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists titled “A new mpox variant is taking off in Africa. The WHO plan for stopping it isn’t realistic,” Georgios Pappas writes, “In the mpox-affected areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic, local health care systems may lack in capabilities to deal with threats like mpox. At the same time, political instability can be a barrier to improving health care facilities. Furthermore, malnutrition in the region predisposes children to unfavorable mpox outcomes. The WHO’s declaration of Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the designation the body gives to the most threatening crises, should have served as a chance to support this lacking health infrastructure. But the proposals so far to address the crisis don’t appear to be rising to the occasion.”

DRC Struggles Without Adequate Access to Vaccines, Tests, and Treatments

Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicenter of the current mpox outbreak, say they are without the necessary resources to contain the outbreak and treat those who are infected. NYT‘s Stephanie Nolen explains in a recent piece that the country has limited ability to diagnose mpox cases, a particularly concerning fact as the transmission and presentation of the disease change. She also writes “There is no effective antiviral treatment for mpox in Congo. The country is also short on the medications necessary to treat people with painful mpox lesions. Its fragile public health system is struggling to provide those infected with basic care, which has been shown to improve survival rates even in the absence of antiviral drugs.”

The DRC also continues to want for mpox vaccines, despite the country requesting them two years ago and manufacturers saying they have the supplies. This is in large part because of the WHO’s regulatory process. In the years since the last worldwide mpox outbreak, the WHO has still yet to approve the vaccines nor issue an emergency use license for them. This prevents UNICEF and Gavi from helping to facilitate immunizations in developing countries as they require one of these forms of authorization.

As Nolen explains in another piece, many low- and middle-income countries depend on the WHO to make these judgments about vaccines and other pharmaceuticals, in contrast to high-income countries that rely on their own regulators. This is a problem as “…the organization is painfully risk-averse, concerned with a need to protect its trustworthiness and ill-prepared to act swiftly in emergencies,” according to Blair Hanewall, a global health consultant who “managed the W.H.O. approvals portfolio as a deputy director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a key funder, for more than a decade.”

Despite these roadblocks, the WHO announced today that mpox vaccines are set to arrive in the DRC over the next few days. 230,000 doses, which were donated by the European Commission and Bavarian Nordic, are immediately available to be dispatched.

Read More-“Mpox Vaccine Tracker: Millions Pledged, Millions Still Yet to Be Delivered,” Chloe Searchinger and Allison Krugman, Think Global Health

WHO Urges Diagnostic Test Rapid Access and Invites Manufacturers to Emergency Review

This week, the WHO also asked manufacturers of in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) for mpox to submit expressions of interest for Emergency Use Listing (EUL). This comes after discussions with these manufacturers about the need for IVDs, especially in low-income settings. WHO explained in its statement on the action that “With as many as 1000 suspected cases reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone this week, the demand for diagnostic tests is on the rise. In this heavily affected country, WHO has worked with partners to scale up diagnostic capacity to respond to the upsurge of cases. Since May 2024, six additional labs have been equipped to diagnose mpox, enabling a decentralization of testing capacity from major cities to affected provinces. Two of these labs are in South Kivu, selected to respond to the outbreak of the new viral strain, called Ib. Thanks to these efforts, testing rates have dramatically improved in the country, with four times as many samples tested in 2024 so far as compared to 2023.”

US Government to Resume Offering COVID-19 Tests Through Mail at No Cost Again

Early this week, the US government announced it will again offer COVID-19 test kits to American households at no cost. Households will be able to order up to four COVID-19 nasal swab tests upon the program’s reopening. This announcement comes alongside urging people to seek out updated COVID-19 boosters before the fall and winter come. While many Americans do have some immunity to COVID-19 because of previous infections or immunizations, less than 25% of adults in the US got an updated COVID-19 vaccination last fall.

More Americans Believe COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation

Research from the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center found that 28% of respondents incorrectly believe that COVID-19 vaccines are responsible for thousands of deaths. This is in contrast to 22% in June of 2021. Furthermore, the percentage of respondents who say this is false declined from 66% to 55% during the same time period. 22% believe it is safer to be infected rather than get the vaccine, in contrast to 10% in April of 2021. The belief that COVID-19 vaccines change patients’ DNA rose from 8% in April 2021 to 15% now. Finally, while about two-thirds of respondents said the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the potential risks, this number is lower than those who believe the same for mpox, RSV, and MMR vaccines.

As Axios’ Adriel Bettelheim explains, “Previous polling has shown sizable numbers of Americans who believe COVID vaccine misinformation know they’re at odds with scientists and medical experts, suggesting that educating people on the science behind vaccines won’t change many minds.”

These trends are especially concerning given the United States’ renewed struggles with COVID-19 this summer and the push to prepare the public for the upcoming fall and winter respiratory virus season.

“International Talent Programs in the Changing Global Environment”

From the National Academies: “The U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce plays a vital role in fostering and sustaining innovation, economic competitiveness, and national security. This workforce currently depends, and for the foreseeable future will depend, on both international and domestic talent. Foreign STEM talent contributes to domestic innovation, economic growth, and U.S. leadership in science and technology and also expands perspectives and networks essential to future scientific collaborations and discoveries.”

“At the request of the U.S. Department of Defense, this report reviews foreign and domestic talent or incentive programs and their corresponding scientific, economic, and national security benefits. International Talent Programs in the Changing Global Environment makes recommendations to improve the effectiveness of U.S. mechanisms for attracting and retaining international students and scholars relative to the programs and incentives other nations use to support national research capabilities, especially in national security and defense-related fields.”

Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley, an associate professor with George Mason’s Biodefense Graduate Program, provided the study committee with insight into China’s Thousand Talent Program.

“We Need a Global Framework for Promoting Safe Handling of High Consequence Pathogens”

Karlsson et al. authored this opinion piece for the BMJ, writing in their introduction “The covid-19 pandemic has highlighted ongoing concerns regarding biosafety and biosecurity procedures in global pathogen research. This includes questions about any possible role of field and laboratory research into the emergence of the SARS-COV-2 virus.1 The $125m Discovery and Exploration of Emerging Pathogens-Viral Zoonoses programme, funded by the US Agency for International Development, researching new zoonotic viruses was recently cancelled partly because of these concerns.2 This has raised broader discussion about the risks and benefits of viral surveillance and research. Limiting funds for pathogen surveillance and research compromises long term preparedness for pandemics and leaves pathogen spillover threats unmonitored. Rather than restrict scientific surveillance and research, a global safety governance framework that spans the entire pathogen value chain must be urgently developed. This must cover the life cycle of pathogen research, including collection, transportation, and laboratory handling.”

