Tag: DARPA

Pandora Report 12.6.2024

by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s Pandora Report covers news from the Biodefense Graduate Program, the winners of the 2024 OPCW-The Hague Award, reports of a mysterious illness in the DRC, and much more.

Biodefense Doctoral Student Selected for Next Generation Leader Program

First-year Biodefense PhD student Katie Dammer was recently selected for the Next Generation Leaders program as part of the Spirit of Asilomar conference that will be held in February 2025. “The Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology” summit will occur on the 50th anniversary of the 1975 international meeting on recombinant DNA, where scientists discussed the hazards and benefits of emerging biotechnology and voluntarily agreed to set new standards for the regulation of biohazards. The 2025 iteration of this summit will focus on artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, pathogen research, and other related topics. Dammer currently is a Biosecurity Fellow at the Horizon Institute for Public Service working as the Special Assistant for Global Health Security & Biodefense at the National Security Council.

2024 OPCW-The Hague Award Recipients Announced

Last month, OPCW Director-General Amb. Fernando Arias and The Hague Mayor Jan van Zanen announced the winners of this year’s OPCW-The Hague award: Alegeria’s National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology of the National Gendarmerie (NICC/NG) and the Indian Chemical Council (ICC). NICC/NG is “a forensic science institute focused on advancing crime-fighting capabilities by integrating scientific methods into judicial and criminal processes.” The ICC “is a chemical industry body recognized for its role in promoting chemical safety, compliance with the Convention, and enhancing industry-wide security practices in India.” Read more about the recipients and this year’s award selection here.

DRC Reports Outbreak of Unknown Flu-Like Illness

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Africa CDC, and WHO are investigating an outbreak of an unknown, influenza-like disease in Kwango province that has infected at least 376 people and killed at least 67 (though some outlets report 143 deaths) since late October. Africa CDC reports that symptoms include fever, headache, cough, difficulties breathing, and anemia. Children under five are the most affected group, accounting for more than half of all cases and the majority of deaths. The outbreak started in the Panzi Health Zone, a remote part of the province. Officials report that they did not learn of the outbreak until six weeks after it began. In better news, the WHO has confirmed that the DRC’s mpox outbreak appears to be “plateauing”.

Raw Milk Recalled in California Following Bird Flu Detection

In a predictable turn of events, a farm in California has made a voluntary recall of its products and halted production after samples of its products tested positive for avian influenza. The recall has expanded since the initial recall of two lots of product on November 21. The California Department of Food and Agriculture has quarantined the farm and suspended the distribution of raw milk, cream, kefir, butter, and cheese products produced on or after November 27. The farm in question, Raw Farm of Fresno, has gained popularity with fans of social media “health influencers” and HHS Secretary nominee RFK Jr.. It frequently sells its products in natural supermarket chains like Sprouts Farmers Market.

The brand fell under FDA and CDC scrutiny earlier this year amid E. coli concerns, though the company insists it was the victim of “severe bias” from the agencies. Mark McAfee, CEO of Raw Farm, is insisting now that the actions taken by the state are politically-driven, despite samples of his company’s products testing positive for the virus. McAfee appears to have been encouraged by RFK Jr. to apply for a position at the FDA as the “FDA advisor on raw milk policy and standards development.”

Further Reading:

House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Releases Final Report

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic recently published its final report, “AFTER ACTION REVIEW OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: The Lessons Learned and a Path Forward”. The more than 500-page document covers a variety of topics, including vaccines, use of pandemic relief funds, and public health guidance. The report begins with the claim that SARS-CoV-2 “likely emerged because of a laboratory or research related accident,” despite the Intelligence Community remaining split on the consensus and many in the scientific community disagreeing. The report is also critical of mitigation efforts like face masking and social distancing, though it praises travel restrictions. The report also focuses its attention heavily on the EcoHealth Alliance.

The Select Subcommittee’s minority released its own final report. A spokesperson for the minority said in a statement, “Select Subcommittee Republicans’ final report reflects two years wasted on political stunts instead of preventing and preparing for the next pandemic…Instead of coming together with Democrats to get ahead of future viruses or fortify America’s public health infrastructure and workforce, Select Subcommittee Republicans prioritized extreme probes that vilified our nation’s scientists and public health officials in an effort to whitewash former President Trump’s disastrous COVID-19 response.”

The minority report blasts the majority’s criticism and targeting of former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci as “baseless and frivolous” and explains that “Today, a zoonotic origin and lab accident are both plausible, as is a ‘hybrid’ scenario reflecting a mixture of the two…It was repeatedly explained to the Select Subcommittee that all prior epidemics and pandemics, as well as almost all prior outbreaks, have zoonotic origins. At the same time, a lab origin for SARS-CoV-2 also remains plausible.”

Further Reading: “Sick Animals Suggest COVID Pandemic Started in Wuhan Market,” Smriti Mallapaty, Nature

Trump Continues to Make Controversial Administration Selections

Trump Picks Jay Bhattacharya to Lead NIH

Late last month, President-Elect Trump announced Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford-trained physician and economist, as his pick to lead the NIH. Bhattacharya gained national attention for co-authoring the October 2020 letter known as the Great Barrington Declaration, which called for the rollback of pandemic-related shutdowns, drawing rebuke from then NIH director Francis S. Collins. Bhattacharya also was among several academics who met with Trump in August of 2020, claiming that the pandemic was not as severe as public health officials had warned. The letter gained broader criticism for its focus on herd immunity, especially as COVID-19 vaccines were not available at that point, so relying on herd immunity would lead to even more unnecessary illnesses and deaths.

Trump Picks Jim O’Neill for HHS Deputy Secretary

Trump also announced in late November that he will select Jim O’Neill, a Silicon Valley investor and former federal health official, as his selection to be Deputy Secretary at HHS. O’Neill joined HHS in 2002, holding several roles throughout his tenure, including serving as a top aide to the then-deputy secretary of the department. He then moved on to Silicon Valley, becoming a close ally of Peter Thiel, a close adviser to Trump during his first term who has also long championed VP-Elect JD Vance.

Trump Announces Dave Weldon as CDC Director Pick

In an unforeseen move, Trump picked former Congressman Dave Weldon as his nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weldon has been out of politics for the last fifteen years, running a private medical practice in Florida. During his tenure in Congress, he made controversial statements about the safety of MMR and and HPV vaccines. His views have often aligned with those of RFK Jr., whom he has been friends with for more than two decades. Weldon has said of his time in Congress that he worked with Kennedy “to get the mercury out of the childhood vaccines.”

Further Reading:

White Helmets Urge International Community to Take Action to Protect Syrian Civilians from Chemical Warfare

The Director of the White Helmets, Raed Al-Saleh, warned recently that Syria’s authoritarian president, Bashar Al-Assad, could very soon use CW against civilians in an effort to stop rebels advancing in the northwest of the country. In a statement, Al-Saleh said “”For six days now, as the map of military control has changed, brutal attacks launched by the Syrian regime, Russia, and Iranian cross-border militias on Syrians have escalated especially in areas outside their control in northwest Syria…I am gravely concerned about the lives of every Syrian because of the real threat of chemical attacks.”

“Strategic Report on Research and Development in Biotechnology for Defense Innovation”

From NASEM: “At the request of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, Strategic Report on Research and Development in Biotechnology for Defense Innovation provides an overview of the current landscape of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML)-enabled biotechnology, the opportunities it presents, and the challenges it poses. This report offers a strategic vision for connecting scientists and technologists to build on, leverage, and tailor advances at the intersection of AI/ML, automated experimentation, and biotechnology to drive innovation in defense-related biotechnologies. Strategic Report on Research and Development in Biotechnology for Defense Innovation makes recommendations to address long-standing challenges that have limited research, development, prototyping, testing and evaluation, and eventual use of biotechnologies. Addressing these challenges will help to advance U.S. national security and defense by improving the performance of existing capabilities, enabling the creation of domestic supply chains of valuable products, reducing reliance on processes and chemicals that are harmful to the environment, and/or adding new capabilities not currently possible with established technologies.”

“Anticipating Biological Risk: A Toolkit for Strategic Biosecurity Policy”

Stephen Batalis for CSET: “Artificial intelligence (AI) tools pose exciting possibilities to advance scientific, biomedical, and public health research. At the same time, these tools have raised concerns about their potential to contribute to biological threats, like those from pathogens and toxins. This report describes pathways that result in biological harm, with or without AI, and a range of governance tools and mitigation measures to address them.”

“Strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention”

Jez Littlewood and Filippa Lentzos recently published this piece with the Arms Control Association discussing the BWC working group and its efforts to improve the BWC. They write in part, “Substantial progress has been made in some areas, but beneath the surface is a broader conflict about the shape of arms control agreements generally. This raises a question about whether strengthening the BWC needs to follow the traditional model of legally binding multilateral agreements with declarations, inspections, investigations, and an international organization where consensus rules or whether states-parties can agree to a new model that allows states to opt in to the mechanisms with which they agree and opt out of any processes or new commitments they are unable to support.”

“BWC at 50: Taking Bold Steps to Secure the Future”

Gabrielle Essix recently authored this rundown on the BWC’s successes, shortcomings, and future for NTI| bio. She writes in part, “As we look ahead to the future of the BWC, the role of civil society will become increasingly critical. Organizations like NTI provide a bridge between governments, scientists, and the public, ensuring that biosecurity remains a global priority. By advocating for stronger international norms and pushing for innovative solutions to new challenges, NTI can help make the BWC an effective tool in the fight against the development and use of biological weapons.”

“Possible Models of BWC Verification”

James Revill authored this brief for UNIDIR: “This briefing serves as a primer for consideration of possible models of verification. Past discussions of verification in the Biological Weapons Conference (BWC) have largely focused on the development of a more traditional disarmament verification regime, akin to the model established in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and envisaged in the BWC Protocol Negotiations. Such a model is often considered the standard model for verification and could provide greater confidence in compliance with the BWC.”

“However, the traditional model of verification is not the only model available to BWC States Parties. Depending on the function(s) and focus of any verification mechanism, other options could be developed for BWC verification that might more effectively address the concerns of BWC States Parties and potentially reduce costs of verification while still increasing confidence in compliance.”

