Tag: HHS

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 5.17.2024

by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

This week’s edition of the Pandora Report covers news from the Biodefense Graduate Program, HHS’ announcement to cut federal funding to the EcoHealth Alliance, and more.

Biodefense Program Receives Gift from the CBRNE Industry Group

For the second year, the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University received a generous gift from the CBRNE Industry Group, an association of organizations supporting chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive defenses, to support the Biodefense Graduate Program. Program director Dr. Gregory Koblentz accepted the award on behalf of the Schar School and Biodefense Program at the CBRNE Industry Group’s annual dinner on May 15. The dinner’s keynote speaker was Rebecca Hersman, director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

Congratulations to Graduating Biodefense Students

Congratulations to the newly minted MS in Biodefense students who graduated from the Schar School this week: Abigail Danfora, Theresa Hoang, Emily Johnson, John Kisko, Nick Marko, Geoff Mattoon, Jack Moore, Miranda Nastasi, Brittany Novak, Olivia Parker, Max Towers and Jacob Wellerman. A special congratulations to Nick Marko for receiving the Outstanding Biodefense MS Student Award for his exemplary scholarship and to Olivia Parker for receiving the Frances Harbour Award in recognition of her community leadership in the Biodefense Program.

Program Director Dr. Gregory Koblentz and Dr. Nick Marko who received the Outstanding Biodefense MS Student Award
Program Director Dr. Gregory Koblentz with graduating Biodefense students (some of whom are showing off their coveted Biodefense syringe pens)
Graduation cap decorated by Biodefense student

Biden Administration Moves to Ban Funding for EcoHealth Alliance

Following a tense Congressional hearing and the release of a highly critical select subcommittee interim report earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced in a letter on Wednesday that it is moving forward with debarment proceedings and implementing a government-wide suspension of federal funding for EcoHealth Alliance. This includes active grants, three of which totaled $2.6 million in NIH funding for EcoHealth Alliance last year. The NIH cited multiple failures on the part of the organization that it first reported three years ago, including EcoHealth’s failure to “promptly report findings from studies on how well bat coronaviruses grow in mice…”

House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) said in a statement about the announcement, ‘“EcoHealth Alliance and Dr. Peter Daszak should never again receive a single penny from the U.S. taxpayer. Only two weeks after the Select Subcommittee released an extensive report detailing EcoHealth’s wrongdoing and recommending the formal debarment of EcoHealth and its president, HHS has begun efforts to cut off all U.S. funding to this corrupt organization. EcoHealth facilitated gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China without proper oversight, willingly violated multiple requirements of its multimillion-dollar National Institutes of Health grant, and apparently made false statements to the NIH. These actions are wholly abhorrent, indefensible, and must be addressed with swift action. EcoHealth’s immediate funding suspension and future debarment is not only a victory for the U.S. taxpayer, but also for American national security and the safety of citizens worldwide.”

‘“The Select Subcommittee’s investigation into EcoHealth and the origins of COVID-19 is far from over. Dr. Daszak and his team are still required to produce all outstanding documents and answer the Select Subcommittee’s questions, specifically related to Dr. Daszak’s potential dishonesty under oath. We will hold EcoHealth accountable for any waste, fraud, and abuse and are committed to uncovering any illegal activity, including lying to Congress, NIH, or the Inspector General,” he continued.

EcoHealth Alliance said in a statement that it “is disappointed by HHS’[s] decision today and we will be contesting the proposed debarment. We disagree strongly with the decision and will present evidence to refute each of these allegations and to show that NIH’s continued support of EcoHealth Alliance is in the public interest.”

“China and Medical AI: Implications of Big Biodata for the Bioeconomy”

Caroline Schuerger, Vikram Venkatram, and Katherine Quinn recently published this CSET Issue Brief: “China supports medical artificial intelligence development to achieve bioeconomy leadership. Countries that strategically prioritize medical AI could benefit from an economic advantage and set global norms for future developments. Our new report examines China’s stated goals for medical AI, which range from the collection and protection of vast amounts of biodata, to facilitating research and development, to supporting medical AI commercialization. China’s comprehensive actions to prioritize medical AI development have major implications for U.S. economic and technological competitiveness.”

“China’s Industrial Clusters: Building AI-Driven Bio-Discovery Capacity”

Anna Puglisi and Daniel Chou recently authored this CSET Data Brief: “China is banking on applying AI to biotechnology research in order to transform itself into a “biotech superpower.” In pursuit of that goal, it has emphasized bringing together different aspects of the development cycle to foster multidisciplinary research. This data brief examines the emerging trend of co-location of AI and biotechnology researchers and explores the potential impact it will have on this growing field.”

“China’s Hybrid Economy: What to Do About BGI?”

Anna Puglisi tackles China’s industrial policy and BGI (formerly Beijing Genomics Institute) in this CSET blog post: “As the U.S. government considers banning genomics companies from China in the Biosecure Act, it opens a broader question of how the U.S. and other market economies should deal with China’s national champions. This blog post provides an overview of BGI and how China’s industrial policy impacts technology development.”

“Science and Technology Advisory Mechanism for the Biological Weapons Convention, A Proof-of-Concept Exercise”

From The Interacademy Partnership: “This document encapsulates the insights emanating from the recent ‘Proof of Concept Meeting for a Scientific Advisory Body for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention’ (BWC) that IAP hosted in Trieste, Italy, on 27-28 February 2024.”

“The meeting, convened under the auspices of IAP and in coordination with the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), brought together 38 technical experts from 32 countries. Their deliberations focused on the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on global biosecurity and international cooperation within the framework of the BWC. Participants stressed the need for a continuous review process to monitor AI trends, especially its implications for biology relevant to the BWC. The report serves as the report of a putative Science Advisor to the BWC, summing up the expert deliberations from the proof of concept meeting.”