“Biotechs Bolster Biosecurity to Safeguard the Future of Nucleic Acid Sequencing”

Danielle Gerhard discusses expert calls for stricter security measures regarding synthetic DNA in this piece for The Scientist: “Since then, industry consortia and government bodies have stepped up to fill this gap and provide guidance on how DNA providers can help prevent biosecurity risks through enhanced screening frameworks. However, to keep pace with the evolving landscape of rapid technology advancements and requests for guidance from industry, the government has updated its framework for providers of these services, but some experts in the field call for end-users, including institutions, to take on more responsibility when it comes to minimizing the biosecurity risks associated with these technologies.”

“Can Operation Warp Speed Serve as a Model for Accelerating Innovations Beyond COVID Vaccines?”

Arielle D’Souza, Kendall Hoyt, Christopher M. Snyder, and Alec Stapp’s work on a framework for applying mission approaches and economic principles from Operation Warp Speed to other innovations was recently made available by the National Bureau of Economic Research: “Operation Warp Speed (OWS) was a U.S. government-led program to accelerate the development, production, and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. The program cut the typical ten-year timeline needed to develop a new vaccine down to ten months and began vaccinating vulnerable populations within a year after launch. OWS’s success has led to calls for a similar mission model to accelerate innovations addressing other pressing social needs, including a cure for Alzheimer’s disease or atmospheric-carbon removal to combat global warming. We provide a framework to understand which innovations call for a mission approach and apply economic principles to identify key design features that contributed to the success of OWS.”

“2022-2024 NBAF Science Accomplishments Report”

The US Department of Agriculture recently released this report on scientific accomplishments at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, KS. The report covers NBAF’s mission and capabilities as well as accomplishments made by the ARS Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit, ARS Foreign Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, ARS Zoonotic and Emerging Disease Research Unit, Biologics Development Module, and APHIS Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.

“Behind the Smoke: How Disinformation Surrounding Syria’s Chemical Attacks Undermines Public Health”

Salma Daoudi recently authored this article for the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy that “…explores the strategic use of disinformation to manipulate public perceptions around the Assad regime’s chemical attacks and its ramifications for the public health sector.”

“Worldwide Trends in COVID-19-Related Attacks Against Healthcare: A Review of the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition Database”

Duffhues et al. recently published this article in Health Security: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, violence targeting healthcare reportedly increased. Attacks against healthcare can severely hamper the public health response during a pandemic. Descriptive data analysis of these attacks may be helpful to develop prevention and mitigation strategies. This study aimed to investigate trends regarding COVID-19-related attacks against healthcare from January 2020 until January 2023. COVID-19-related incidents occurring between January 2020 and January 2023 were extracted from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition database and screened for eligibility. Included incidents were linked to COVID-19 health measures or were attacks directly interfering with COVID-19 healthcare, including conflict-related attacks. Data collected per incident included temporal factors; country; setting; attack and weapon type; perpetrator; motive; number of healthcare workers (HCWs) killed, injured, or kidnapped; and health facility damage. The study identified 255 COVID-19-related attacks against healthcare, with 18 HCWs killed, 147 HCWs injured, and 86 facilities damaged. The highest attack frequency was reported during the beginning of the pandemic and predominantly concerned stigma-related attacks against healthcare. Reported incidents in 2021 included attacks targeting vaccination campaigns, as well as conflict-related attacks interfering with COVID-19 healthcare. COVID-19-related attacks against healthcare occurred in heterogeneous contexts throughout the pandemic. Due to underreporting, the data presented are a minimum estimate of the actual magnitude of violence. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of public education campaigns, improved coordination between healthcare organizations and law enforcement, and the possible need to bolster the security of medical facilities and health workers.”

Asimov Press Pandemic Prevention Mini-Issue

Asimov Press recently published a handful of essays as part of its Pandemic Prevention Mini-Issue, including “Is That DNA Dangerous?” by Tessa Alexanian and Max Langenkamp, “Day Zero Antivirals for Future Pandemics” by Brian Wang, “Measuring the Black Death” by Saloni Dattani, and “Defense-Forward Biosecurity” by Allison Berke.

“Unmasking the Threat”

Goran Georgiev recently published this blog post focused on WMD information manipulation in Bulgaria and Romania with the Center for the Study of Democracy, writing in part “The analysis underscores a stark contrast between Bulgaria and Romania in the spread and impact of misleading content about biological laboratories, reflecting broader cultural differences in how Russia is perceived publicly. Romania does not share many of the cultural pull factors or cognitive capture that make citizens in majority Slav countries vulnerable to pro-Kremlin information interference, particularly the shared linguistic, ethnic, and historical heritage. Differences in geopolitical public perceptions have been evident in numerous comparative surveys, with Romanians being over eight times less likely (at 3%) to see Russia as a strategic ally after the invasion compared to Bulgarians (at 26%) or Slovaks (25%). These differences appear to be reflected in the level of engagement with pro-Kremlin narratives related to WMD.”

“Transoceanic Pathogen Transfer in the Age of Sail and Steam”

Elizabeth N. Blackmore and James O. Lloyd-Smith authored this article in PNAS: “In the centuries following Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage to the Americas, transoceanic travel opened unprecedented pathways in global pathogen circulation. Yet no biological transfer is a single, discrete event. We use mathematical modeling to quantify historical risk of shipborne pathogen introduction, exploring the respective contributions of journey time, ship size, population susceptibility, transmission intensity, density dependence, and pathogen biology. We contextualize our results using port arrivals data from San Francisco, 1850 to 1852, and from a selection of historically significant voyages, 1492 to 1918. We offer numerical estimates of introduction risk across historically realistic ranges of journey time and ship population size, and show that both steam travel and shipping regimes that involved frequent, large-scale movement of people substantially increased risk of transoceanic pathogen circulation.”

What We’re Listening to 🎧

Technologically Speaking Podcast: Season 4, Episode 3

“The Technologically Speaking Podcast sits down with Lindsay Gabbert, a microbiologist at the S&T Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC). Lindsay and her colleagues at PIADC are on the front lines keeping dangerous animal diseases at bay and away from our farms. She talks about what the greatest threats are and what S&T and PIADC are doing to thwart them. She also shares anecdotes about her time working at PIADC, one of the most interesting and unique labs in the United States, nestled on a small and historic island in the Long Island Sound.”