BioWeapons Prevention Project: “The Closure of the Fourth Sessions Preparations for the Fifth”

From BWPP: “The Working Group (WG) on the strengthening of the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC/BTWC), will convene for its Fifth Session on 2 December having finished the Fourth Session on 23 August. The topics for discussion in the WG were decided at Ninth BWC Review Conference, held in 2022. The two-week Fifth Session will be followed by the annual Meeting of States Parties (MSP) which is scheduled for 16-18 December…This report focuses on some overarching issues. Individual topics up for discussion during the Fifth Session have been examined in earlier reports in this series, and in particular in the ‘setting the scene’ reports.”

Read more here.

“Biocrimes: Safeguarding Clinical and Public Health Microbiology Labs Against Insider Threats”

Casey Shroeder authored this piece for Lab Manager, writing in part “Within clinical and public health microbiology laboratories where scientists work to diagnose infections and/or protect public health, the potential for biocrimes and insider threats is a serious risk that is often overlooked. These laboratories, which handle not only routine human pathogens but also antimicrobial resistant strains, emerging pathogens, and potential biothreat pathogens, must remain vigilant against those who might exploit their access for malicious purposes.”

“Bacteriologic and Genomic Investigation of Bacillus anthracis Isolated from World War II Site, China”

Wu et al. recently published this article in Emerging Infectious Diseases: “Records suggest Bacillus anthracis was used in biowarfare during World War II, but evidence remains limited. We isolated B. anthracis from soil at the remains of a World War II–era laboratory in China. Phenotypic and genomic analyses confirmed the finding, highlighting the value of microbial forensics in biothreat investigation.”

“Modern Warfare is Breeding Deadly Superbugs. Why?”

Francesca Mari recently published this piece in The New York Times Magazine, explaining in part “By 2050, The Lancet predicts that antimicrobial resistance will kill 8.22 million people per year, more than the number currently killed by cancer. (For context, Covid claimed an estimated three million lives during all of 2020.) And a growing body of research suggests that the 21st-century way of warfare has become a major driver of that spread. Nations of the Middle East, like Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan, now suffer from particularly high rates of multidrug-resistant pathogens, and some of the world’s most fearsome superbugs have incubated in the region — Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, MRSA and perhaps most notably A. baumannii, a strain of Acinetobacter that traveled home with U.S. soldiers, where it became nicknamed “Iraqibacter.”’

“Global Report on Infection Prevention and Control 2024”

From WHO: “Health care-associated infections (HAIs) affect patients and health systems every day, causing immense suffering, driving higher health-care costs and hampering efforts to achieve high-quality care for all. HAIs are often difficult to treat, are the major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and cause premature deaths and disability. The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as outbreaks of Ebola, Marburg and mpox are the most dramatic demonstrations of how pathogens can spread rapidly and be amplified in health care settings. But HAIs are a daily threat in every hospital and clinic, not only during epidemics and pandemics. Lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in health care settings not only affects the application of infection prevention and control (IPC) best practices but also equity and dignity among both those providing and receiving care. However, there is strong evidence that a large proportion of these infections could be prevented with IPC measures and basic WASH services, with a high return on investment. This second global report on IPC provides updated evidence on the harm caused to patients and health workers by HAIs and AMR, and presents an updated global analysis of the implementation of IPC programmes at the national and health care facility levels across all WHO regions. “

Bloomberg FOIA Files: Kremlin Targeting Putin’s Political Adversaries, Has Ability to Assassinate Targets with Chemical and Biological Weapons

In this edition of Bloomberg News’ FOIA Files, Jason Leopold discusses a recently-released memo from ODNI discussing targeting killings of Vladimir Putin’s political adversaries, and the means by which the Russian state is able to accomplish this. In the memo, intelligence officials assessed that “Russia has the capability to assassinate individuals using chemical and biological agents,” and that they have the means to track dissidents and defectors. The memo also explains that “The development of chemical or biological agents with lower risk of attribution might tempt the Kremlin to consider assassinating individuals,” in addition to discussing the death of Russian businessman Alexander Perepilichnyy, who was “reportedly assassinated with a biological toxin in the UK in 2012 shortly before he was scheduled to testify about a Kremlin tax fraud network.”

“Reviving Chemical Weapons Accountability in a Multipolar World”

The Center for Strategic and Strategic & International Studies published this commentary by Natasha Hall and Doreen Horschig ahead of the 29th Session of the Conference of States Parties of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. In it, they discuss the strain the CWC has faced in the last decade and how its strength might be restored. They write in part, “Next week’s conference presents an opportunity to revitalize efforts toward accountability and global cooperation. The United States, in particular, is in a position to reverse course on the dangerous erosion of the chemical weapons norm and maintain the integrity of the CWC. But to do so, it will need to engage friend and foe alike.”

“The Islamic Republic’s Work on Pharmaceutical Based Agents”

This report was authored by Mohammadreza Giveh and the Good ISIS Team for the Institute for Science and International Security. “This report discusses multiple Iranian security complexes that have been preparing production of fentanyl and medetomidine based incapacitating and lethal agents. These complexes have been working on pillars of producing those weapons: large-scale cost-efficient synthesis of the compounds with maximum potency, evaluating a stable chemical mixture based on those agents that can be aerosolized using a propellant, and developing the delivery of the agents through grenades, bullets, or drones.”

“Chemical Weapons Disinformation in Ukraine”

From GP WMD Counter Disinfo, this series includes three briefs: “Understanding Russia’s Chemical Weapons Allegations in Ukraine,” “Selected Examples of CW Allegations and Related Disinformation Campaigns from the Russian Federation,” and “Strategy and Impacts of CW Disinformation”.

“Chemical Weapons Use in Ukraine Testa Global Norms to Breaking Point”

Lennie Phillips OBE and Gareth Williams discuss Russia’s use of CW in Ukraine and how it affects the CWC and OPCW in this RUSI piece, writing in part “A riot control agent found in samples collected from the confrontation lines in Ukraine by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons implicates Russia in yet another breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention. But what steps can states parties to the convention take next?”

“Russia Fails to Make OPCW Executive Council for Second Year Running”

Patrick Norén discusses Russia’s failure to be elected to the OPCW’s Executive Council for the second year in a row in this piece for CBNW.

“How Might Large Language Models Aid Actors in Reaching the Competency Threshold Required to Carry Out a Chemical Attack?”

Stendall et al. recently published this article in The Nonproliferation Review: “Artificial intelligence is a rapidly growing field, increasingly driving innovation in the sciences. This is a double-edged sword, with the benefits of scientific discovery tempered by potential opportunities for weaponization and misuse. Specifically, the implications for chemical security and chemical weapons are becoming increasingly clear. This article analyzes how large language models (LLMs)—particularly chatbots and chemical LLM assistants—might enable actors to better reach the competency threshold for a chemical attack, via enhanced methods for the identification, production, and use of chemical weapons. This would be particularly relevant for those at the lower end of the capability spectrum, such as terrorist groups and rogue individuals. An important historical context is provided throughout the article, with chemical attacks of the past illuminating the dangerous consequences of an easier-to-achieve competency threshold. A counterargument is also provided, analyzing the factors that might still limit malicious actors, as well as a description of how LLMs might be used to combat chemical terrorism. The article then concludes with a short list of key policy and governance suggestions for mitigating the risks.”

Read or listen to CNS’ interview with Stendall on this article here.

“Chemical Terrorism: Assessment of U.S. Strategies in the Era of Great Power Competition”

From NASEM: “Domestic and foreign violent extremist organizations, or terrorist groups, have caused a greater amount of harm with chemical agents than with biological or radiological weapons. The United States capacity and capability to identify, prevent, counter, and respond adequately to chemical threats is established by the strategies, policies, and laws enacted across multiple levels of government. While the number of chemical terrorism incidents has risen and fallen over time, there is no empirical or analytical indication that the threat is disappearing. This report comes at a time when the nation’s highest-level strategies have shifted from focusing primarily on violent extremist organizations to focusing more on Great Power Competition. This shift in relative perceived threat and consequent prioritization will impact efforts against chemical terrorism, and in turn, affect funding priorities. Revised risk assessments are needed to reprioritize risks guided by new strategies, so that strategy-aligned budgets can be created. The report recommends weapons of mass destruction budgets be aligned with evolving priorities and incentivize activities that transition promising research to operations.”

“Nuclear Terrorism: Assessment of U.S. Strategies to Prevent, Counter, and Respond to Weapons of Mass Destruction”

From NASEM: “For nearly eight decades, the world has been navigating the dangers of the nuclear age. Despite Cold War tensions and the rise of global terrorism, nuclear weapons have not been used in conflict since Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Efforts such as strategic deterrence, arms control and non-proliferation agreements, and the U.S.-led global counterterrorism have helped to keep nuclear incidents at bay. However, the nation’s success to date in countering nuclear terrorism does not come with a guarantee, success often carries the risk that other challenges will siphon away attention and resources and can lead to the perception that the threat no longer exists.”

“This report found that U.S. efforts to counter nuclear or radiological terrorism are not keeping pace with the evolving threat landscape. The U.S. government should maintain a strategic focus and effort on combatting terrorism across the national security community in coordination with international partners, State, Local, Tribal and Territorial authorities, the National Laboratories, universities and colleges, and civil society. Developing and sustaining adequate nuclear incident response and recovery capabilities at the local and state levels will likely require significant new investments in resources and empowerment of local response from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, and National Institutes of Health.”

“Ecological Threat Report”

The Institute for Economics & Peace recently released the fifth edition of its Ecological Threat Report, ” which analyses ecological threats in 207 independent states and territories. The report covers 3,518 sub-national areas which account for 99.99 per cent of the world’s population. The ETR assesses threats relating to food insecurity, water risk, natural disasters, and demographic pressure…The research takes a multi-faceted approach by analysing ecological threats at the national, subnational, and city level, while also assessing the threats against societal resilience and levels of peace. Comparing ecological threats against societal resilience enables IEP to identify the global regions, countries, and subnational areas most at risk of an ecological disaster, both now and into the future.”

“Healthcare Cybersecurity: HHS Continues to Have Challenges as Lead Agency”

This snapshot from the Government Accountability Office discusses previous GAO findings about HHS’ performance in healthcare cybersecurity, explaining that HHS has yet to implement all of GAO’s recommendations to address its challenges in this area. It concludes that “Until HHS implements our prior recommendations related to improving cybersecurity, the department risks not being able to effectively carry out its lead agency responsibilities, resulting in potential adverse impact on healthcare providers and patient care.”