“The release of “Science and Technology Advisory Mechanism for the Biological Weapons Convention, A Proof-of-Concept Exercise”, deriving from the proof of concept meeting, marks a key moment in the journey towards establishing a scientific advisory body for the BWC.”

“Read and download the Biosecurity Report here.”

“USDA, FDA Turf Battles Hamper Responses to Outbreaks Like H5N1 Bird Flu”

Rachel Cohrs Zhang, Lizzy Lawrence, and Nicholas Florko discuss federal agencies’ turf battles in this STAT News piece that includes information derived from interviews with more than 20 former federal officials. They explain in part, “Because H5N1 is currently an animal disease, it’s clearly the USDA’s responsibility to test cattle and get a handle on the outbreak. But already, public health experts are concerned that the scope of that agency’s testing regime is too limited. The department is requiring farmers test only lactating cows before moving them across state lines.”

‘“There needs to be a better understanding of the scope and scale of the problem,” said Stephen Ostroff, a former deputy commissioner in charge of food safety at the FDA. “This seems like it’s not necessarily going to be able to identify problems that could occur within a state.”’

Read more here.

“As Bird Flu Looms, the Lessons of Past Pandemics Take On New Urgency”

John M. Barry discusses lessons learned from the 1918 flu pandemic and other pandemics and their significance as bird flu continues to spread in this New York Times opinion piece. He writes in part, “While much would still have to happen for this virus to ignite another human pandemic, these events provide another reason — as if one were needed — for governments and public health authorities to prepare for the next pandemic. As they do, they must be cautious about the lessons they might think Covid-19 left behind. We need to be prepared to fight the next war, not the last one…Two assumptions based on our Covid experience would be especially dangerous and could cause tremendous damage, even if policymakers realized their mistake and adjusted quickly.”

“Rise of Drug-Resistant Superbugs Could Make COVID Pandemic Look ‘Minor’, Expert Warns”

This piece from The Guardian discusses warnings from Prof Dame Sally Davies, England’s former chief medical officer and the UK’s current special envoy on AMR. It explains, “She paints a bleak picture of what could happen if the world fails to tackle the problem within the next decade, warning that the issue is “more acute” than climate change. Drug-resistant infections already kill at least 1.2 million people a year…“It looks like a lot of people with untreatable infections, and we would have to move to isolating people who were untreatable in order not to infect their families and communities. So it’s a really disastrous picture. It would make some of Covid look minor,” said Davies, who is also the first female master of Trinity College, Cambridge.”

“Dissecting Pandemic-Prone Viral Families, Volume 4: The Pneumoviridae”

This document by Amesh A. Adalja for Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security covers the pandemic threats posed by the Pneumoviridae family: “The Pneumoviridae viral family, formerly a subfamily of Paramyxoviridae, consists of 2 genera: Orthopneumovirus, the members of which infect mammals, and Metapneumovirus, which are specific for either mammals or birds.”

“Pneumoviridae poses a largely underappreciated pandemic threat. Only 2 known viral family members infect humans: human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV, commonly RSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV).1 These 2 endemic respiratory viruses confer substantial morbidity and mortality on the human species, particularly among older adults and young children and across different sociodemographic strata.2 If a zoonotic or yet undiscovered viral family member acquired the ability to efficiently infect humans, it could spread prolifically, especially when faced with little immunity”

Read more here.

“Remarks by Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall Assistant to the President for Homeland Security on Countering Bioterrorism in an Era of Technology Convergence”

Read Liz Sherwood-Randall’s remarks at the Ash Carter Exchange that focus on preventing bioterrorism and threats posed by rapidly advancing biotechnologies. She said in part, “And this frame of “preventive defense” – which identifies what we can do now to prevent far more pernicious threats from emerging in the future – is a guiding principle for me as we face the emergence of a whole new category of “A list” threats at the intersection of biology, engineering, and artificial intelligence.”

“Given my current duties as the President’s Homeland Security Advisor, this is a major concern because of the very real prospect that these technologies – which are largely out “in the wild” rather than controlled by governments – could be accessed and weaponized by terrorists with potentially catastrophic effects.”

“So, I chose to talk with you here today about what we can do to counter biological terrorism and other malicious uses of advances in biotechnology in this era of rapid technology convergence.”

“Getting Down to Science”

This USDA post by Stephanie Jacques discusses the work starting to take shape at the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). She writes in part “Science at NBAF is starting in phases. This phased process began with low-risk, common science practices that don’t involve infectious pathogens and is moving to more advanced or mission-focused science in later phases. As NBAF is ramping up science operations in Manhattan, Kansas, its predecessor — the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York — will continue protecting American agriculture until NBAF is ready to assume the center’s full mission.”

“Trumping Pandemic Preparedness”

Chelsea Cirruzzo and Ben Leonard recently published this piece in Politico that discusses former President Trump’s promise that, if re-elected, he will abolish the White House’s Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy. While they explain that he can not entirely get rid of the office on his own, they cover three ways he could undermine the office, including not appointing anyone to run or staff the office, asking Congress to overturn the law it passed creating the office, or reshaping the office to better suit his political interests.

“A ‘Plague’ Comes Before the Fall: Lessons from Roman History”

Colin Elliott discusses the effects of the Antonine plague in this piece, writing in part “The Pax Romana—the 200-year “golden age” of the Roman Empire—was a marvel of diversity, connectivity, and unchallenged hegemony. By the middle of the second century AD, imperial Rome ruled territory across three different continents. Roughly one-quarter of the Earth’s population, some 60 million people, lived under Rome’s vast aegis, and the emperors of the age—most notably Marcus Aurelius—enjoyed the consent of those they governed. The Empire’s elites—witnessing the disciplined legions, widespread religiosity, cultural efflorescence, and dominant economy—likely expected their world order to endure forever.”