BSL4ZNet International Conference

“The 2024 BSL4ZNet International Conference includes 4 sessions:

Wednesday, September 4: Threats and challenges – Delving into topics such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), Climate-Related Risks, and the nuanced landscape of Science Communication amidst Misinformation/Disinformation Challenges.
Wednesday, September 11: Innovation and emerging technologies – Innovation and Emerging Technologies: Exploring the latest advancements and breakthroughs in the realm of emerging technologies shaping our response to infectious diseases.
Wednesday, September 18: Biosecurity and biosafety – Addressing critical issues surrounding biosecurity and biosafety measures, crucial pillars in combating zoonotic diseases
Wednesday, September 25: Innovation for BSL4 activities and challenges – Featuring an enlightening panel discussion focusing on innovative approaches to address challenges inherent to BSL4 activities.”

Safeguarding the Food Supply: Integrating Diverse Risks, Connecting with Consumers, and Protecting Vulnerable Populations – A Workshop

From the National Academies: “On September 4-5, the Food Forum will host a workshop that explores the state of the science around hazard- and risk-based approaches to safeguarding both domestic and global food systems. Workshop presenters will examine nutrition, economic, and equity implications in food safety decision-making, and considerations and strategies for communicating hazard and risk across sectors. The workshop will also include national and international perspectives on risk assessment and tools to mitigate risk, as well as opportunities for the future of risk management and assessment, food safety, and public health.”

Learn more and register for this virtual event here.

Pandora Report 8.23.2024

August 23, 2024August 23, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s edition of the Pandora Report covers the FDA’s recent approval of updated COVID-19 vaccines, more mpox updates as cases continue to crop up outside of Africa, updates on Russia’s targeting of Ukrainian healthcare facilities, and more.

FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, allowing Pfizer and Moderna to begin shipping millions of doses of their updated products. Novavax expects its updated offering to become available soon. As the AP notes, the FDA’s decision came earlier this year than last year amid a summer wave of infections across much of the country.

The same piece explains, “This fall’s vaccine recipe is tailored to a newer branch of omicron descendants. The Pfizer and Moderna shots target a subtype called KP.2 that was common earlier this year. While additional offshoots, particularly KP.3.1.1, now are spreading, they’re closely enough related that the vaccines promise cross-protection. A Pfizer spokesman said the company submitted data to FDA showing its updated vaccine “generates a substantially improved response” against multiple virus subtypes compared to last fall’s vaccine.”

The FDA included in its statement on the approvals: ‘“Vaccination continues to be the cornerstone of COVID-19 prevention,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “These updated vaccines meet the agency’s rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. Given waning immunity of the population from previous exposure to the virus and from prior vaccination, we strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants.”’

Mpox Updates

Department of Health and Human Services Releases Statement on US Government Response to Mpox

In response to Africa CDC’s declaration of the current mpox outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security and the WHO’s subsequent Public Health Emergency of International Concern declaration, the United States has expressed support for these declarations and pledged to work closely with “African governments, Africa CDC and WHO to ensure an effective response to the current outbreak and to protect the health and lives of people of the region.”

The Department of Health and Human Services emphasized in its statement that, while clade I tends to cause a higher number of severe infections, the Department expects outcomes would be much less severe in the United States than in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The same statement also explains that “CDC has issued an updated Health Alert Network advisory urging clinicians to consider clade I mpox in people who have been in DRC or neighboring countries in the previous 21 days; clinicians are also asked to submit specimens for clade-specific testing for these patients if they have symptoms consistent with mpox. Given the geographic spread of clade I mpox, the U.S. CDC issued an updated Travel Health Notice on Aug. 7, 2024, recommending travelers to DRC and neighboring countries practice enhanced precautions.”

United States Announces Addition Support for Africa’s Mpox Response

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced this week a further $35 million in emergency health assistance in response to the current mpox outbreak in Central and East Africa. USAID said in its press release that “The additional assistance announced today will enable USAID to continue working closely with affected countries, as well as regional and global health partners, to expand support and reduce the impact of this outbreak as it continues to evolve. USAID support includes assistance with surveillance, diagnostics, risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control, case management, and vaccination planning and coordination.”

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Recommends Enhancing Preparedness

In a recently prepared risk assessment, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that it is “highly likely that the EU/EEA will see more imported cases of mpox caused by the clade I virus currently circulating in Africa. However, the likelihood of sustained transmission in Europe is very low provided that imported cases are diagnosed quickly and control measures are implemented.”

Furthermore, “ECDC recommends that public health authorities in the EU/EEA maintain high levels of preparedness planning and awareness raising activities to enable rapid detection and response of any further MPXV clade I cases that may reach Europe. Ensuring effective surveillance, laboratory testing, epidemiological investigation and contact tracing capacities will be vital to detecting cases of MPXV clade I on the continent and activating any response.”

Asia on High Alert Following Case in Thailand

Countries across Asia are sounding the alarm on mpox following Thailand’s confirmation of the first case of mpox clade Ib in Asia in Bangkok this week. The patient, a 66-year-old European, landed in Bangkok on August 14 and was sent to the hospital with mpox symptoms. Thailand’s Department of Disease Control said in a statement “We have monitored 43 people who have been in close contact with the patient and so far they have shown no symptoms, but we must continue monitoring for a total of 21 days.”

In response, China, South Korea, and other countries have announced screening and testing measures for passengers arriving from certain countries. In addition to taking similar measures, Taiwan has also begun stockpiling vaccines and starting targeted immunization campaigns for those at higher risk. South Korea identified Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Central African Republic, Kenya, Congo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as origin points requiring extra precautions for travelers. Furthermore, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said it will be monitoring waste from aircraft toilets in addition to distributing mpox information pamphlets at airports.

New Vaccines, Tests on the Way

A growing number of countries are promising vaccine donations in response to the outbreak, explains CIDRAP’s Lisa Schnirring, though the DRC argues they are not doing enough. Agence France-Presse reported this week that French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced his country will send 100,000 doses of vaccine to impacted African countries in the coming weeks. However, DRC Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba told Politico this week “We would like the EU to pledge more.” Kamba elaborated, saying “As we don’t know yet how the disease will progress, the amount promised by the EU would not allow us to protect our entire population should the disease affect more people.”

Politico explains that “The DRC alone needs 3.5 million doses to respond to the current level of infection, Kamba said, while Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said the continent needs at least 10 million doses.”

An official from the European Commission speaking anonymously told Politico “Nobody’s holding onto stocks that Africa desperately needs” and that the donation made by the Commission was the most the organization could get its hands on. Germany is reportedly considering whether or not to donate any vaccine doses, having given its 117,000 doses of JYNNEOS to the German Army.