“Lebanon: A Conflict Particularly Destructive to Health Care”

The WHO recently released this news post explaining that more health workers and patients have been killed proportionally in Lebanon than in Ukraine and Gaza, with 47% of attacks on health care in the country proving fatal as of November 21-a higher percentage than in any active conflict today globally. Read more here.

What We’re Listening To 🎧

Grow Everything Biotech Podcast, 103. DNA of Defense: Alexander Titus on How NSCEB is Advancing Biotech for National Security Challenges

“Karl and Erum bring on Dr. Alexander Titus, a commissioner on the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, to explore the exciting and challenging intersections of biotechnology and policy. Alexander shares his experiences from his unique journey across academia, government, and industry, diving into the role of biosecurity, the potential of synthetic biology, and the emerging convergence of tech and bio. They discuss ambitious projects like de-extincting the woolly mammoth, advances in biodefense, and the impacts of AI on biotech innovation. It’s a conversation that sheds light on how cutting-edge biotech could shape the future and the necessary balance between innovation and ethical responsibility.”

Listen here.

NEW: How to Avoid Human-Made Pandemics

From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “Studying viruses that could potentially cause outbreaks is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of pandemics. However, this type of research—especially when it involves collecting samples from the field and manipulating pathogens—can unintentionally lead to a pandemic if not managed carefully. Dr Lentzos will discuss her findings from the Pathogen Project, which brought together an international taskforce of scientists, biosecurity and public health experts, ethicists, and civil society leaders to seek consensus on this question: Can we agree on ways to manage research that carries pandemic risk as safely, securely and responsibly as possible?”

This event will take place on January 23 at 8 pm (GMT +8:00) via Zoom. RSVP here.

NEW: Preparedness in Rural Communities: National and State/Local Perspectives and Plans

From Penn State: “The COVID-19 pandemic and recent hurricanes have thrust the preparedness of rural communities into the national spotlight. At the federal level, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently released national goals and plans for preparedness of rural communities. The overall objective of this virtual, 2-day mini-symposium is to identify opportunities in public health and agricultural preparedness and response in rural communities. The mini-symposium will focus upon national perspectives on Thursday, January 30 and the state/local perspectives on Friday, January 31. Speakers include representatives of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, the Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Agriculture, the USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness, and state/local leaders.”

This event will take place on January 30 and 31, from 11 am to 2 pm ET each day. Learn more and register here.

Enhancing the Resilience of Healthcare and Public Health Critical Infrastructure: A Workshop

From NASEM: “Healthcare and public health infrastructure, technology, and operations are rapidly changing and are increasingly interdependent and interconnected. Threats to the nation’s critical social and physical infrastructure systems are also rapidly evolving and highly complex—posing potentially new or growing risks of disruption and challenging the assumptions used to design and protect these systems.”

“The National Academies Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies will host a hybrid public workshop to explore strategies, policies, and innovative actions to improve the resilience of healthcare and public health (HPH) critical infrastructure to impacts from disasters and other emergencies.”

This event will take place in DC on December 9 and 10. Register here.

A New Paradigm for Threat Agnostic Biodetection: Biological Intelligence (BIOINT)

From PNNL: “Please join us in welcoming Swati Sureka, Strategy and Policy Analyst at Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) Federal, where she supports the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight. Her talk, titled “A New Paradigm for Threat Agnostic Biodetection: Biological Intelligence (BIOINT),” will take place on Tuesday, December 10th, at noon PT.”

Learn more and RSVP here.

Resilience in the Face of Global Risks

From CSR: “The Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) cordially invites you to our first annual CSR symposium, Resilience in the Face of Global Risks, scheduled for Tuesday, December 10, 2024. This is the first event bringing together all three of CSR’s institutions—the Center for Climate & Security, the Converging Risks Lab, and the Janne E. Nolan Center on Strategic Weapons—to engage with leaders across our mission sets.”

“The United States and its allies face a complex global security landscape where systemic risks like climate and ecological crisis, nuclear proliferation, and biological threats are blending with war, geopolitical competition, and human insecurity in new and profound ways. While there has been tremendous leadership—and meaningful progress—across these overlapping risk areas, they require persistent innovation in community building to meet the modern risk landscape.”

“The symposium will dive into the progress our communities have made—and how our passionate communities can better work together to help shape the future.”

“In addition to a keynote address, guests will hear from panels, take part in breakout sessions showcasing important issues and new ideas, plus engage with thought leaders between sessions. It will be a widely attended gathering, free to attendees.”

“As we enter a new year with an exceptionally dynamic security environment, we hope CSR’s December event will inspire and build a stronger community across professionals dedicated to anticipating and addressing the world’s greatest risks. We appreciate your consideration and hope you will be able to join us on the 10th of December.”

RSVP here.

Cyberbiosecurity Summit

From Johns Hopkins APL and Bio-ISAC: “Advancements in biomanufacturing and biotechnology drive the science we need to thrive, everything from apples to vaccines. The Cyberbiosecurity Summit 2025 convenes leading experts in biotechnology, biosecurity, and cybersecurity to explore the intersection of these fields and discuss the strategies to create a safe, secure future for us all.”
This event will take place February 25-26 in Laurel, MD. Register here and review the call for sessions here (closes 12/12).

NEW: Call for Experts, Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats

“The National Academies is seeking suggestions for experts to be considered for the membership rotation or other engagement with the Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats. The group will help inform the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) on critical science and policy issues related to emerging infectious diseases and other health threats.”

“Since March 2020, the standing committee has consistently generated real-time policy recommendations and produced an unprecedented amount of timely, evidence-based guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other emerging public health threats. Looking ahead, the standing committee will continue to ensure that ASPR and decision-makers have access to the latest high-quality, evidence-based insights to inform medical and public health preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and public health emergencies.”

“Approximately 12-15 volunteer experts are needed to serve on the standing committee of approximately 25 members.”

Learn more and submit nominations by December 13 here.

Pandora Report 11.22.2024

by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s edition of the Pandora Report includes updates from the Biodefense Graduate Program, information on the upcoming BWC Working Group meeting, updates on mpox and avian influenza in California, and much more.

Mazanec Moving Up at ASPR

Brian Mazanec, Biodefense PhD ’14 and adjunct professor at the Schar School, has started a new role as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Coordination Operations and Response Element (H-CORE) within the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). H-CORE was born out of Operation Warp Speed– the COVID-19 medical countermeasures response led by HHS and the Department of Defense which transitioned to ASPR in 2021. H-CORE’s mission today is to lead and enable agile, data-driven operational coordination, logistics readiness, and scalable response for public health emergencies and disasters, including infectious disease outbreaks and cyber attacks. H-CORE also now includes the Office of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection, Secretary’s Operation Center, and Office of Data, Analytics, and Information Advantage.

Pandora Report Hosting the Gryphon Scientific Biosecurity Collection

The Pandora Report is now hosting a collection of papers published by Gryphon Scientific. This page serves as a repository for a selection of reports and publications from Gryphon Scientific, a research and policy consultancy that performed cutting-edge work in biosafety, biosecurity, and all-hazards preparedness and response. Over the past two decades, Gryphon supported senior decision makers within government and the commercial sector in evaluating emerging technologies and understanding how to enable their rapid development while safeguarding against their associated risks. Notably, Gryphon was commissioned by the NIH in 2016 to conduct an extensive risk-benefit analysis of gain-of-function research with potential pandemic pathogens. Gryphon was also at the forefront of AI safety, with a particular focus on the intersection of AI and biological and chemical threats. Gryphon is now continuing and expanding its work as part of Deloitte Consulting LLP. 

Transforming Defense with Biotechnology: Insights From DARPA’s Dr. Michael Koeris

Biotechnology is playing an increasingly pivotal role in strengthening national defense, with the potential to enhance military capabilities and address emerging security challenges. On November 13, the Biodefense Graduate Program at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University hosted a lecture by Dr. Michael Koeris, the recently appointed director of DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office (BTO). Dr. Koeris’ talk offered attendees a look into the cutting-edge research being done at BTO to revolutionize U.S. military capabilities through biotechnology. With a focus on warfighter readiness and operational biotechnology, Dr. Koeris shared how DARPA is developing next-generation solutions to enhance military personnel’s health and performance in increasingly complex environments. The discussion provided a unique opportunity to delve into the innovative technologies that DARPA is developing, from optimizing warfighter stamina in their AWARE (Alert Warfighter Enablement) program to their GOLDEVAC (Golden Hour Extended Evacuation) program, which is designed to provide wounded warfighters with expert-level care in austere environments when medical evacuation is delayed.

Dr. Michael Koeris

DARPA, created after the Sputnik crisis in 1957, was designed to prevent technological surprise by pushing the United States to the forefront of military innovation. DARPA focuses on strategic, high-yield programs that align with the latest technological realities, especially in fields like AI and biotechnology. DARPA intentionally pursues extremely risky programs, seeking transformational change over incremental progress, and often learns just as much from their failures. When projects do succeed—such as the development of self-driving vehicles, drones, and mRNA vaccines—they have had worldwide impacts. The agency aims to develop breakthrough technologies by maintaining agility and leveraging short program timelines to stay ahead of global technological developments. These technologies strengthen military readiness, enhance medical responses to biosecurity threats, and ensure peak performance under combat conditions. One of the main challenges discussed by Dr. Koeris was the global “data race,” especially in the field of biological data. While the United States is making progress, China’s aggressive collection of genetic and biological data has put it ahead in developing foundational biological models. This data gap poses risks to U.S. national security, as high-quality biological data is essential for AI and biotechnology advancements. To remain competitive, the United States must focus on generating diverse, original biological data to feed AI models and drive further innovation in biotechnology. As Dr. Koeris emphasized in his lecture, DARPA is committed to ensuring that the United States remains a global leader in biotechnology and national security. By strengthening its position in both data collection and its application in biotechnology, the United States can ensure it stays ahead in the race to shape the future of national defense. The lecture by Dr. Koeris shed light on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, leaving us better informed about the potential contributions that advances in biotechnology can make to national security.