“In the year 166 AD, however, seemingly eternal Rome was caught completely off-guard as a deadly novel disease swept across the Eurasian landmass. It ransacked Rome’s cities for at least a decade and preceded centuries of decline. This major biological event—now known as the Antonine plague—appears to have been the world’s first pandemic.”

“Chloropicrin and Its Alleged Use in the Ukrainian War”

JP Zanders breaks down the United States’ accusation that Russia used RCAs and chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces in this post on The Trench: “This three-part blog contribution analyses the publicly available information about RCA and chloropicrin use in the Russo-Ukrainian war. The first part summarises the chemical warfare allegations between 2014 and 2024. Part 2 investigates the reports of chloropicrin use, and the final part discusses how the international community can address the CW allegations through action in the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).”

What We’re Listening To🎧

The Arms Control Poseur, The US and the Chemical Weapons Convention with Laura J. Gross

“On the ninth episode of season 2, William is joined by Laura J. Gross to discuss the completion of the destruction of the US chemical weapons stockpile.”

“In order to understand the current commitments of the United States to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Laura J. Gross joins William to discuss the completion of the destruction of the US chemical weapons stockpile, which was announced on the 7th of July 2023. This destruction was then verified by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). In this episode, Ms Gross discusses the challenges that were faced in the destruction of this stockpile, and outlines the achievement itself in light of upholding global norms on arms control and verifiability. However, various challenges remain regarding the implementation of the Convention’s provision, such as the conflict in Gaza, the potential possession of chemical weapons by the Syrian Arab Republic, and the war in Ukraine. Ms Gross explains how the US assists other countries in the destruction of their declared chemical weapons stockpiles. When looking towards the future of the CWC, Ms Gross also touches upon the renewed use of chemical weapons by Syria, Russia, and North Korea and what the US is undertaking to counter the return to such use.”

“Laura J. Gross is the director of the Office of Chemical and Biological Weapons Affairs, Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability, at the United States Department of State, and she is the Executive Director of the US National Authority for the CWC.”

NEW-Pandemic Accord: Partial Failure or Partial Success?

From Brown Pandemic Center: “On 23 May at 12:00PM ET the Pandemic Center will host a webinar titled Pandemic Accord: Partial Failure or Partial Success?”

“Member States of the World Health Organization have been negotiating a new pandemic treaty to address challenges in the response to and sub-optimal international coordination during the Covid-19 pandemic. A vote on the treaty is expected during the upcoming World Health Assembly, taking place 27 May through 1 June. This Pandemic Center webinar will convene an expert panel to assess the strengths and limitations of the current draft of the treaty and its prospects for adoption.”

Learn more and RSVP here.

NEW-Ready or Not 2024: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism

From TFAH: “Please join Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) for a virtual Congressional briefing and national webinar on our recent report, Ready or Not 2024: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism.”

“The report identifies gaps in national and state preparedness to protect residents’ health during emergencies and makes recommendations to strengthen the nation’s public health system and improve emergency readiness. As the nation experiences an increasing number of infectious disease outbreaks and extreme weather events, the report found that while emergency preparedness has improved in some areas, policymakers not heeding the lessons of past emergencies, funding cuts, and health misinformation are all putting decades of progress at risk.”

“A panel of subject matter experts will discuss the nation’s readiness for public health emergencies, examine the findings of the report, and discuss key recommendations for policymakers. The briefing will include time for Q&A from the audience.”

This event will take place on May 29 and 2 pm EST. Learn more and register here.

NEW-Optimizing Federal, State, and Local Response to Public Health Emergencies

From NASEM: “The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on Science, Technology, and Law cordially invites you to attend a virtual workshop to examine how legal authorities affected the ability of public health agencies and federal, state, and local governments to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and explore approaches to ensure a more effective response to future public health crises. The allocation of legal authority has become an issue of immediate relevance as the United States confronts an H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in dairy cattle.”

“The workshop, which will highlight ideas for optimizing the response to future public health emergencies, will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2024 from 12:00 to 5:30 pm U.S. Eastern and Friday, May 31, 2024 from 12:00 to 4:30 pm U.S. Eastern. It will include the following sessions:

1) Optimizing Federal, State, and Local Public Health Preparedness  
2) The COVID-19 Pandemic: What happened? What went right? What went wrong?  
3) Public Health Emergency Authorities: What we know about them and how did we experience them before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic? 

  • Case Study I: Pandemic Orders and Religious Liberty
  • Case Study II: New York City Vaccine Mandates: Who Has the Authority?
  • Case Study III: The Experience with Public Health Emergency Authorities Before, During, and After COVID-19
  • Case Study IV: The Future of Public Health Authority at the Federal, State, and Local Level

4) Exploring Routes and Barriers to Effective Public Health Response Efforts During the COVID-19 Pandemic
5) Looking to the Future: Where do we go from here? 
6) Concluding Thoughts from Workshop Planning Committee”

Learn more and register here.

NEW-American Democracy and Health Security Initiative: Lighting a Path Amid Pandemic Polarization

“Please join the Brown University School of Public Health Pandemic Center, the COVID Collaborative, and the CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security for the launch of the American Democracy and Health Security Initiative.”

“The story of how America fared under the Covid-19 pandemic is actually two stories. While the more well-known story is one of failure, confusion, and polarization, the other story is one of American ingenuity amidst profound uncertainty. State and local leaders were at the center of this untold story—in serving their communities they innovated, bridged divides, and illuminated America’s path during the Covid-19 pandemic’s darkest days. The American Democracy and Health Security Initiative spotlights these lamplighters and harvests their hard-won lessons, to ensure the most successful strategies can be sustained or replicated in future crises.”