Schnirring also explained that Swiss manufacturer Roche “… announced that it is working with its partners to enhance mpox lab capacity worldwide. It is also providing training for labs across Africa at the Roche Scientific Campus in South Africa and at other locations. The company also confirmed that its Cobas mpox PCR test, as well as its research-only test kits, can detect the latest mpox variants.”

Further Reading

“The Resurgence of Mpox in Africa,” Caitlin Rivers, Crystal Watson, and Alexandra Phelan, JAMA
“Pulling Back the Curtain,” Jon Cohen and Abdullahi Tsanni, Science
“Another Pandemic Looms. Guess What? We’re Still Not Ready,” Lawrence Gostin, Sam Hablai, Alexandra Finch, The New York Times
“Mpox is a Global Health Emergency. Will It Case a Lockdown Like COVID? Experts Say No,” Carolin Kee, Today

World Marks 11th Anniversary of Ghouta Sarin Gas Attack

Wednesday marked the 11th anniversary of the 2013 sarin gas attack in Ghouta, Syria, a suburb of Damascus. In a statement on the anniversary, Mina Rozei, CWC Coalition Coordinator, said “The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad, which was waging a nationwide counterinsurgency campaign, launched rockets carrying sarin gas warheads against targets in the towns of Zamalka, Ein Tarma, and Irbin in the Ghouta region outside of Damascus. The attack, which was launched in the middle of night when many residents were sleeping, killed an estimated 1,127 people and left almost 6,000 more with respiratory problems.”

Rozei continued, “In the days that followed, international condemnation and the possibility of a U.S. military strike against Syria’s chemical weapons facilities led to an unprecedented U.S.-Russia proposal that called on the Syrian Arab Republic to formally accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention, make a comprehensive declaration of its chemical weapons holdings, and allow for the verified removal and eventual destruction of its chemical weapons facilities and stockpile of more than 1,000 metric tonnes of chemical agent. (See the Arms Control Association’s “Timeline of Syrian Chemical Weapons Activity, 2012-2022” for more details.)”

Read more here.

European Medicines Agency Issues Updated Guidance on Treatment, Prophylaxis for Chemical and Biological Agents

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently issued two pieces of updated guidance pertaining to medicines used for treatment or prophylaxis following patient exposure to chemical or biological agents used in terrorist attacks. As highlighted by Regulatory News, the guidance focused on chemical agents “covers general information on emergency treatments such as decontaminating victims and principles of treating symptoms for the purposes of basic life support, and summary information, such as descriptions of clinical symptoms and possible treatments, and the main classes of chemical agents that might be deliberately released.”

Furthermore, “The chemical agents covered by the guidance include blister or vesicant agents, nerve agents, cyanides, lung-damaging agents and pharmaceutically based agents. The list of substances is mainly derived from a list developed by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The guidance supersedes a previous version issued in April 2003.”

The new guidance on biological agents was prepared in response to a request from the European Commission and “… includes a database of scientific information on pathogenic agents that might be deliberately released and information on the existence of vaccines and other medicines available to prevent or treat their effects.”

World Health Organization Records 1,940 Attacks Against Health Care in Ukraine Since February 2022

On Monday, the WHO confirmed 1,940 attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel have been carried out by Russia in Ukraine since February 2022. In its statement, the WHO said “…we aim to remind the world about one of the biggest ongoing emergencies in the WHO European Region with a grim milestone – 1940 WHO-confirmed attacks on healthcare— the highest number WHO has ever recorded in any humanitarian emergency globally to date. In addition, we are noting new patterns in the progression of the attacks.”

“For over 2.5 years now, 86% of all such attacks have impacted health facilities, with a significant proportion of such attacks involving heavy weapons. Moreover, WHO-verified attacks on health facilities have intensified significantly since December 2023 – occurring on a near-daily basis.”

““In 2024, we are observing a lot of double-tap attacks,” said Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. “Now we have more shelling of civilian infrastructure than before. We are losing colleagues – healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, paramedics. This year, many more healthcare workers have also been injured than before. According to WHO data, first responders and health transportation are three times more likely to suffer harm from attacks compared to the rest of the healthcare personnel.”’

Read more here.

“First Biolab in South America for Studying World’s Deadliest Viruses is Set to Open”

Meghie Rodrigues recently published this Nature News piece discussing Brazil’s BSL-4 lab-Orion-that is nearing completion of its construction at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials. Rodrigues also talked to Biodefense Graduate Program Director Gregory Koblentz, writing in the piece “Another challenge for Orion will be training staff members to work in a type of facility that is new for the region. The facility must also develop a regulatory framework to ensure that risky experiments have oversight from a governing panel, and must install security measures to prevent unauthorized access by people or organizations that might intentionally release pathogens, says Gregory Koblentz, a biodefence specialist at George Mason University and a co-author of the 2023 Global BioLabs report.”

“How U.S. Farms Could Start a Bird Flu Pandemic”

Apoorva Mandavilli discusses how H5N1 continues to plague the US in this piece for the New York Times, explaining in part “Without a sharp pivot in state and federal policies, the bird flu virus that has bedeviled American farms is likely to find a firm foothold among dairy cattle, scientists are warning. And that means bird flu may soon pose a permanent threat to other animals and to people. So far, this virus, H5N1, does not easily infect humans, and the risk to the public remains low. But the longer the virus circulates in cattle, the more chances it gains to acquire the mutations necessary to set off an influenza pandemic.”

“AI and Biosecurity: The Need for Governance”

Bloomfied et al. recently published this Policy Forum piece in Science: “Great benefits to humanity will likely ensue from advances in artificial intelligence (AI) models trained on or capable of meaningfully manipulating substantial quantities of biological data, from speeding up drug and vaccine design to improving crop yields (1–3). But as with any powerful new technology, such biological models will also pose considerable risks. Because of their general-purpose nature, the same biological model able to design a benign viral vector to deliver gene therapy could be used to design a more pathogenic virus capable of evading vaccine-induced immunity (4). Voluntary commitments among developers to evaluate biological models’ potential dangerous capabilities are meaningful and important but cannot stand alone. We propose that national governments, including the United States, pass legislation and set mandatory rules that will prevent advanced biological models from substantially contributing to large-scale dangers, such as the creation of novel or enhanced pathogens capable of causing major epidemics or even pandemics.”