This event summary was authored by Biodefense MS Student Katie Groves.

BWC Update
The fifth session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention will take place from 2 to 13 December 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland. The agenda of the Working Group, as adopted at its first session, is available online as document BWC/WG/1/1. Details about the meeting, official documents, and side events can be found here.

Further reading:

Bonus: Check out NTI | bio’s two December 2024 BWC Meetings here (one of these is a hybrid event).

California Announces Suspected Avian Flu Case in Child

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced this week that testing has identified a suspected avian influenza infection in a child in Alameda County. The child had mild upper respiratory symptoms and no known contact with any infected animals. The child is recovering at home, and CDPH says that the positive test “showed a low-level detection of the virus, indicating the child was not likely infectious to others.” Repeat testing four days later was negative. Furthermore, the child was found to also be positive for other respiratory viruses that may have caused the mild symptoms. No person-to-person spread has been detected nor is it suspected.

Further reading: “The World Is Watching the U.S. Deal With Bird Flu, and It’s Scary,” The New York Times, Tulio de Oliveira

California Confirms First Known US Clade I Mpox Case

CDPH also reported this week that it detected the first known US case of Clade I mpox. The case was identified in a person who recently traveled from Africa and it is related to the ongoing outbreak in Central and East Africa. The case has been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The person received care in San Mateo County and is now isolating and recovering at home. Those who had close contact with this person are being contacted by public health workers, but there is currently no concern nor evidence that clade I mpox is spreading between people in California or the US in general.

Jay Bhattacharya Reportedly Top Candidate to Lead NIH

Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University physician and economist who drew sharp criticism from the likes of Francis S. Collins for his “fringe” ideas about COVID-19 in the letter known as the Great Barrington Declaration, appears poised to be nominated to a top government health role. Bhattacharya is reportedly on the shortlist of contenders to lead the NIH compiled by RFK Jr., President-Elect Trump’s nominee for HHS Secretary. According to the The Washington Post, “Bhattacharya, who has said he was a victim of what felt like a “propaganda attack” led by public health experts after the Great Barrington Declaration, has testified in Congress, met with lawmakers in both parties, and offered advice to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and other leaders navigating the pandemic. Republicans have hailed him as a truth-teller, contrasting the Stanford physician with government officials whom they blame for an overly stringent response to the health crisis.”

Bhattacharya has no experience in a senior government role nor in a role overseeing a large bureaucratic organization. This position requires Senate confirmation. Read more about Bhattacharya’s previous experience and comments about the organization he may soon lead here.

Further reading: “Global Health Experts Sound Alarm Over RFK Jr., Citing Samoa Outbreak,” The Washington Post, Sammy Westfall and Lena H. Sun

Survey of Biosafety and Biosecurity Laws in G20 Nations
The Library of Congress has published a comprehensive overview of biosafety and biosecurity laws for the member of the Group of 20 (G20) as well as a comparative analysis of these laws. According to the report, “Among the G20 nations’ laws discussed in this report, the methods for defining the terms “biosafety” and “biosecurity” generally fall into one of four categories. In the first category, “biosafety” and “biosecurity” are clearly defined in legislation or regulations, with specific distinctions. In the second set of jurisdictions, the term “biosecurity” is applied generally to topics such as laboratory safety, protecting the environment, and guarding against criminal activity involving biological agents that may harm people, plants, animals, and the environment. In other nations, laws may include one identified term, but government strategy statements or publications by government-related scientific organizations supplement the available legal definitions with more detailed descriptions of “biosafety” and “biosecurity.” The remaining nations addressed in this report have enacted laws addressing biosecurity matters, but these laws contain no legal definitions for “biosafety,” “biosecurity,” or similar terminology.”

ISAB Report on PRC, MCF, and Biotechnology
The Secretary of State’s International Security Advisory Board (ISAB) has released a new report on the biotechnology components of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Military-Civil Fusion (MCF) Strategy, with a focus on biotechnology development objectives, implementation, and implications for international biosecurity. ISAB provides the Department with a continuing source of independent insight, advice, and innovation on all aspects of arms control, disarmament, nonproliferation, outer space, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, the national security aspects of emerging technologies, international security, and related aspects of public diplomacy.  The ISAB’s goal is to advise the State Department and other federal agencies on how the United States can adapt to the changing global biotech landscape, particularly in the context of strategic competition with PRC. The report proposes that the Department of State and other U.S. government agencies take steps to develop a global biotech system in which a broad range of partners cooperates on scientific research and trade. This requires a long-term strategic approach, and the leadership of the Department of State, to build this global environment that aligns with U.S. interests.

“WHO Technical Advisory Group on the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences and Dual-Use Research: Report of the Meeting, 25 June 2024”

From WHO: “The World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences and Dual-Use Research (TAG-RULS DUR) (1) 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.””

“This meeting was the second virtual meeting and third overall meeting of 2024. Over the course of the meeting, participants discussed and provided feedback on the first draft of the BioRisk Implementation and Evaluation Framework (BRIEF) Tool, were briefed on the draft WHO course on Dual-Use Research and the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences and delivered updates on activities of the TAG’s four working groups.”

“The TAG-RULS DUR and its working groups will continue to undertake activities on the key topics identified. The group agreed that its next meeting will be held in October 2024.”

Read the meeting report here.

“Age of Biology Requires American Leadership”

Sen. Todd Young, Chair of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, recently authored this opinion piece for Roll Call in which he discusses a forthcoming report from the Commission discussing actions needed to “maintain and strengthen America’s global leadership position” in biotechnology. He explains in this piece that “Congress must enact policies that accelerate innovations at home, onshore our supply chains, create data-sharing agreements with our allies, and support our military’s use of novel biotechnologies. Broadly, this will be the focus of the NSCEB’s forthcoming Final Report in 2025. Policymakers must protect and promote American biotechnology to ensure the United States leads the Age of Biology, and I am confident the NSCEB will contribute to these efforts.”

“Guidance for Human Genome Data Collection, Access, Use and Sharing”

From WHO: “The ethical, legal, and equitable sharing of human genomic data is critical to advancing global health research and ensuring fair access to the benefits of genomics. The WHO’s new document outlines a comprehensive set of globally applicable principles designed to guide stakeholders in the responsible collection, use, and sharing of human genome data. This document serves as a key resource to navigate complex issues surrounding data governance, with the aim of fostering transparency, promoting equity, and safeguarding individual and collective rights. These principles are intended to support the implementation of best practices across diverse settings, thereby enhancing the global capacity for genomic research and its translation into health benefits for all.”

“The Superbug Fight Needs a Better Business Model”

Annalies Winny published this piece in Global Health Now discussing the dearth of antibiotic research, writing in part “Researchers say that the current business model for developing antibiotics—and getting them to where they’re needed most—isn’t fit for purpose. Countries are starting to get behind incentives that absorb some of the risk, and offer a significant return on investment. But funding for these programs still lags far behind what’s needed to save millions of lives, and billions of dollars in health care costs, and there are doubts about whether incentives led by wealthy nations will satisfy needs in low- and middle-income countries.”

“Gaza Bombardment Worsens Superbug Outbreaks”

Misbah Khan published this piece for The Bureau of Investigative Journalism describing the growing public health crisis in Gaza. She writes in part, “There is a growing and dire public health crisis taking place in Gaza. Israeli blockades and hospital bombings are fuelling a superbug emergency, with civilians who survive starvation and injury later facing untreatable, life-threatening infections…Doctors on the ground told the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) they were treating wounds infested with maggots and using vinegar to fight infections.”

“Potential Research Priorities to Inform U.S. Readiness and Response to Avian Influenza A (H5N1)”

From NASEM: “Avian Influenza A (H5) viruses have circulated globally for decades among migratory bird populations. The recent emergence of Avian Influenza A (H5N1) in U.S. dairy cattle has led to challenges in managing and controlling the spread of H5 viruses between livestock, wildlife, and companion animals, as well as to humans from infected animals. The National Academies hosted a public workshop in October 2024 to explore potential research priorities that could inform readiness and response to the outbreak. Discussions followed an interdisciplinary One Health approach, bringing together experts from across human, veterinary, plant, and environmental health disciplines, and builds on published federal research priorities for H5N1 to include perspectives beyond basic translational clinical sciences, to social sciences, veterinary health, agricultural economics, and occupational health, among others.”

Read the proceeding of this workshop here.

“Diagnosis in the Era of Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence: Proceedings of a Workshop-in Brief”

From NASEM: “To explore the opportunities and challenges of using artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health technologies to improve diagnostic processes and outcomes, the National Academies Forum on Advancing Diagnostic Excellence hosted a public workshop in July 2024. Speakers highlighted the role of these technologies throughout the diagnostic process and their impact on the patient experience, including to gain understanding of a patient’s onset of symptoms, to improve information gathering and patient-clinician communication, and to support clinical decision making. Discussions also emphasized the importance of ensuring these technologies do not perpetuate existing health disparities.”

Read the proceedings here.

“OPCW Investigation Confirms Russia’s Likely Use of Chemical Weapons Against Ukraine”

Andrea Stricker authored this analysis of recent OPCW findings regarding Russia’s likely use of CW in Ukraine. She explains that “Russia’s consistent denials that its military forces have deployed illegal chemical weapons in Ukraine were dealt a serious blow on November 18, when the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced that it had recently conducted a Technical Assistance Visit to Ukraine and established evidence of chemical weapons use. While the OPCW stopped short of attributing responsibility to Russia, a growing body of evidence points to numerous Russian chemical weapon attacks against Ukrainian front-line troops in violation of the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Moscow is a party.”

“Research and Development Areas to the North of Hamhung”

Read the latest installment of RUSI’s Project Anthracite analysis of the DPRK’s chemical industry and CW program: “The area to the north of the city of Hamhung is home to academic institutions and research and development (R&D) facilities. Furthermore, there are access tunnels to likely underground areas in the vicinity, and the wider region is home to significant chemical industry. Although literature on these facilities is limited, satellite imagery has been analysed to determine whether it is possible to discern any linkages with or provide insight on North Korea’s chemical industry or chemical weapons (CW) programme. Although evidence was circumstantial and no direct linkages could be identified on imagery, the analysis was able to confirm the location of several academic and R&D facilities and contribute to baselining potential academic and R&D facilities in the area.”