“On June 5, the American Democracy and Health Security Initiative will publish its findings on what actionable steps are needed to advance our health security for the future. The event will feature leaders from across the country from Governors, advisors, and health leaders to community organizations, educators, businesses, and crisis managers. We will discuss urgent opportunities to make the country more resilient against future threats to our health security and to our democracy and identify national and local innovations that must be retained and playbooks that are needed to reinvigorate leadership, bipartisanship, and equitable access in the face of the next health emergency in America.”

This event will take place on June 5 at 2 pm ET. Register here.

Getting Ahead of Avian Influenza: Why Organizations Need to Prepare Today

From Bluedot: “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1), commonly referred to as bird flu, has been making headlines around the world, as the virus rapidly spreads to new animal species. Already the cause of a panzootic (global animal pandemic), last month a human H5N1 case was reported in the U.S. after likely contracting it from infected dairy cattle. The virus has now been detected in dairy herds across multiple states, with evidence to suggest it has been spreading more widely than previously thought — begging the question: Are we at risk for an avian influenza-instigated pandemic?”

“Join us for a deep dive into avian influenza as we explore why and how organizations should prepare to safeguard against bird flu. Together, through collaborative efforts and informed decision-making, we can mitigate the risk of increased transmission to humans. BlueDot’s experts have been closely monitoring the situation and potential risks, issuing multiple alerts on H5N1 — and other avian influenzas — over the past 15 months.”

This event will take place on May 23, at 11 am ET. 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.

IBBIS Announces The Common Mechanism

The International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS) recently launched The Common Mechanism, “An open-source, globally available tool for DNA synthesis screening.” The organization explains on its website that “The Common Mechanism helps providers of synthetic DNA and RNA to effectively screen orders to prevent synthesis technology from being exploited. We provide free, distributed, open-source, automated software for screening sequences of nucleic acids (including DNA and RNA) as well as resources to facilitate customer screening.”

Learn more and access the tool here.

Pandora Report 3.15.2024

by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

Happy Friday! This week’s edition of the Pandora Report covers HHS’ launch of a probe into the cyber attack on Change Healthcare, the IC’s annual threat assessment, new publications and professional opportunities, and more.

Biodefense PhD Student Lands Fellowship With National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology

“Aishwarya Sriraman, Biodefense PhD student, is starting a fellowship with the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, a legislative branch advisory entity charged with conducting a review of how emerging biotechnologies will shape current and future activities of the Department of Defense. The fellowship will provide an exciting opportunity to gain firsthand policy and research experience working at the intersection of national security and emerging biotechnology. She will specifically be working with the Policy and Research team focused on partnerships and bioliteracy.”

HHS Opens Probe Into UnitedHealth Cyber Attack

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that it has opened an investigation into the February 21 cyber attack targeting a subsidiary of United Health-Change Healthcare. The aim of the investigation is to determine if there was any breach of protected health data and to see if UnitedHealth Group abided by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. ‘”Given the unprecedented magnitude of this cyberattack and in the best interest of patients and health care providers” the HHS Office for Civil Rights is initiating an investigation into the incident, the health department said.”

Secretary of HHS Xavier Becerra and Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor Julie A. Su said in a letter regarding the issue “In a situation such as this, the government and private sector must work together to help providers make payroll and deliver timely care to the American people. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken action by removing challenges for health care providers and addressing this cyberattack head on. Now, we are asking private sector leaders across the health care industry – especially other payers – to meet the moment.”

“The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to ensuring that all Americans can access needed care in spite of this cyberattack. We urge the private sector to quickly identify and carry out solutions. Specifically, we call on UHG, other insurance companies, clearinghouses, and health care entities to take additional actions to mitigate the harms this attack places on patients and providers, particularly our safety net providers.”

Reuters explained in its reporting that Change Healthcare “processes about 50% of medical claims in the U.S. for around 900,000 physicians, 33,000 pharmacies, 5,500 hospitals and 600 laboratories.”

UnitedHealth has indicated it will cooperate with the investigation. It has yet to comment on what patient data may have been exposed by the attack.

Annual IC Threat Assessment Includes Warnings About Biotechnology, CBW

The Intelligence Community’s recently-released annual threat assessment included several sections dedicated to threats and challenges posed by advancing biotechnology and WMD proliferation. On biological weapons, the assessment explains “Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea probably maintain the capability to produce and use pathogens and toxins, and China and Russia have proven adept at manipulating the information space to reduce trust and confidence in countermeasures and U.S. biotechnology and research.”

It also outlines the potential for CW use to grow, explaining “The use of chemical weapons, particularly in situations other than state-on-state military operations, could increase in the near future. During the past decade, state and non-state actors have used chemical warfare agents in a range of scenarios, including the Syrian military’s use of chlorine and sarin against opposition groups and civilians, and North Korea’s and Russia’s use of chemical agents in targeted killings. More state actors could use chemicals in operations against dissidents, defectors, and other perceived enemies of the state; protestors under the guise of quelling domestic unrest; or against their own civilian or refugee populations.”

Finally, it identifies biotechnology and related biosecurity issues as key challenges (alongside AI) requiring cooperative global solutions. However, it notes such cooperation is harmed by authoritarian governments like those in China and Russia: “This competition also exploits technological advancements— such as AI, biotechnologies and related biosecurity, the development and production of microelectronics, and potential quantum developments—to gain stronger sway over worldwide narratives affecting the global geopolitical balance, including influence within it. The fields of AI and biotechnology, in particular, are rapidly advancing, and convergences among various fields of science and technology probably will result in further significant breakthroughs. The accelerating effects of climate change are placing more of the world’s population, particularly in low- and middleincome countries, at greater risk from extreme weather, food and water insecurity, and humanitarian disasters, fueling migration flows and increasing the risks of future pandemics as pathogens exploit the changing environment.”