“Preventing and Controlling Global Antimicrobial Resistance — Implementing a Whole-System Approach”

Don Goldmann, Sowmya Rajan, and Krishna Udayakumar recently published this perspective piece with The New England Journal of Medicine, explaining in part “We recently participated in a public–private collaboration (the Surveillance Partnership to Improve Data for Action on Antimicrobial Resistance [SPIDAAR], funded by Pfizer and the Wellcome Trust) aimed at assisting ministries of health (MOHs) and hospitals in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda in implementing, scaling up, and sustaining improved AMR surveillance capacity. This demonstration project evolved from focused detection of AMR in pathogens targeted by the WHO’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) program² to include broader efforts to leverage real-time AMR data to improve patient care. SPIDAAR provided insights into the type of integrated system that would be required to address gaps between aspirational national action plans and progress on the ground. The Ugandan MOH’s surveillance-system diagram captures a vision of the high-level systems required for improvement and MOH–hospital coordination (see figure).”

“Five Ways Science is Tackling the Antibiotic Resistance Crisis”

Nature News’ Amber Dance discusses various approaches to combating antibiotic resistance and the threat this issue poses in this piece, writing in part “Hongzhe Sun, a chemical biologist at the University of Hong Kong, says that in his part of the world, “we anticipate maybe the next pandemic will be the crisis of antibiotic resistance”. Indeed, a global crisis is already happening. According to a Lancet study, about 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019 could be attributed to drug-resistant infections, making them a leading cause of death¹. By 2050, such infections could kill as many as ten million people every year², according to an expert panel commissioned by the UK government in 2014.”

“Tropical Nights, Burning Eyes: Chloropicrin in Hawaii”

Markus K. Binder discusses the 2017 use of chloropicrin by a criminal gang in Hawaii and lessons learned from the incident in this piece for CBNW. Binder writes in his conclusion “…there is the effective invisibility of criminal actors to the various tools that have been developed to identify and interdict international terrorist operatives, particularly through interception of their communications. Criminal plots frequently have very short cycle times from inception to execution and are unlikely to involve foreign controllers such as those that exposed the 2017 Sydney hydrogen-sulfide plot.”

What We’re Listening to 🎧

Tech Can’t Save Us: Reshaping Biosecurity with Kevin Flyangolts, Founder & CEO of Aclid

“In this week’s episode of Tech Can’t Save Us, hosts Paul David and Maya Dharampal-Hornby are joined by Kevin Flyangolts, Founder & CEO of Aclid.”

“With biotechnology becoming increasingly digital and automated, biosecurity guidelines are constantly changing. Aclid enables end-to-end compliance for gene synthesis providers by automating biosecurity screenings, promoting education in the life science sector, and building trust between companies and customers.”

“Tune into this episode now to hear Kevin discuss how biosecurity concerns have evolved since covid-19, and explain why adaptive regulations, responsible practices, and automated screenings and verifications are the future of biosecurity.”

NEW: BSL4ZNet International Conference

“The 2024 BSL4ZNet International Conference includes 4 sessions:

Wednesday, September 4: Threats and challenges – Delving into topics such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), Climate-Related Risks, and the nuanced landscape of Science Communication amidst Misinformation/Disinformation Challenges.

Wednesday, September 11: Innovation and emerging technologies – Innovation and Emerging Technologies: Exploring the latest advancements and breakthroughs in the realm of emerging technologies shaping our response to infectious diseases.

Wednesday, September 18: Biosecurity and biosafety – Addressing critical issues surrounding biosecurity and biosafety measures, crucial pillars in combating zoonotic diseases

Wednesday, September 25: Innovation for BSL4 activities and challenges – Featuring an enlightening panel discussion focusing on innovative approaches to address challenges inherent to BSL4 activities.”

Register for free here.

Safeguarding the Food Supply: Integrating Diverse Risks, Connecting with Consumers, and Protecting Vulnerable Populations – A Workshop

Learn more and register for this virtual event here.

NEW: Horizon Fellowship Applications Open

Applications are now open for the 2025 Horizon Fellowship cohort

What do you get?

The fellowship program will fund and facilitate placements for 1-2 years in full-time US policy roles at executive branch offices, Congressional offices, and think tanks in Washington, DC.
- Horizon has placed fellows at the Department of Defense, White House, Department of Commerce, Senate committees, House personal offices and prominent think tanks. You can learn more about past fellows and their placements at Meet our Fellows and Fellow Accomplishments.
It also includes ten weeks of remote, part time policy-focused training, mentorship, and an access to an extended network of emerging tech policy professionals.

Who is it for?

Entry-level and mid-career roles
No prior policy experience is required (but is welcome)
Demonstrated interest in emerging technology
US citizens, green card holders, or students on OPT
Able to start a full time role in Washington DC by Aug 2025
- Training is remote, so current undergraduate and graduate school students graduating by summer 2025 are eligible

Research shows that great candidates often disqualify themselves too quickly, especially if they are from underrepresented groups. If you are excited about the program but on the fence about whether you are eligible or qualified, we strongly encourage you to apply. The application deadline is August 30th, 2024.

NEW: International Science Reserve, Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation Launch Serious Game

“The International Science Reserve (ISR), in partnership with the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation (CAPTRS), has launched a free, digital game to help scientists and experts worldwide explore and improve their decision-making in public health crisis contexts.”

“In the new game, launched today, players must navigate an evolving and hypothetical public health crisis, evaluating new information that is shared as the game progresses. To simulate real-world situations, players are presented with dynamic information and surveillance data about a pathogen outbreak. In a series of game rounds, they are asked to practice their decision-making skills using data to identify outbreak trends and better prepare for and reduce the public health threat.”

“The game, the first of a series, fills a major gap in global scientific research planning on crisis preparedness and response. “Serious games” can help experts explore risk and response to situations that could arise, related to climate change adaptation and public health crises.”

“For example, despite lessons from the COVID pandemic, there is currently a slow response to the initial spread to humans of bird flu. More advance experience of scenarios like the digital pathogen game can help accustom policymakers to assessing different sources of scientific information to make decisions, while it can help scientists explore how their research could be prioritized and adapted when most needed.”

Read more here.

Call for Experts-Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1): A Workshop

From the National Academies: The National Academies is seeking suggestions for experts to participate in a new workshop exploring research priorities to inform readiness and response to the ongoing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1) outbreak in the United States. Recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, and their shared environment, the workshop will take a One Health approach to bring together federal government agencies, the academic community, and the private sector, as well as other relevant stakeholders across the health, agriculture, and food safety sectors and will focus primarily on basic science and research questions of specific concern.