“While the location of at least part of a CW programme in or around these facilities cannot be ruled out, there were no features that would indicate the likely presence of a CW programme in these facilities.”

“NNSA celebrating 50 years of the Nuclear Emergency Support Team – NEST”

“This month, NNSA is observing the 50th anniversary of what is now called the Nuclear Emergency Support Team – or NEST. During a recent ceremony at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, leaders from around the government gathered to celebrate the birthday of one its most diverse and capable assets…NEST, created by President Ford in 1974, has a mission to provide federal emergency response in case of a radiological or nuclear threat, incident or accident.”

Read more about NEST, its formation, and its future here.

NEW: DC Biosecurity Happy Hour

From DC Biosecurity Professionals Across Academia, Industry, and Think Tanks: “Please join us for the Biosecurity Happy Hour, an informal event for biosecurity professionals in DC to get to know each other outside of Zoom calls and talk about new ideas in this space. Please note that drinks will be at attendee’s own expense!”

This event will take place on December 5 from 6:30-8 pm EST at Dacha Beer Garden in Washington, DC. Learn more and reserve a spot here.

NEW: A New Paradigm for Threat Agnostic Biodetection: Biological Intelligence (BIOINT)

From PNNL: “Please join us in welcoming Swati Sureka, Strategy and Policy Analyst at Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) Federal, where she supports the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight. Her talk, titled “A New Paradigm for Threat Agnostic Biodetection: Biological Intelligence (BIOINT),” will take place on Tuesday, December 10th, at noon PT.”

Learn more and RSVP here.

NEW: Cyberbiosecurity Summit

From Johns Hopkins APL and Bio-ISAC: “Advancements in biomanufacturing and biotechnology drive the science we need to thrive, everything from apples to vaccines. The Cyberbiosecurity Summit 2025 convenes leading experts in biotechnology, biosecurity, and cybersecurity to explore the intersection of these fields and discuss the strategies to create a safe, secure future for us all.”
This event will take place February 25-26 in Laurel, MD. Register here and review the call for sessions here.

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.”

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.

Health Security Intelligence: Managing Threats Risks and Hazards Post-Covid 19
“As  the acute impact of the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, many unaddressed questions remain for Australia about how to better prepare for the next likely health threat, risk or hazard.”

“In addition to how we enhance national public health capacity, what are the important lessons we can learn from the pandemic from national security and biosecurity perspectives?”

“Given the likelihood of another pandemic at some point, an increasingly uncertain geo-political order and the potential exploitation of biotechnology by bad actors how does Australia and its allies better prepare for a future of increasingly complex health security and biological security threats, risks and hazards?”

“This event is for all health security intelligence stakeholders (policy-makers, national security staff, scientists, researchers and clinicians) who work across the one health continuum and national security agencies.”

“It will introduce participants to Charles Sturt’s extensive research agenda across the one health biosecurity, health and biological security and discuss both their national security and scientific implications.  You will hear briefings from key researchers across both STEM and social sciences disciplines working on assessing key health security threats, risks and hazards relevant to your work.”

This event will take place in-person and over livestream on December 4 from 2-4 pm AEDT. Learn more and register here.

Enhancing the Resilience of Healthcare and Public Health Critical Infrastructure: A Workshop

From NASEM: “Healthcare and public health infrastructure, technology, and operations are rapidly changing and are increasingly interdependent and interconnected. Threats to the nation’s critical social and physical infrastructure systems are also rapidly evolving and highly complex—posing potentially new or growing risks of disruption and challenging the assumptions used to design and protect these systems.”

“The National Academies Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies will host a hybrid public workshop to explore strategies, policies, and innovative actions to improve the resilience of healthcare and public health (HPH) critical infrastructure to impacts from disasters and other emergencies.”

This event will take place in DC on December 9 and 10. Register here.

Resilience in the Face of Global Risks

From CSR: “The Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) cordially invites you to our first annual CSR symposium, Resilience in the Face of Global Risks, scheduled for Tuesday, December 10, 2024. This is the first event bringing together all three of CSR’s institutions—the Center for Climate & Security, the Converging Risks Lab, and the Janne E. Nolan Center on Strategic Weapons—to engage with leaders across our mission sets.”

“The United States and its allies face a complex global security landscape where systemic risks like climate and ecological crisis, nuclear proliferation, and biological threats are blending with war, geopolitical competition, and human insecurity in new and profound ways. While there has been tremendous leadership—and meaningful progress—across these overlapping risk areas, they require persistent innovation in community building to meet the modern risk landscape.”

“The symposium will dive into the progress our communities have made—and how our passionate communities can better work together to help shape the future.”

“In addition to a keynote address, guests will hear from panels, take part in breakout sessions showcasing important issues and new ideas, plus engage with thought leaders between sessions. It will be a widely attended gathering, free to attendees.”

“As we enter a new year with an exceptionally dynamic security environment, we hope CSR’s December event will inspire and build a stronger community across professionals dedicated to anticipating and addressing the world’s greatest risks. We appreciate your consideration and hope you will be able to join us on the 10th of December.”

RSVP here.

NEW: Call for Nominees: National Biodefense Science Board
From Global Biodefense: “The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is currently seeking applications from qualified individuals to fill 7 vacancies on the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB).”

“The NBSB advises the HHS Secretary or the ASPR on current and future trends, challenges, and opportunities presented by advances in biological and life sciences, biotechnology, and genetic engineering with respect to threats posed by naturally occurring infectious diseases and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents.”

Read more and access ASPR’s call for nominees here.

“New Public Health Cybersecurity Readiness Survey Set to Boost Preparedness Against Cyber Threats”

“The co-chairs of the Joint Public Health Cybersecurity Task Group of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC) published a special announcement letter announcing the launch of the Public Health Cybersecurity Readiness Survey. The move aims to enhance the cybersecurity preparedness of state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) public health agencies. Participants can expect the anonymous survey to take about 15 minutes to complete, and it will be open until Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.”

Read more and access the survey here.

The Schar School is Hiring!

The Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University is hiring a tenure-track assistant professor. Expertise in international security, national security, homeland security, emergency management, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the defense industrial base, or transnational crime and corruption will be regarded positively. Candidates whose work focuses on climate security, technological change, and the future of warfare, or domestic extremism are also encouraged to apply, as are candidates with regional expertise. Details can be found here: https://listings.jobs.gmu.edu/jobs/assistant-professor-fairfax-va-virginia-united-states-other.

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.”

Pandora Report 4.26.2024

by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

Happy Friday! This week’s edition of the Pandora Report covers Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s warning about Russia’s continued occupation of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on the 38th anniversary of the fateful explosion at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, updates on the federal government’s sluggish response amid continued spread of H5N1 in the United States, and more.

On Chornobyl Disaster Anniversary, Zelensky Warns Russian Seizure of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Could Lead to Similar Disaster

Today, on International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day and the 38th anniversary of the explosion at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the ongoing risk posed by Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Russia has occupied the plant since March 2022, and it briefly held the site in Chornobyl earlier in its invasion. Both incidents have sparked concern due to unsafe practices at both locations.

In his statement, Zelenskyy said “Radiation sees no borders or national flags. The Chornobyl disaster demonstrated how rapidly deadly threats can emerge. Tens of thousands of people mitigated the Chornobyl disaster at the cost of their own health and lives, eliminating its terrible consequences in 1986 and the years after…For 785 days now, Russian terrorists have held hostage the Zaporizhzhia NPP. And it is the entire world’s responsibility to put pressure on Russia to ensure that ZNPP is liberated and returned to full Ukrainian control, as well as that all Ukrainian nuclear facilities are protected from Russian strikes. This is the only way to prevent new radiation disasters, which the Russian occupiers’ presence at ZNPP constantly threatens.”

As of March this year, “The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors resolution notes that the six-unit Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) has been under Russian military control for more than two years and “expresses serious concern about the unstable state of nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP, especially the lack of adequately qualified personnel at the site, gaps in planning and prevention work, the lack of reliable supply chains, the vulnerable state of water and electricity supply outside the site, as well as the installation of anti-personnel mines in the buffer zone between the internal and external perimeter of the installation”.” (World Nuclear News)

Another Game of Infectious Disease Chicken? Federal Government Under Scrutiny for Slow H5N1 Response

Veterinarians and other professionals in the United States and abroad are increasingly criticizing the federal government for what they describe as a delayed effort to share data on viral changes, spread, and milk safety as H5N1 continues to spread in several states. So far, 33 dairy cattle herds in eight states have tested positive. Following the announcement of a human case in Texas recently, concern among scientists and the general public has continued to grow, though authorities continue to emphasize the US milk supply is safe and the risk to the general public is low.

Source: USDA

However, 1 in 5 retail milk samples in the country now test positive for H5N1 fragments according to the FDA, leaving some even more weary. This comes as the Department of Agriculture recently announced that there is growing evidence the virus is spreading among cows, in addition to continued spread from birds to cows. Furthermore, officials in North Carolina have reported a herd tested positive while remaining asymptomatic, though USDA has yet to discuss this publicly. The USDA is currently not requiring farms to test their herds for infection, though it did announce it will begin reimbursing farms for testing cows that are not symptomatic in addition to those that are visibly ill.

As STAT News explains, “Three and a half weeks after first announcing the startling news that cows from a milking herd in Texas had tested positive for H5N1, the government agencies involved in the investigations have not yet revealed what research shows about whether pasteurization of milk kills this specific virus. And until Thursday, U.S. officials had not disclosed whether the now 29 affected herds in eight states form a single linked outbreak fueled by the movement of cattle from the Texas panhandle, where the first outbreak was discovered. At present, STAT was told, that does not appear to be the case.”

The same article continues: “Other countries are trying to determine whether this event is a strange one-off, or proof that the wily virus has evolved to be able to infect cattle more easily, and what risk their own herds — and potentially people — could face if the latter is true. But they are operating largely in the dark because the United States has released such sparse information, said Marion Koopmans, head of the department of viroscience at Erasmus Medical Center in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.”

As this all points to the outbreak being larger than previously thought, the USDA has implemented a rule requiring the testing of all lactating cows before they can be moved across state lines, though experts think this is probably not going to do much to contain transmission at this point. There have also yet to be cases in pigs, which is good because pigs have human and avian receptors, making them especially dangerous in the context of H5N1 spread. However, the US government’s slow reaction and hesitancy to share information is deeply concerning for several key reasons.