More Than 90 Prominent Biologists, Other Scientists Sign Agreement Aiming to Mitigate AI Bioweapon Risk

The New York Times recently reported that “…over 90 biologists and other scientists who specialize in A.I. technologies used to design new proteins — the microscopic mechanisms that drive all creations in biology — have signed an agreement that seeks to ensure that their A.I.-aided research will move forward without exposing the world to serious harm.”

In their agreement, they explain “Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are creating unprecedented opportunities for life science research, including by enabling the design of functional biological molecules, especially proteins. This application of AI for protein design holds immense potential to enhance our understanding of the world and help address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges by enabling rapid responses to infectious disease outbreaks, curing numerous diseases, unlocking sustainable sources of energy, helping to mitigate climate change, and more.”

“As scientists engaged in this work, we believe the benefits of current AI technologies for protein design far outweigh the potential for harm and we would like to ensure our research remains beneficial for all going forward. Given anticipated advances in this field, a new proactive risk management approach may be required to mitigate the potential of developing AI technologies that could be misused, intentionally or otherwise, to cause harm. We are therefore motivated as a community to articulate a set of values and principles to guide the responsible development of AI technologies in the field of protein design. These values include safety, security, equity, international collaboration, openness, responsibility, and pursuing research for the benefit of society. Furthermore, we as signatories voluntarily agree to a set of specific, actionable commitments informed by these values and principles and outlined here. We will work together with global stakeholders across academia, governments, civil society, and the private sector to ensure that this technology develops in a responsible and trustworthy manner and that it is safe, secure, and beneficial for all.”‘

Read more here.

“Hidden in Plain Sight: the Next Biosecurity Threat”

This commentary piece was co-authored by Biodefense PhD Program alumnus Daniel M Gerstein. In it, Gerstein and his co-authors tackle key challenges in enforcing the International Health Regulations, comparing global responses to China’s delayed notification of the emergence of COVID-19 to the WHO with South Africa’s prompt notification of the emergence of the Omicron variant. They write in part, “The message is now clear: Keep quiet as long as possible to keep your hotels and beaches full, trade going and air travel open. There will be no penalty if you delay reporting. There will be no penalty if you refuse or delay access to the WHO or other specialists….In Geneva, Switzerland, negotiations on a global pandemic preparedness treaty stalled where they were predicted to stall: who gives what to whom and for how much?”

“If an international agreement does progress, to be effective it must “have teeth, but they rarely do,” commented the executive director of the American Public Health Association. If Geneva produced any agreement, the United States could be a party only with Senate ratification. The likelihood of that level of bipartisan cooperation is (charitably) remote.”‘

“Learnings from COVID-19 for Future Respiratory Pathogen Pandemic Preparedness: A Summary of the Literature”

From WHO: “A scoping literature review of learnings from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was commissioned by WHO to inform operational priorities for future respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness. The learnings are grouped according to WHO’s subsystems for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience. Key takeaway messages include: 1) Preparedness works; 2) Health is everyone’s business; 3) No one is safe until everyone is safe; and 4) Response must be agile and adaptive. The review will support pandemic planners at all levels to develop and update preparedness and response plans.

“The COVID-19 Pandemic at Year Four: The Imperative for Global Health Solidarity”

Syra Madad recently authored this blog post for the New York Academy of Sciences, writing in part “This month marks a solemn milestone: the four-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic declaration by the World Health Organization. During this period, the virus has caused the deaths of over seven million individuals globally—a figure that is vastly undercounted, with actual losses likely two to three times higher. This number also includes over one million COVID-19 deaths in the United States alone. A recent analysis of excess mortality in the U.S., which provides an estimation of deaths that likely would not have occurred under normal, non-pandemic conditions, has found that in the first two years of the pandemic many of the excess deaths that were attributed to natural causes were actually uncounted COVID-19 deaths. This points to a significant underestimation of the pandemic’s true death toll, let alone the impact on livelihoods and disability caused by this virus.”

“Mixed Thoughts on Chances of a New Pandemic”

Statista’s Anna Fleck recently authored this piece rocused on public perceptions of the chances of a new pandemic emerging. It covers the results of a survey, with the results displayed in this chart:

“Banning Gain-of-Function Research Would Do Far More Harm Than Good”

Judy Minkoff tackles the debate over a recently-passed House bill that aims to halt federal funding for all research involving gain of function work in this piece for MedPage Today. She writes in her introduction “The Republican-controlled House of Representatives recently approved an amendmentopens in a new tab or window to the 2024 House spending billopens in a new tab or window that prohibits federal funding for all gain-of-function (GoF) research — that which endows a pathogen with a new or enhanced property. Many scientists are hopeful that the bill will fail in the Democratic-controlled Senate, but if this vaguely-worded provision becomes law, it could halt research pertaining to a wide variety of public concerns, including gene therapy, cancer treatment, and pandemic preparedness.”

“Congressional attacks on science extend beyond this amendment. House Republicans, holding a majority in the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemicopens in a new tab or window, have skewed the narrative on COVID-19 toward an unsupported link with GoF research, citing communications between government officials and the authors of a controversial scientific publicationopens in a new tab or window as proof of a conspiracyopens in a new tab or window to suppress the lab origin theory. Rather than leveraging their authority to foster balanced discussion among experts in an effort to learn from the pandemic, the subcommittee has engaged in months of hearings on this single topic.”