Approximately 8-10 volunteer experts are needed to build a committee for a future workshop and any publications resulting from this activity. Expertise in the following areas is desired:

One Health and emerging infectious diseases
National, state, and/or local public health and medical readiness and response
Epidemiology and surveillance
Medical countermeasures (diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics)
Agricultural and veterinary health and sciences
Food safety
Social sciences, risk communication, and community engagement
Modeling, risk assessment, and strategic foresight
Regulatory issues

Please submit nominations by August 30, 2024. For any additional questions regarding the forum, please view the project page or email Shalini Singaravelu at SSingaravelu@nas.edu.

Learn more and submit nominations here.

Pandora Report 8.16.2024

August 16, 2024 by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report discusses the recent mpox PHEIC declaration, updates on H5N1, and more.

World Health Organization Declares Mpox PHEIC

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, which is part of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Two clades exist (clade I and clade II). Clade IIb caused a global outbreak of mpox in 2022-23 that also resulted in a PHEIC (public health emergency of international concern) declaration. Now, the WHO has declared an outbreak of clade I mpox a PHEIC as case counts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries swell. 548 people have been killed by the disease in 2024, according to the DRC government.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the declaration “on the advice of an IHR Emergency Committee of independent experts who met earlier in the day to review data presented by experts from WHO and affected countries. The Committee informed the Director-General that it considers the upsurge of mpox to be a PHEIC, with potential to spread further across countries in Africa and possibly outside the continent.”

Tedros said in a statement, “The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”

According to WHO “The monkeypox virus was discovered in Denmark (1958) in monkeys kept for research and the first reported human case of mpox was a nine-month-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, 1970). Mpox can spread from person to person or occasionally from animals to people. Following eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the end of smallpox vaccination worldwide, mpox steadily emerged in central, east and west Africa.”

Image Credit: CDC PHIL| “This is a colorized transmission electron microscopic image of mpox virus particles (purple), which were found within an infected cell (brown), having been cultured in the laboratory. The image was captured and color-enhanced at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Integrated Research Facility (IRF), located in Fort Detrick, Maryland.”

Sweden Reports First Clade I Case Outside Africa, ECDC Raises Risk Alert Level

The Public Health Agency of Sweden reported on Thursday that the country has recorded the first case of mpox caused by clade I outside of Africa. Health and Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed said in a news conference, “We have now also during the afternoon had confirmation that we have one case in Sweden of the more grave type of mpox, the one called clade 1.” State Epidemiologist Masnus Gisslen said in an official statement that the patient was infected while visiting “the part of Africa where there is a major outbreak of mpox clade 1.”

Following Sweden’s announcement, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) raised its risk level for mpox from ‘low’ to ‘moderate,’ for sporadic cases appearing in the EU. The agency also asked countries to maintain high levels of awareness regarding those traveling from affected areas. The ECDC says the overall risk to the EU population has gone up from “very low” to “low” and that it expects there will be more imported cases in the coming weeks.

United States Announces Further $424 Million in Assistance for the DRC

This week the US, through the United States Agency for International Development, announced “…nearly $424 million in humanitarian and health assistance to address the ongoing catastrophe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This includes $414 million in humanitarian assistance to support people experiencing persistent humanitarian needs resulting from conflict and displacement. This announcement, made in Kinshasa by the U.S. Ambassador to the DRC Lucy Tamlyn and U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture Jeffrey Prescott, also includes an additional $10 million in health assistance to respond to the current mpox outbreak in the DRC and in other affected countries in the region. USAID is also donating 50,000 mpox vaccines to the DRC, which is the country most impacted by this outbreak.”

The statement later explained that “The United States is the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to the DRC and the largest bilateral donor to DRC’s health sector. This Fiscal Year, the U.S. provided more than $256 million in health assistance through bilateral programs including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and the Global Health Security program, which enabled more than seven million people to receive lifesaving treatment for diseases including TB, HIV, and malaria.”

European Commission Coordinates Procurement and Donation of 215,000 Bavarian Nordic Doses to Africa CDC

The European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Respons Authority (HERA) announced on Wednesday that it “will procure and donate 175,420 doses of the MVA-BN^® vaccine, the only FDA and EMA-approved mpox vaccine, as an immediate response to the mpox outbreak in Africa. In addition, the pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic will donate 40,000 doses to HERA. The Africa CDC will distribute the vaccines according to regional needs.”

The announcement came in response to Africa CDC’s call for the international community to assist in mobilizing two million vaccines to stop this outbreak. The Commission said in its statement that “Through the Africa CDC, these vaccines will be distributed to affected countries. Furthermore, HERA is in collaboration with the Africa CDC with the aim to expand access to mpox diagnostics and sequencing in the region, with a €3.5 million grant foreseen for early autumn.”

Bavarian Nordic Wins $157 Million Contract to Replenish US JYNNEOS Vaccine Supply

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has reached an agreement with the Danish company Bavarian Nordic to “partly replenish” its stockpile of JYNNEOS vaccine following the 2022 mpox outbreak. This $156.8 million deal follows a similar one made last year by the US government totaling $120 million.

Further Reading

“To Avoid a New Pandemic, the GPMB Calls on the World to Ensure That Equity Is at the Center of the Collective Response to Mpox,” Global Preparedness Monitoring Board
“Africa CDC Declares Mpox Emergency, Moving to Lead Response,” Linda Nordling, Think Global Health
“Mpox Cases are Soaring in Africa – What Must be Done to Prevent a Global Pandemic,” Cheryl Walter, The Conversation
“How We Got Here With Mpox,” Adam Kucharski, Understanding the Unseen
“Bavarian Nordic Asks EU to Exten Mpox Shot License to Adolescents,” Helen Collis, Politico

H5N1 Threat Persists but Remains Low

Despite the renewed focus on mpox, concern still remains about the spread of avian influenza globally, particularly H5N1, which has infected thirteen farmworkers in the United States so far this year. Despite the relatively low risk, Seqirus has begun producing and storing doses of its new vaccine targeting H5N1 in its facility outside of Raleigh, NC. In total, the company has agreed to produce 4.8 million doses in exchange for $22 million from the federal government. The government has also given Moderna $176 million to develop mRNA vaccines for influenza, including H5N1.

The CDC explained in a recent summary about its Influenza Risk Assessment Tool that “The current overall individual and population health risk to the general public posed by the avian influenza A(H5N1) virus presently spreading in cows, poultry, and other mammals remains low. Systematic comparisons of data related to this avian influenza A(H5N1) virus using the Influenza Risk Assessment Tool (IRAT) to data from other influenza A viruses has scored this virus’s future pandemic potential as “moderate risk” based on information through June 26, 2024. This is similar to previous assessments of earlier avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses.”