A lack of transparency now holds the potential to be incredibly damaging if H5N1 spreads much further, particularly if it does begin spreading in pigs or person-to-person. While the US government does have stockpiled antivirals and vaccines that should be effective against this virus, depending on these measures and continuing to act as if everything is fine is a very dangerous game. Public trust in relevant institutions and these tools is at a dangerous low, and the public is likely to be more susceptible to mis- and disinformation if the federal government continues to drag its feet on sharing information now. This is a major threat to global health, and action needs to be taken now to give everyone, not just the US, the best chance to respond appropriately if this problem does escalate.

Donna E. Shalala Named Co-Chair of Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense

Former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala was named Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense this week following the passing of former Senator Joe Lieberman, a founding Co-Chair of the Commission, last month. She will serve alongside former Pennsylvania Governor and DHS Secretary Tom Ridge. The Commission’s announcement explains that “Dr. Shalala is Trustee Professor of Political Science and Health Policy at the University of Miami, where she served as president from 2001-2015. She served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2018-2020, representing Florida’s 27th Congressional District. In 1993, President Clinton nominated her as Secretary for Health and Human Services, where she served for eight years. Most recently, Dr. Shalala was named interim president of The New School in New York City.”

‘“This issue of biodefense, of keeping us safe from biological weapons and pandemic-causing diseases, was of great importance to Joe as it is to each of us who continue this work,” said Dr. Shalala. “I thank Gov. Ridge for his steadfast leadership, and for welcoming me as his co-chair.”’

Michael Koeris Appointed Director of DARPA’s Biotechnologies Office

Michael Koeris, Professor of Bioprocessing and a member of the Amgen Bioprocessing Center at the Keck Graduate Institute, was recently tapped to lead the Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA) Biotechnology Office (BTO). Koeris has been influential in the field of synthetic biology for years, having recently led the NIH’s RADx initiative as a portfolio executive and serving as Senior Bio Advisor & Venture Partner to The Venture Collective. In this new role, Koeris will oversee DARPA’s efforts to prioritize advancements in synthetic biology, particularly as it relates to areas like AI and space.

Read more about Koeris’ background and path to DARPA’s BTO here.

“Reinforcing Global Biodefense: The Case for Amending the Biological Weapons Convention to Enhance International Law and Legitimacy”

Biodefense PhD Student Ryan Houser recently published this article in the Rutgers Law Record, explaining in his introduction “The BWC is the cornerstone of the biological weapons disarmament regime, but the treaty is having difficulty keeping up with changing threats due to its decision-making process and geopolitics. Fundamentally flawed, the BWC is “crippled by key compromises made by the great powers in pursuit of various self interested security objectives in the context of the Cold War.”5 In November 2022, over two years after the widescale emergence of COVID-19, the international community met to review the BWC for the ninth time. In early 2022, the prospects for strengthening the BWC were the best they had been in years as China, Russia, and the United States had articulated individual plans that reflected enough common ground to craft a workable compromise.6 This cautious optimism around the BWC’s improvement prospects were spoiled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022. The illegal aggression of Russia undermined the rules-based international order that the BWC is intertwined with. As part of the invasion, Russia also deliberately fabricated allegations levied against Ukraine, the United States, and other partners7 which “stigmatizes and politicizes biosafety, biosecurity, and cooperative public health and life sciences research to the detriment of not just Ukraine, but global health security overall.”8 Efforts to misrepresent or undermine legitimate biosafety and biosecurity research and capacity building weaken the BWC and undermine international cooperation for peaceful purposes.”

“Bringing New Technologies to Bear for Biosurveillance”

Biodefense PhD program alumnus and Schar School adjunct faculty member Daniel M. Gerstein recently coauthored this piece for Food Safety Magazine, which explains in its introduction “Public health, agriculture, the environment, and the food supply could be severely affected by the presence of infectious agents that occur naturally, are the result of accidents, or are intentionally introduced. Yet today, the capability to detect these biological pathogens effectively and rapidly is lacking. This shortfall continues, despite recent key technological advances that could alter the biosurveillance landscape…The foundations of biosurveillance lie in the One Health concept, which the World Health Organization defines as “an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.”1 This approach acknowledges the direct relationship between the health outcomes of people, animals, and ecosystems. What affects one, affects all.”

“Teetering on the Edge: Retaliatory Strikes Between Iran and Israel”

Schar School faculty member Mahmut Cengiz recently published this article with Homeland Security Today, writing in his introduction “Once again, tensions are rising in the Middle East, and the continuous cycle of retaliatory strikes between Iran and Israel could lead to unintended consequences and jeopardize security in the region. The Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, marked a significant turning point in the history of terrorism and its impact on regional dynamics in the Middle East. These attacks resulted in the deaths of more than 1,300 Israelis, prompting severe retaliatory measures from Israeli forces. However, Israel’s counterterrorism efforts have faced strong criticism due to the casualties of over 33,000 Palestinians and the destruction of thousands of buildings in Gaza. The disproportionate number of civilian casualties, particularly women and children, has sparked debate regarding the legitimacy of terrorist operations in the region. The Tehran regime has promptly engaged in the conflict to pursue regional and global opportunities.”

“Statement of the G7 Non-Proliferation Directors Group, G7 Italy 2024”

The G7 Non-Proliferation Directors Group recently released their statement ahead of the G7 meeting in Italy this June. Their statement covers numerous areas, including nuclear safeguards, conventional weapons, AI and emerging technologies, and more. On biological and chemical weapons, they explain in part “The G7 reaffirms its strongest commitment to effective multilateral actions against the proliferation of all weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. As such, we continue to stress the centrality of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), and the importance of ensuring their full and effective implementation and universalization.”

Read the entire statement here.

“Strengthening Global Biosecurity and Biosafety Efforts: The Role of the BWC National Implementation Database in Informing and Guiding National Policies”

Jaroslav Krasny recently authored this blog post for the National University of Singapore’s Centre for International Law, explaining in part “The Biological Weapons Convention National Implementation Database (“BWC Database”), developed collaboratively by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and the Verification Research, Training and Information Centre or VERTIC, serves as a resource for understanding and supporting the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). This new database compiles information on how State Parties meet their obligations under the BWC. It is designed to assist a wide range of stakeholders, such as government officials, legal professionals, researchers, non-governmental organizations, international bodies, and the private sector, by providing access to detailed information on national implementation practices. The objective is to support compliance with the BWC and contribute to global efforts in biosecurity and biosafety by making relevant information accessible to all interested parties.”

“NTI Convenes the First International AI-bio Forum”

From the Nuclear Threat Initiative: “NTI | bio convened more than 25 high-level biosecurity professionals, AI experts, and policymakers for the inaugural meeting of the International AI-Bio Forum. Participants included representatives from industry, such as Anthropic and Google DeepMind, experts from China, India, Nigeria, the U.K., the U.S., and representatives from multilateral institutions. The virtual meeting was held on April 10-11 and focused on defining the scope, institutional structure, and initial priorities of the International AI-Bio Forum to position it for success in reducing risks associated with rapidly advancing AI-enabled capabilities to engineering living systems.”

Read more here.

“Fighting ‘Smart’ Pandemics: Mitigating Risks and Harnessing the Potential of AI for Biosecurity”

This report was produced by Foreign Policy Analytics with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI): “Each year, FP Analytics (FPA) invites practitioners, experts, and thought leaders to participate in interactive, scenario-based simulations that foster dialogue and seek innovative solutions to pressing global issues. In February 2024, FPA partnered with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Munich Security Conference (MSC) to produce a simulation, “Fighting ‘Smart’ Pandemics.” The simulation built upon a multistakeholder roundtable discussion that FPA and CEPI co-hosted on the sidelines of the 2023 UN General Assembly, which highlighted the intersection of AI and biosecurity as a key priority area warranting deeper and sustained engagement from global leaders. CEPI, alongside the International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat, has led a “100 Days Mission” to enable the design, testing, and development of pandemic countermeasures within 100 days of an epidemic or pandemic threat’s emergence, a goal supported by the G7 but not yet realized.”

“A National Security Insider Does the Math on the Dangers of AI”

This Wired piece covers an interview with Jason Matheny, CEO of the RAND Corporation, and his thoughts on AI advancement making it easier to create biological and other weapons. In it, he explains his transition from working in public health to focusing on national security and how this has shaped his thinking, saying in part “When I first started getting interested in biosecurity in 2002, it cost many millions of dollars to construct a poliovirus, a very, very small virus. It would’ve cost close to $1 billion to synthesize a pox virus, a very large virus. Today, the cost is less than $100,000, so it’s a 10,000-fold decrease over that period. Meanwhile, vaccines have actually tripled in cost over that period. The defense-offense asymmetry is moving in the wrong direction.”

“Strengthening Biosecurity in Southeast Asia”

DTRA’s Andrea Chaney recently authored this piece that covers the recently-concluded Southeast Asia Strategic Biosecurity Dialogue. She explains in part, “In the context of Southeast Asia’s increasingly complex biosecurity landscape, dialogue participants engaged in several roundtable discussions covering a range of biosafety and biosecurity topics. Participants brought a broad scope of expertise, including health, defense and law enforcement, biology and biotechnology, international relations, and non-proliferation. The discussions encompassed Southeast Asia’s regional biosecurity priorities; building resilience to future threats; laboratory biosecurity and biosafety; the convergence of biology and emerging technologies; medical countermeasures development, production, and stockpiling strategies; and the role of the military in biosecurity.”

“Emerging Biotechnology Capacity and Emerging Biosecurity Threats in Colombia and Chile”

Steve S. Sin recently published this section in a report from the Army War College, “Emerging Technologies and Terrorism: An American Perspective”: “With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world came to recognize the importance of maintaining a national stockpile of biologics (for example, vaccines) and, if possible, possessing domestic capabilities to produce the biologics required to fight the spread of communicable diseases. In South America, Colombia and Chile at one point possessed robust vaccine production capabilities but abandoned them decades ago.1 Although some within these countries called for a renewal of their vaccine production capabilities, the calls went unheard—that is, until the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world weathered the pandemic and countries scrambled to secure the vaccines needed to combat it, Colombia and Chile decided they would return to producing biologics domestically as well as double down on their already-active biotechnology policies that had been designed to encourage public-private partnerships and attract foreign investments.”