“The Joint Assessment Mechanism: Discerning the Source of High-Consequence Biological Events of Unknown Origin”

A new white paper from NTI: “The white paper, which reflects several rounds of consultations with an international group of technical and policy experts, diplomats, and other key stakeholders in the field of pandemic preparedness, provides an in-depth argument for establishing the JAM to fill the critical gap among existing UN mechanisms and entities. The paper suggests that the JAM should be based within the Office of the UN Secretary General—serving as an interface between the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Secretary-General’s Mechanism, and other key stakeholders—where it can provide an ongoing baseline assessment of current biological risks.”

“Bioliteracy for the Age of Biology”

From the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology: ‘“Bioliteracy” is the concept of imbuing people, personnel, or teams with an understanding of — and ability to engage with — biology and biotechnology. The Commission believes that all Americans—including policymakers in the U.S. Government, students at all levels of education, current and future biotechnology workers, and the broader public—should one day be as comfortable using and engaging with biotechnology in the same way that they do with computers and software in their daily lives and within society.”

“Increased bioliteracy across all segments of the population will help Americans realize the potential of a robust U.S. biotechnology ecosystem that maximizes the promises of biotechnology for the benefit of all citizens.”

Read more here.

“The Viral Most Wanted-The Filoviruses”

CEPI’s latest installment of the Viral Most Wanted tackles the filoviruses. Its exciting introduction explains: “Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe was a newly-qualified microbiologist working as a field epidemiologist when he got a call in 1976 to help investigate an outbreak. A pernicious disease had taken hold in the village of Yambuku in central Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. People were dying in large numbers of the infection – one that appeared at first to be like malaria or typhoid or yellow fever, but was clearly something even worse.”

“Muyembe knew that some of the Belgian nuns working in the village had been vaccinated against yellow fever and typhoid, yet this infection was easily flooring those defences. It was a swift and gruesome new killer.”

“Reflecting on his experience with these first few patients, Muyembe said the most striking thing was when he drew blood from them. Removing the syringe and needle, he found that the tiny puncture hole would continue to gush blood. It was the first time he’d seen such a thing, he recalled, and he knew it was an ominous sign.” 

“After asking one of the infected nuns to fly back with him to Kinshasa, Muyembe took blood samples from her and sent them to Belgium for testing. The analysis that followed produced a shocking result. The blood of the nun, who by now had been killed by the disease, was infected with a virus that caused an acute haemorrhagic fever – one that scientists now describe as “one of the most lethal infections you can think of”.”  

“The pathogen swiftly became known as Ebolavirus after the river that runs near Yambuku where it infected the villagers and the nuns. It was also swiftly recognised as a member of the Filovirus family – one of The Viral Most Wanted.“

“Response is Failure in the Primary Mission of Preventing CBW”

JP Zanders recently published this piece on The Trench: “The Global Partnership against the Spread of Materials and Weapons of Mass Destruction has now been around for over two decades. In the wake of the terrorist attacks against the US in September 2001, it started out as an effort to mobilise the resources of the G8 members to prevent terrorist acquisition of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, and related materials. The weapons, technologies and skills available from the former Soviet Union presented a significant proliferation risk, which the US was already addressing through the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) programme.”

“Now comprising 31 members, the Global Partnership (GP) played a key role in assisting Russia with the destruction of its chemical weapons (CW) and dismantling the biological weapons (BW) infrastructure in other former Soviet states. Since then, it has expanded its mission of preventing the re-emergence of BW and CW to different parts of the world and tackles multiple types of proliferation threats. Among the latest is Russia’s massive disinformation campaign against the collective threat reduction activities in former Soviet republics to justify the invasion of Ukraine and interference in other countries.”

“To discuss the GP’s past and present work and the response to the latest challenges, I interviewed Trevor Smith, Senior Program Manager of the Biological and Chemical Security Weapons Threat Reduction Program run by Global Affairs Canada. The interview took place on 31 January 2024.”

“Flashback: When Nerve Gas Testing Killed 7,000 Sheep Near Dugway in Utah”

This Axios SLC Old News piece discusses the deaths of more than 7,000 sheep thirty miles away from the US Army’s Dugway Proving Grounds in 1968. “The Army confirmed in a 1978 report — which wasn’t publicly released until the Salt Lake Tribune obtained it 20 years later — that “incontrovertible” evidence showed VX was to blame.”

In 2018, Al Mauroni published this article with the Modern War Institute discussing this incident and its implications, writing in part “Politics and perception had essentially overwhelmed science and reason. This probably wasn’t the first time that this had happened, nor would it be the last. The point of this narrative, other than as a historical observation, is to reflect on what this has done to the preparedness of US military forces today. Yes, the United States no longer has a chemical weapons program. Yes, there is a Chemical Weapons Convention that nearly all nations of the world have signed, effectively eliminating chemical weapons as a future tool of warfare—we hope. North Korea is a particular exception to that treaty, and most assumptions are that, if North Korea goes to war against South Korea, it will use thousands of tons of chemical warfare agents against US forces. Are we confident that our forces have the necessary gear to protect themselves and sustain combat operations in such an environment? And do we have plans for how US military bases and ports will recover after being attacked with chemical weapons?”

“COLUMN: Which Terrorist Organization Suffers More Casualties in Its Attacks? Al Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, or Iran-backed Militia Groups?”

Schar School associate professor Mahmut Cengiz recently published this commentary piece with Homeland Security Today, explaining in his introduction “Despite being a top priority on government agendas for the past few decades, it appears that no counterterrorism policies have been successful in combatting terrorist groups. Thousands of terrorist attacks and fatalities are still being recorded each year by terrorism databases. For instance, in 2023, the Global Terrorism and Trends Analysis Center (GTTAC) Records of Incidents Database (GRID) documented 7,480 terrorist attacks that led to the death of 23,119 individuals.”

What We’re Listening To 🎧

Poisons and Pestilence, 24 Movie Special: Outbreak and Contagion with Saskia Popescu

“In our first ever movie review special, Dr Saskia Popescu reviews the classics Contagion (2011) and Outbreak (1995)…”

NEW: 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.