Furthermore, the WHO released an updated assessment on recent H5N1 events in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Organisation for Animal Health. The assessment found that “At the present time, based on available information, FAO-WHO-WOAH assess the global public health risk of influenza A(H5N1) viruses to be low, while the risk of infection for occupationally exposed persons is low to moderate depending on the risk mitigation measures in place. Transmission between animals continues to occur and, to date, a limited number of human infections have been reported. Although additional human infections associated with exposure to infected animals or contaminated environments are likely to continue to occur, the overall public health impact of such infections at a global level is minor.”

DOD, NNSA Inaugurate New Supercomputing System Dedicated to Biological Defense

Earlier this month, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced a new supercomputing system that is dedicated to biological defense at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. According to DOD, the Department “…is working with NNSA to significantly increase the computing capability available to our national biodefense programs. The collaboration has enabled expanding systems of the same system architecture as LLNL’s upcoming exascale supercomputer, El Capitan, which is projected to be the world’s most powerful supercomputer when it becomes operational later this year.”

“The biodefense-focused system will provide unique capabilities for large-scale simulation and AI-based modeling for a variety of defensive activities, including bio surveillance, threat characterization, advanced materials development, and accelerated medical countermeasures. DoD and NNSA intend to allow the U.S. Government interagency, International Allies and partners, and academia and industry to access the supercomputing capability.”

Learn more here.

Schumer Pledges to Block Any Senate Effort to Significantly Cut CDC Budget

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told The Associated Press this week that he would block any legislation from passing the Senate that proposes significant cuts to the budget of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Schumer further said that such cuts “would wreak havoc and chaos on food safety funding mechanisms and tracking operations at a core level.” As the AP explains, “Democrats said the proposal in a House bill includes a reduction of the CDC’s proposed budget by $1.8 billion, or about 22%, that would harm public health. The Republican-led effort also would mean a major cut in programs designed to address firearm injuries and opioid overdose prevention.”

The House Appropriations Committee passed the measure on a party-line vote last month.

“AIxBio: Opportunities to Strengthen Health Security”

Aurelia Attal-Juncqua, Anita Cicero, Alex Zhu, and Thomas Inglesby recently authored this published this preprint on SSRN: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize biosecurity, health security, biodefense, and pandemic preparedness by offering groundbreaking solutions for managing biological threats. This landscape review explores recent advancements in AI across these fields, drawing from both grey literature and peer-reviewed studies published between January 2019 and February 2024. AI has demonstrated potential in predicting viral mutations, which could enable earlier detection of outbreaks, and streamlining resource allocation by analyzing diverse data sources. It could also play a crucial role in accelerating the development and deployment of medical countermeasures, such as vaccines and therapeutics. Additionally, use of AI may enhance laboratory automation, reducing human error and increasing biosafety. Despite these promising advancements, significant challenges and risks related to the potential misuse of AI, data security, and privacy concerns necessitate careful implementation and robust governance. This paper highlights the rapid progress and vast potential of AI in biosecurity, and provides key recommendations for U.S. policymakers to effectively harness AI’s capabilities while ensuring safety and security. These recommendations include expanding access to advanced computing resources, fostering collaboration across sectors, and establishing clear regulatory frameworks to support the safe and ethical deployment of AI technologies.”

“Emerging Biosecurity Threats in the Age of AI”

Suryesh K Namdeo and Pawan Dhar recently published this piece with IndiaBioscience: “As artificial intelligence (AI) enables the transformation of biology into an engineering discipline, an effective governance model that uses threat forecasting, real-time evaluation, and response strategies is urgently needed to address accidental or deliberate misuse. This article talks about the risks at the interface of AI and biosecurity and what could India do to better prepare for potential AI-biorisks.”

“2023 Biorisks, Biosecurity and Biological Disarmament Conference Report”

From UNIDIR: “To facilitate multi-stakeholder engagement around biological risks, biological security and biological disarmament, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) co-organized a stakeholder conference designed to bring together actors from civil society, academia and industry, as well as diplomats, to stimulate the exchange of ideas and thinking around how to build biosecurity and bolster biological disarmament.”

“The Biorisks, Biosecurity and Biological Disarmament Conference took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on 4–5 July 2023. The event provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing diplomatic processes and current and upcoming issues in the areas of biorisk, biosecurity and biological disarmament.”

“More than 80 individuals from 30 countries, representing 60 institutions, participated in the discussion in person, and a further 334 individuals joined the discussion virtually from around the world. The participants included diplomats, public health professionals, security experts and scientists from a wide range of organizations.”

“The Conference consisted of seven substantive panels, which explored a range of topics, centred on advances in science and technology and their related risks and benefits, biosecurity implementation, dual-use governance, disease response, international cooperation, and verification technologies. The discussions that took place during all seven panels are summarized in this conference report.”

“Launching the Global Biosecurity Accelerator at the Helsinki Biosecurity Dialogue”

Christopher East covers the launch of the Global Biosecurity Accelerator in this post from the Council on Strategic Risks, writing in part “This is a core driver of why CSR launched the Global Biosecurity Accelerator, of which the Helsinki Biosecurity Dialogue was the first multinational convening. The Global Biosecurity Accelerator’s mission is to accelerate global resilience to the full spectrum of biological threats— natural, accidental, or deliberate. In addition to promoting strong biosecurity strategies across nations, Accelerator events will raise insights from the range of actions that nations take—from enhancing biodefense, to embedding biosecurity in a whole-of-society approach, to One Health initiatives. Designed with interoperability and depth of defense in mind, CSR aims for the Global Biosecurity Accelerator to help jumpstart a ‘whole-of-globe’ approach to resilience against biological threats.”

“Russian Influence in Eastern Europe is Aggravating HIV Epidemic, Say Experts”

The Guardian‘s Kat Lay discusses the role of Russian propaganda in deterring people in eastern Europe from accessing necessary healthcare as AIDS deaths are up 34% compared to 2010. Lay writes in part, “Efforts to improve treatment and prevent infections are being hampered by Russian-linked propaganda against targets including opioid replacement therapy services, which reduce the risk of HIV infection among people using drugs, and the LGBTQ+ community…Meanwhile, “foreign agent” laws in a number of countries, following a pattern established in Russia, require charities and organisations receiving overseas funding to register and impose onerous reporting requirements. This has forced some charities to withdraw, a media briefing at the 25th international Aids conference was told.”