“Biotech Matters: Public-Private Coordination of Biotechnology”

Richard Danzig recently authored this piece for CNAS, writing in part “The U.S. successes and failings during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with perceptions that China vigorously coordinates its public and private sectors, generated calls for an American industrial policy that would further orchestrate biotechnology work in the United States. In this context, the natural tendency is to regard improved coordination as straightforwardly achievable through improved processes and enlightened leadership…The nation would be well advised, however, to recognize that the difficulties are more deeply rooted than simply failures of will, imagination, or efficiency. Three deep-seated problems impede progress.”

APIC Emerging Infectious Diseases HPAI Playbook

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology regularly publishes playbooks for specific diseases, including a new one for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: “To help infection preventionists quickly activate Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) prevention efforts, APIC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force has created an HPAI Playbook that IPs can download and customize for use in their facilities. The Playbook is a concise workflow document that is designed to be user-friendly and operational for busy IPs.”

“The Viral Most Wanted: The Hantaviruses”

CEPI’s Kate Kelland recently authored this latest entry in CEPI’s Viral Most Wanted focused on the hantaviruses, writing in the work’s introduction: “The Albuquerque Journal, a newspaper in the U.S. state of New Mexico, ran an alarming headline in its May 27th edition in 1993: “MYSTERY FLU KILLS 6 IN TRIBAL AREA”. The article told a story that had first come to light two weeks earlier, when a 19-year-old man was rushed to the emergency department of the Indian Medical Centre in Gallup.”

“The man, a Native American from the Navajo tribe, had been travelling with his family to his fiancée’s funeral when he began struggling to breathe in the car’s back seat. The family veered off the road to call for an ambulance. Both the first responders and, later, the emergency room doctors tried to revive the victim with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but their efforts were in vain. The young man’s lungs were flooded with fluid. He had effectively drowned.”

“The ER doctors were shocked, not only at the speed and dramatic nature of the man’s death, but by the similarity of the case to that of a young woman a few weeks earlier who had suffered the same symptoms and also died.” 

“Over the next few weeks, more than a dozen more people in the area contracted the deadly disease, many of them young Navajos.”  

“During the same period, doctors and public health officials tried desperately to identify what was causing the outbreak. On June 11th, 1993, the weekly Morbidity And Mortality report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) revealed that the mystery pathogen was “a previously unrecognized Hantavirus”.” 

“The novel viral villain belonged to the Hantavirus family—a group of viruses normally carried by rats, mice and other rodents and known to cause severe disease in people. The Hantavirus family is one of The Viral Most Wanted.“

“Public Health Preparedness: Mpox Response Highlights Need for HHS to Address Recurring Challenges”

The Government Accountability Office recently published this report on HHS’ response to the mpox outbreak in the United States: “Health and Human Services was initially charged with coordinating the federal response to a 2022 global outbreak of mpox—a smallpox-related virus.”

“State and local jurisdictions cited challenges in the federal response such as difficulty accessing and using vaccines and tests, which may have led to unnecessary suffering. We added HHS’s leadership and coordination of public health emergencies to our High Risk List earlier in 2022 due to similar issues in past responses.”

“We recommended that HHS adopt a coordinated, department-wide program that incorporates input from external stakeholders to identify and resolve challenges.”

“Deadly Diseases and Inflatable Suits: How I Found My Niche in Virology Research”

Nikki Forrester recently authored this spotlight piece for Nature covering the career of  Hulda Jónsdóttir: “Virologist Hulda Jónsdóttir studies some of the world’s most pathogenic viruses at the Spiez Laboratory in Spiez, Switzerland. For her, highly pathogenic viruses are more often a source of curiosity than of concern. Jónsdóttir, who runs a research group at the Spiez Laboratory, regularly dons a giant, inflatable protective suit to research disinfectants and antiviral compounds to combat several lethal viruses, including Ebola virus and Lassa virus. Jónsdóttir spoke to Nature about carving her own path in virology research and why she chose to pursue a career in Switzerland and at the Spiez Laboratory, which is owned and funded by the Swiss government.”

What We’re Watching 🍿

IR Thinker, Chemical and Biological Weapons – Brett Edwards | 2024 Episode 7

“In this enlightening interview, Dr. Brett Edwards, an expert in chemical and biological weapons, describes the history, current capabilities, and future challenges associated with these formidable weapons systems. Dr. Edwards discusses the evolution of chemical and biological warfare, the verification processes for weapon destruction, and how these weapons integrate into national military strategies. He also addresses the ethical debates surrounding their use, international efforts to control such weapons, and the specific challenges posed by conflicts like the ongoing war in Ukraine.”

Watch here.

ICYMI-Oppenheimer: The Rest of the Story

Middlebury’s James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies recently hosted this event with Siegfried Hecker: “Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer has captured the interest of nearly 100 million people around the world. Dr. Hecker will provide the back story to some key elements of the film and share his views on the legacy of Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project, based on his more than five-decades associated with the laboratory Oppenheimer led.”

The event recording is available here.

3rd International Biosecurity Virtual Symposium

From ABSA: “The Symposium will bring together biosecurity professionals from a wide range of disciplines with varying expertise to share their experiences and knowledge on diverse biosecurity topics. The Symposium will offer attendees an opportunity to learn the latest in biosecurity and have thought-provoking conversations about real-world biosecurity issues, concerns, and scenarios.”

This symposium will take place May 7-8. Learn more and register here.

Addressing the Challenges Posed by Chemical and Biological Weapons: Intensive Online Introductory Course for Students of Technical Disciplines

“SIPRI and the European Union Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC) invite graduate and postgraduate students of the technical or natural science disciplines to apply for an intensive online introductory course on chemical and biological weapons—their proliferation, the efforts to eliminate them, the various mechanisms used to control their spread—and endeavours underway to reduce the risk of chemical or biological agents in terrorist attacks. The course will take place online, during four half-days on 28–31 May 2024, 14:00 to 18:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST).”

“The course will cover the fundamentals of chemical and biological weapons as well as of missiles and other means of delivery; the history of chemical and biological warfare; the evolution of international norms against these weapons; the threats associated with potential terrorist uses of chemical and biological material; bioweapons and other related scientific advances; the current challenges posed by chemical weapons; arms control treaties; and mechanisms to curb the spread of dangerous substances, including export controls.”

“The course will also discuss the role of the EU institutions and industry to address the challenges mentioned above. The course will be instructed by renowned experts on non-proliferation, arms control, disarmament, export controls, verification and related subjects from SIPRI, other European research centres, think tanks and international organizations.”

Learn more and apply here.

Registration for GHS 2024 Now Open

Registration is now open for the Global Health Security 2024 conference in Sydney, Australia. This iteration will take place 18-21 June, 2024. The call for abstracts is also still open. “The mission of the Global Health Security conference is to provide a forum where leaders, researchers, policy-makers, and representatives from government, international organisations, civil society, and private industry from around the world can engage with each other, review the latest research and policy innovations, and agree solutions for making the world safer and healthier. To that end, our mission is to help foster a genuinely multidisciplinary community of practice that is committed to working collaboratively to enhance global health security and eliminate disease, irrespective of its origin or source.”

SBA.3 International Synthetic Biology, and Biosecurity Conference in Africa

“Join us for the SBA.3 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa, a groundbreaking event that brings together experts, researchers, and enthusiasts in the field of synthetic biology. This in-person conference will take place at the Laico Regency Hotel from Wed, Jul 17, 2024 to Friday, Jul 19, 2024.”

“Get ready to dive into the exciting world of synthetic biology and explore its potential applications in Africa. From cutting-edge research to innovative solutions, this conference offers a unique opportunity to learn, network, and collaborate with like-minded individuals.”

“Discover the latest advancements, trends, and challenges in synthetic biology through engaging keynote speeches, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking panel discussions. Immerse yourself in a vibrant atmosphere where ideas flow freely and new connections are made.”

“Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your journey in synthetic biology, this conference provides a platform to expand your knowledge, exchange ideas, and contribute to the growth of the field in Africa.”

“Don’t miss out on this extraordinary event that promises to shape the future of synthetic biology and biosecurity in Africa. Mark your calendars and join us at the SBA.3 International Synthetic Biology and Biosecurity Conference in Africa!”

Learn more and register here.

Applied Biosafety Call for Papers, Special Issue: Biosafety and Biosecurity for Potential Pandemic Pathogens and Dual Use Research of Concern

“The fields of biosafety and biosecurity are crucial to managing risks associated with Potential Pandemic Pathogens (PPPs) and Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC), particularly as novel and reemerging pathogens increasingly impact global health. The Editors of Applied Biosafety are pleased to announce a forthcoming Special Issue focused on the myriad of risks associated with handling, transporting, and researching PPPs and DURC, as well as the measures needed to mitigate these risks effectively. This special issue aims to review and scrutinize existing and forthcoming government policies and regulations to identify gaps in addressing these concerns. It will also explore the integral role played by biosafety and biosecurity professionals in shaping policy and guidance.”

Learn more here.

Job Openings at the Institute for Progress

Senior Biotechnology Fellow

“Our biotechnology portfolio explores how we can advance policies that improve U.S. state capacity to accelerate and shape promising innovations in biotechnology and biotechnology governance. Innovations in biology may finally deliver cures to HIV, malaria, influenza, and some cancers. New AI models are unfolding the secrets of the molecular world before our eyes. Spurred by the urgency of the pandemic, we are now closer than ever before to developing technologies to prevent future such outbreaks.”

“Biotechnology fellows are expected to have a keen interest in these issues. Under the guidance of the IFP team, they will explore and become experts in specific biotechnology topics, both from a technology and policy perspective. Fellows will interact with policymakers, write articles and white-papers, and more. We encourage fellows to pursue creative routes that they think might have significant counterfactual policy impact.”

Biotechnology Fellow

“Biotechnology fellows are expected to have a keen interest in these issues and the ways the U.S. government supports and oversees them. Under the guidance of the IFP team, they will explore and become experts in specific biotechnology topics, both from a technical and policy perspective. Fellows will interact with policymakers, write articles and white papers, and more – we encourage fellows to pursue creative routes that they think might have significant counterfactual policy impact.”