Artificial Intelligence and Automated Laboratories for Biotechnology: Leveraging Opportunities and Mitigating Risks

From the National Academies’ Board on Life Sciences: “Please join us April 3-4, 2024 for a hybrid workshop on the opportunities and mitigation of risks of the use of artificial intelligence and automated laboratories (i.e., self-driving labs) for biotechnology.”

“The workshop will consider opportunities to leverage AI and laboratory automation capabilities for discovery and development, explore methods and approaches to identify, track, and forecast the domestic and international development of such technologies, and convene experts across sectors to highlight recent advances and explore implications for the development and use of these technologies.”

Learn more and register here.

Launch of the 2024 National Blueprint on Biodefense

From the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense: “On the 10th anniversary of its inception, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense will release its 2024 National Blueprint on Biodefense: Immediate Action Needed to Defend Against Biological Threats.”

“Please join us for this momentous event at the Congressional Auditorium, Capitol Visitor Center, on April 17th at 4:30pm.”

“The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (formerly the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense) was established in 2014 to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state of United States biodefense efforts and to issue recommendations that foster change.  Subsequently, the Commission has briefed White House Administrations (including then Vice President Biden); testified before Congress; convened numerous meetings with experts; released 12 reports; produced the graphic novel Germ Warfare; and mobilized biodefense conversations and actions in the private and public sectors.”

Learn more and register 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.

Eighth Annual Next Generation for Biosecurity Competition Open for Applications

“The Eighth Annual Next Generation for Biosecurity Competition is now open. NTI | bio hosts this competition to provide a platform for the next generation of global leaders in biosecurity to develop original concepts and share them with the wider biosecurity community. This year’s co-sponsors include 80,000 Hours, the Global Health Security Network, the iGEM Foundation, the International Federation of Biosafety Associations, the Next Generation Global Health Security Network, Pandemic Action Network, SynBio Africa, and Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation.“

“This year, the competition invites innovative and creative papers focused on how investments in biosecurity can both contribute to a more equitable society and reduce biological risks. The full prompt is provided below.”

“Winners of the Biosecurity Competition will be awarded the following:

  • Online publication of their paper on the NTI website
  • The opportunity to attend a high-profile international biosecurity event, such as the Biological Weapons Convention, and present their paper at a prestigious side event.”

Learn more here.

Apply for the 2024 Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship

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

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

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

Learn more here.

WHO Launches a Mobile App for Biosafety Risk Assessment

“WHO has launched the Risk Assessment Tool (RAST) for Biosafety and Laboratory Biosecurity, developed to help with laboratory risk assessment. Laboratory workers are reported to be up to 1000 times more vulnerable to infections compared to the general population.”

“RAST is designed to complement the WHO Laboratory biosafety manual’s (LBM4) risk- and evidence-based approach. It reflects the first two steps of the risk assessment framework outlined in the LBM4: gather information and evaluate the risks. The app aims to increase understanding of hazards and risks, and to promote thorough assessment and adherence to biological safety practices for laboratory staff.”

Learn more here.

Pandora Report: 1.20.2023

by dkellogg97, posted in Pandora Report

Happy (almost) Lunar New Year! This week we are covering several updates, including China’s COVID-19 cases and fatalities, a new GAO report on HHS’ oversight of high-risk research, and more. We also have several new publications this week, an interesting podcast episode on PPE, and plenty of newly-launched resources and open opportunities later on in the issue.

China Calims 60K COVID-19 Deaths as Lunar New Year Travel Surges

This week, China said it has recorded nearly 60,000 deaths linked to COVID-19 since lifting Zero COVID restrictions last month, up from the 37 it previously claimed had died since December 7. Previously, the country had reported just over 5,000 COVID-19 deaths in total since the initial outbreak of the disease in Wuhan in late 2019. The New York Times explains this, writing “Until Saturday, China had reported a total of just 5,272 Covid deaths since the pandemic began in the city of Wuhan in late 2019. That measure was narrowly defined as deaths from pneumonia or respiratory failure caused by Covid. The new figure released Saturday included those who had Covid, but also died from other underlying illnesses.”

Reuters explains this figure further, writing “China recorded 59,938 Covid-related deaths from Dec. 8 to Jan. 12, Jiao Yahui, an official with China’s National Health Commission, said at a news conference in Beijing. That figure included 5,503 people who died of respiratory failure directly caused by Covid. Another 54,435 fatalities were linked to other underlying illnesses, Ms. Jiao said.” Reuters also notes that Jiao claims China was unable to release this information sooner because it “required a comprehensive examination of hospital reporting.”

It remains unclear whether or not China has changed the way it counts COVID-19 deaths so that it includes those with underlying conditions that contributed to their death from COVID-19. Furthermore, many are still skeptical of these numbers, and concerns about a further spike amid holiday travel persist. Combined with other factors like the economic impact this has had in China, and attempts to stamp out online discourse about the Party’s handling of the pandemic by blocking “fake information” that would cause a “gloomy sentiment”, this troubling situation is continuing to evolve.

Russia Announces Criminal Case Against Unnamed US Citizen Accused of Espionage Related to “Biological Topics”

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced this week it has opened a case against a US citizen, citing allegations of “…engaging in “espionage” related to “biological topics.” According to The Guardian, ““The American is suspected of collecting intelligence information in the biological sphere, directed against the security of the Russian Federation,” it added, without any further details.” Reuters reports that “The U.S. State Department said it was aware of the “unconfirmed reports” that Russia has opened a criminal case against a U.S. citizen on suspicion of espionage.” Reuters continued, writing “We’re looking into this matter and we’ll continue to monitor,” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters on Thursday….Patel added Russia does not generally abide by obligations to provide timely notification of the detention of U.S. citizens in Russia.”