“Ebola: Ten Years Later – Lessons Learned and Future Pandemic Preparedness”

Krutika Kuppalli recently authored this post for PLOS Global Public Health‘s Speaking of Medicine and Health blog, writing in part “In early December 2013, a 2-year-old boy in the remote village of Meliandou, Guinea fell ill with a mysterious disease and succumbed to the illness a few days later.¹ The disease spread rapidly, resulting in 49 cases and 29 deaths before being identified as the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus and officially declared an outbreak on March 23, 2014.² Over the ensuing months, the outbreak spread to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone, with cases also emerging in Senegal, Nigeria, Mali, the United States and Europe.³ On August 8, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the highest global health alert, signifying the outbreak posed a public health risk to other Member States and necessitated a coordinated international response.⁴ Despite global efforts to control the outbreak, it lasted for over two years, resulting in over 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths by the time it was declared over on June 9, 2016.³ This crisis exposed significant weaknesses in global health systems, prompting a re-evaluation of pandemic preparedness and response strategies. A decade later, it is essential to reflect on the lessons learned from the West Africa Ebola crisis and their impact on current and future pandemic preparedness efforts. These lessons are outlined using the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HEPR) architecture developed by WHO, focusing on strengthening five core health emergency components: collaborative surveillance, safe and scalable care, community protection, access to countermeasures, and emergency coordination.”

“Déjà Vu All Over Again — Refusing to Learn the Lessons of Covid-19”

Michael S. Sinha, Wendy E. Parmet, and Gregg S. Gonsalves recently published this perspective piece in the New England Journal of Medicine, in which they explain “The spread of H5N1 avian influenza among cattle and other farm animals as well as to agricultural workers in the United States has raised concerns about the potential for an influenza pandemic. Although the threat of pandemic H5N1 doesn’t appear to be imminent — this variant has yet to show the potential to be transmitted from human to human — the federal government’s initial response suggests that, rather than heeding the lessons from Covid-19, elected officials and other key decision makers may be relying on a dangerous type of revisionism that could lead to more deaths, should H5N1 cause a pandemic.”

“The World Is Not Ready for the Next Pandemic”

Michael Osterholm and Mark Olshaker call for greater government investment in new and better vaccines in this Foreign Affairs article: “It is impossible to know when a new pandemic will arise, or which specific pathogen will be its cause. H5N1 is just one of the viruses that could mutate into something that will start a pandemic. But eventually, one will happen. It is therefore time to move away from vague recommendations and best practices to a far larger-scale program aimed at producing new and better vaccines, antiviral drugs and other countermeasures, and building the infrastructure at the scale needed to protect entire populations. Although such efforts will be costly, failing to take these steps could be catastrophic.”

NEW: AI and the Evolution of Biological National Security Risks

“In the wake of a global pandemic and rapidly advancing AI technologies, scientists and government leaders from around the world have sounded alarms about a changing biothreat landscape. Between dire warnings of more widely accessible bioterrorism capabilities, novel superviruses, and next generation bioweapons, how should policymakers and weigh the impacts of AI on biosecurity? Where are risks really changing, and where have they been overblown? What actions need to be taken now, and what emerging capabilities need to be monitored for future threats?”

“Please join the Center for a New American Security on Wednesday, August 21, from 10:30–11:30 a.m. ET for a panel discussion on these questions and more. Bill Drexel, Fellow in CNAS’s Technology and National Security Team, will be joined by leading biosecurity experts inside and outside government grappling with the nexus of AI and emerging biotechnologies.”

“This panel is part of CNAS’s AI Safety and Stability project, which aims to better understand AI risks and identify specific steps to improve AI safety and stability in national security applications. The event will build upon the project’s new report, AI and the Evolution of Biological National Security Risks: Capabilities, Thresholds, and Interventions in which Bill Drexel and Caleb Withers provide a clear-eyed overview of the emerging effects of AI on the biothreat landscape and propose actionable solutions to avoid the worst outcomes.”

This panel will feature Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley, Associate Professor and Deputy Director of George Mason’s Biodefense Graduate Program, who reviewed and provided interviews to the report’s authors.

NEW-Safeguarding the Food Supply: Integrating Diverse Risks, Connecting with Consumers, and Protecting Vulnerable Populations – A Workshop

Learn more and register for this virtual event here.

Assessing and Navigating Biosecurity Concerns and Benefits of Artificial Intelligence Use in the Life Sciences – August Information Gathering Meeting
From the National Academies: “This is the first in-person meeting of the consensus study, Assessing and Navigating Biosecurity Concerns and Benefits of Artificial Intelligence Use in the Life Sciences. The open session of this information gathering meeting will include initial briefings containing information relevant to study issues. The committee will also meet in closed session for project planning and review of topics and speakers for remaining meetings.”

This event will take place on August 13 and 14. Learn more and register here.

Call for Experts-Enhancing the Resilience of Healthcare and Public Health Critical Infrastructure

From the National Academies: The National Academies Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies is seeking experts to participate in an upcoming workshop that will examine strategies, policies, and innovative actions to improve the resilience of health care and public health critical infrastructure to impacts from disasters and other emergencies.

Approximately 8-10 volunteer experts are needed to serve on the workshop planning committee. Expertise in the following areas is desired:

Healthcare operations and management
Public health, emergency management, and environmental health
IT, data science, and cybersecurity
Infrastructure systems, engineering, and supply chain
Risk assessment and mitigation
Insurances, cost management, and health economics
Community resilience and lived experience
Public policy

We are also collecting information for potential speakers, participants, and peer reviewers for any publications resulting from the activity.

Please submit nominations by August 23, 2024. For any additional questions regarding the workshop, please view the project page or email Shalini Singaravelu at SSingaravelu@nas.edu.

Learn more and submit nominations here.

Call for Experts-Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1): A Workshop

Approximately 8-10 volunteer experts are needed to build a committee for a future workshop and any publications resulting from this activity. Expertise in the following areas is desired:

One Health and emerging infectious diseases
National, state, and/or local public health and medical readiness and response
Epidemiology and surveillance
Medical countermeasures (diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics)
Agricultural and veterinary health and sciences
Food safety
Social sciences, risk communication, and community engagement
Modeling, risk assessment, and strategic foresight
Regulatory issues

Please submit nominations by August 30, 2024. For any additional questions regarding the forum, please view the project page or email Shalini Singaravelu at SSingaravelu@nas.edu.

Learn more and submit nominations here.

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