Learn more and apply to these positions here.

Job Opening at Blueprint Biosecurity

“Blueprint Biosecurity is seeking a full-time Program Director to build and lead our portfolio of work on personal protective equipment (PPE). We are seeking a proactive leader who thrives in a dynamic and evolving environment. You will have a high degree of autonomy to design and steer a pioneering program that aims to advance the state of PPE for pandemic prevention. This effort will build on the roadmap for Pandemic Proof PPE, developing goals and objectives to translate our ambitious vision into tangible outcomes. A successful candidate will be excited about building an effort from the ground up and willing to pivot and iterate to find ways to succeed.”

“In this role, you will be working collaboratively with other teams within and external to Blueprint Biosecurity. The ideal candidate will have excellent interpersonal abilities and strong skills in project management, strategic prioritization, research, and analysis.”

Learn more and apply here.

Pandora Report 4.15.2016

by spopescu, posted in Pandora Report

It’s been a big week in the world of biodefense – today is International Biomedical Laboratory Science Day! Biomedical Laboratory Scientists work hard to ensure procedures and patient care happens in a safe environment and that patient safety comes first! April 10th marked the anniversary of the Biological Weapons Convention opening for signature in London, Moscow, and Washington in 1972. The U.S. Geological Society also just released evidence that Alaska remains a “hot spot” for avian influenza to enter North America.

GMU Participation in UNSCR 1540 Civil Society Forum
IMG_3260This week our GMU Biodefense Professor and Graduate Program Director, Dr. Koblentz, participated in the UN’s 1540 Civil Society Forum – A Dialogue with Academia and Civil Society. Dr. Koblentz presented a paper on the role of academia in implementing and strengthening Resolution 1540, as well as moderating a panel regarding academic outreach. Resolution 1540 (2004) “imposes binding obligations on all States to adopt legislation to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their means of delivery, and  establish appropriate domestic controls over related materials to prevent their illicit trafficking. It also encourages enhanced international cooperation on such efforts.” Dr. Koblentz’s  work with the UNSCR 1540 Civil Society Forum addresses the evolution of WMD proliferation threats related to non-state actors, 1540 obligations that pertain to the academic community, and the importance of academia in these efforts. The forum also focussed on how to enhance review and analysis of 1540 implementation via communication between civil society, national governments, and the 1540 Committee.

Written Testimony for April 14 Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Hearing – “The Federal Perspective on the State of Our Nation’s Biodefense”
You can now catch up on the written testimony from this hearing on biodefense within the U.S. Pointing to the evolution of threats to include more emerging infectious diseases and the role of DHS in biodefense, this overview gives insight into the current biodefense situation within the U.S. The hearing addressed the National Biosurveillance Integration Center (NBIC), BioWatch Program, Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise, and state and local responder engagement. “In the wake of these growing threats, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains fully engaged and proactive in attempting to characterize the threat, providing warning of emerging and imminent threats, and coordinating whole of government response. During the most recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in West Africa, DHS provided intelligence analysis to the interagency, state and local governments, and first responders, and it directed research to better characterize the threat and fill gaps in public health and operational responses.” You can read the testimony before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, “The Nation Faces Multiple Challenges Building and Maintaining Biodefense and Biosurveillance” here.

Preparing for the Next Zika
Kendall Hoyt and Richard Hatchett are tackling the struggle of U.S. preparedness efforts for future infectious disease outbreaks. “The development of new biomedical countermeasures—vaccines, therapies and diagnostic—requires the coordination of a wide number of institutional and industry actors to succeed. We argue here that international efforts to develop countermeasures for emerging infectious diseases should build on lessons learned from US programs to develop closely related biodefense products.” While the WHO declaration of Zika virus as a public health emergency has pushed for the rapid development of a vaccine, Hoyt and Hatchett highlight the empirical delay that comes with vaccine development. Overall, they emphasize that lessons from the U.S. biodefense program should inform international efforts to build and strengthen medical countermeasures for emerging infectious diseases. If you enjoyed their article, you can also hear from the experts, in person, at GMU’s Pandemics, Bioterrorism, and Global Health Security summer program. Dr. Hoyt will be one of the instructors for our professional education course this summer (information will be made available shortly), so don’t miss out on getting to chat with experts in the field about all things biodefense.

GMU SPGIA PhD Information Session
Considering a PhD? Check out GMU’S School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs PhD Informational Session on Thursday, April 21, 7-8:30pm at our Arlington Campus, Founders Hall, Room 126. Dr. Koblentz will be discussing the Biodefense program and available to answer questions!

Lab Safety Tracking Website – Improving Select Agent Lab Oversight
In response to ongoing scrutiny and biosafety failures, federal regulators have launched a new website that will allow them to track their progress “improving oversight of safety and security at facilities working with bioterror pathogens such as anthrax and Ebola.” While still a work in progress, many are pointing to this site being a step in the right direction towards transparency. The CDC released their Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP) report card to look more closely at biosafety and security issues surrounding this work. Unfortunately, some note that the report card still fails to meet the requested details on labs violations and incidents at specific labs. The increased scrutiny and attention to lab safety failures has brought attention from the White House, initiating a push for more transparency regarding the research and incidents in labs working with bioterror agents.

HIV Fights Off CRISPR
Just when you thought CRISPR-Cas9 could do just about anything, HIV brings its A-game. Since its creation, many researchers have attempted to use CRISPR to combat HIV. Unfortunately, the virus has been skilled at fending off these efforts. “The very act of editing—involving snipping at the virus’s genome—may introduce mutations that help it to resist attack.” There are a handful of strategies for using CRISPR gene editing technologies against HIV – editing the T helper cells to avoid the virus from getting in or aiding the T cells with the capabilities to seek out and destroy any HIV that infects them. “When HIV infects a T cell, its genome is inserted into the cell’s DNA and hijacks its DNA-replicating machinery to churn out more copies of the virus. But a T cell equipped with a DNA-shearing enzyme called Cas9, together with customized pieces of RNA that guide the enzyme to a particular sequence in the HIV genome, could find, cut and cripple the invader’s genome.” Sounds like a good plan, right? Unfortunately, a team from McGill University found that the newly equipped T cells were, within two weeks, churning out virus particle copies that had avoided the CRISPR attack. The team performed DNA sequencing to get a closer look at what exactly what going on – they found that the virus had actually “developed mutations near the sequence that the CRISPR-Cas9 enzyme that been programmed to cut.” The team believes that it’s not actually the copying error-caused mutations that helped beat CRISPR, but rather that things went wrong when Cas9 cut the viral DNA. A team at the University of Amsterdam experienced similar results and both groups agree that this problem can be overcome and there is still a possibility for a CRISPR-Cas9-based HIV treatment.

All Things Zika
On 4/13, the CDC formally concluded that Zika virus causes microcephaly and other birth defects. Zika virus may now also be tied to another brain disease. The American Academy of Neurology published a report regarding a study that was released on April 10th, in which “Zika virus may be associated with an autoimmune disorder that attacks the brain’s myelin similar to multiple sclerosis”. While it’s a small study, these findings point to the neurological effects Zika virus is capable of causing and the need for further research. Experts are warning governments in Latin American to “fill a shortfall of investment to prevent further human tragedies” despite economists denying that there will be major impact from the virus. These experts are pointing to the already weakened economies that are plagued with “chronic underinvestment in water and sanitation”, which can aid in the spread of such diseases. On Monday, April 11th, the White House said that the released funds for Zika virus won’t be enough to combat the growing threat. Dr. Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases highlighted that the more information that is gathered on Zika virus, the more worrisome it becomes. “One big problem, Fauci said, is that pharmaceutical companies could be reluctant to work with the federal government if they don’t have confidence that there will be a stable source of money.” A recent study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, suggests that the virus may have been brought to Latin America via the 6th World Sprint Championship Canoe Race in August 2014.  USAID has put out a call for problem solvers to share groundbreaking ideas to help combat Zika virus. The Combating Zika and Future Threats Grand Challenge will invest up to $30 million in solutions. As of April 13th, the CDC has reported 358 travel-associated and 7 sexually transmitted cases of Zika in the U.S. You can also get the full WHO Zika situation report here.

Predicting and Evaluating the Epidemic Trend of Ebola in the 2014/2015 Outbreak and the Effects of Intervention Measures Screen Shot 2016-04-11 at 9.41.51 AM
Researchers developed several transmission models for Ebola to predict epidemic trends and evaluate just how efficient and effective the intervention methods were following the 2014 outbreak. Accounting for effective vaccination rates, a basic reproductive number as an intermediate variable, and fluctuations of diseases transmission based on a SIR model, this study evaluates the effects of control and prevention measures. “Measures that reduced the spread of EVD included: early diagnosis, treatment in isolation, isolating/monitoring close contacts, timely corpse removal, post-recovery condom use, and preventing or quarantining imported cases. EVD may re-emerge within two decades without control and prevention measures.”

Stories You May Have Missed:

  • National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSAAB) Meeting – Don’t miss out on the NSAAB meeting on May 24, 2016! Agenda items include: (1) Finalization of NSABB findings and recommendations on a conceptual approach to evaluating proposed gain-of-function (GOF) studies; (2) discussion of next steps for U.S. government policy development regarding GOF studies; and (3) other business of the Board. The meeting will also be webcast here at the time of the event!
  • BMBL Virtual Town Hall and Workshop – The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine presents an opportunity for stakeholders to provide input for a revision of “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories”. This is a virtual town hall that is open for comments from April 4-May 13th. There will also be a workshop on May 12th in Washington, DC that you can register for here.
  • DARPA INTERCEPT Program for Biodefense Countermeasures – The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA)’s Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is hosting a Proposers Day for the INTERfering and Co-Evolving Prevention and Therapy (INTERCEPT) program. “The goal of the INTERCEPT program is to explore and develop a new therapeutic platform to outpace fast-evolving viral pathogens, based upon virus-based therapeutic particles that interfere with viral infection and co-evolve with viral targets.”
  • Angola Yellow Fever Outbreak – The WHO has reported that as of April 10th, there have been 1,751 suspected cases and 242 deaths associated with the yellow fever outbreak. 582 of the cases were laboratory confirmed, of which 406 were from the Luanda province.

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