New GAO Report–“Public Health Preparedness: HHS Could Improve Oversight of Research Involving Enhanced Potential Pandemic Pathogens“

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released this report discussing its study reviewing the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) oversight policies and programs (“the Framework”). The report indicates that “GAO found that HHS’s Framework does not fully meet the key elements of effective oversight identified in past work. For example, the Framework does not provide a standard to help funding agencies interpret what “reasonably anticipated” means. Until HHS develops and documents such a standard, the Framework allows for subjective and potentially inconsistent interpretations of the requirement—leaving HHS without assurance the department is reviewing all necessary research proposals.”

The report, available here, discusses the GAO study and findings at length. It concludes with three recommendations–1) “The Secretary of Health and Human Services should work with HHS funding agencies to develop and document a standard for “reasonably anticipated” to ensure consistency in identifying research for departmental review that is “reasonably anticipated to create, transfer or use enhanced potential pandemic pathogens,”; 2) “The Secretary of Health and Human Services should work with HHS funding agencies to identify and share non-sensitive information with researchers, Congress, and the public about the departmental review process for research involving enhanced potential pandemic pathogens, including information on composition and expertise of those involved in the review process and how the evaluation criteria are applied,” and 3) “As HHS and CDC deliberate any changes to the DSAT program, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should assess and document the risk posed by the limitations of the existing DSAT exemptions for public health emergencies and seek legislative authority as needed.”

“This photograph depicts a microbiologist in what had been the Influenza Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while she was conducting an experiment inside a negatively-pressurized biological safety cabinet (BSC) within the Biosafety Level 3-enhanced laboratory. The airflow into the BSC helps prevent any airborne virus particles from escaping the confines of the cabinet, and as part of her personal protective equipment (PPE), she was wearing a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR), which was filtering the air that she was breathing.”| Credit: CDC PHIL

No More Biowordscramble–NIST Releases Bioeconomy Lexicon

Biosecurity, bioenergy, bioinspired, biorisk…If you have ever started to feel like the new trend in security jargon is adding “bio” to an already existing word, this one is for you. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently released its bioeconomy lexicon as directed in the Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy. NIST explains the need for this, writing “Biotechnology and biomanufacturing are increasingly vital to the global economy, including in the health care, food and agriculture, and energy sectors. Accordingly, there is a need for standardized terms and definitions to ensure a common understanding of the concepts, data, technical developments, and workforce opportunities as the bioeconomy grows both domestically and internationally.”

They continue by explaining the creation of the lexicon: “This initial lexicon was developed by NIST in consultation with an interagency working group consisting of several U.S. government departments and agencies as directed in the Executive Order noted above, and reflects consideration of relevant domestic and international definitions as well as those from private sector stakeholders. The lexicon harmonizes a base set of terms and definitions with the goal of helping to enable the development of measurements and measurement methods for the bioeconomy that support uses such as economic measurement, risk assessments, and the application of machine learning and other artificial intelligence tools. This lexicon is intended to be a living document, and NIST intends to periodically engage with government and private sector stakeholders to inform future updates to the lexicon terms and definitions as appropriate.”

“Assessing the Trajectory of Biological Research and Development in the Russian Federation”

In this piece for Joint Forces Quarterly, Dr. Gigi Kwik Gronvall and Aurelia Attal-Juncqua offer an overview of the Soviet and Russian biological weapons programs and insight into concerns about current Russian research today. Using information from a two-round Delphi study, they discuss their findings related to “Concerns About Management, Biosecurity, and Biosafety of Dual-Use Research of Concern in the Russian Federation” and “Current State of Biotech and Biological R&D in the Russian Federation.” They conclude with a number of observations and recommendations, including insight into how science diplomacy with Russia may be harmed, writing “Historically, science diplomacy has been a useful tool to keep communication lines open when security relations are fraught and has led to positive outcomes for both science and national security. However, Russia’s invasion of the sovereign Ukrainian nation makes any bilateral engagements between the United States and Russia unconscionable at this time. These actions are unlikely to be forgotten or forgiven swiftly, and sanctions are likely to persist for some time. Eventually, at an undetermined point in the future, such engagements will certainly again prove to be important for national security and scientific advancement.”

“The Myth of the “Poor Man’s Atomic Bomb”: Knowledge, Method, and Ideology in the Study of Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Weapons”

Check out Biejan Poor Toulabi’s interesting recent article in the Journal of Global Security Studies. Abstract: “Chemical and biological weapons (CBWs) have often been characterized as a “poor man’s atomic bomb”: a cheap and easy to acquire alternative to nuclear weapons that is particularly appealing to so-called Third World states. This idea is also reflected in Western government and expert estimates that have long exaggerated the spread of CBWs, especially among states in the Global South. In this article, I break down the ways in which the idea that the spread of CBWs is prevalent and that it primarily happens among states in the Global South has come to exist and persist. By dissecting an oft-cited dataset on CBW spread, I unravel frequently occurring methodological flaws—such as conceptual confusion, misinterpretation of sources, and a bias toward proliferation charges originating from the US government—that breed and sustain inflated estimates and faulty allegations. Subsequently, I show that a dominant cognitive framework that centers on the metaphorical use of the terms “proliferation” and “poor man’s atomic bomb” primes analysts and policymakers to interpret the history and future of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons as being characterized by inevitable spread, particularly among the non-Western “Other.” In conclusion, I offer ways to counter the orthodoxies of this ideology in teaching, research, and policy.”

RevCon Reports 16 and 17

CBW Events’ BioWeapons Prevention Project recently released its RevCon Report 16 and RevCon Report 17, concluding their coverage of the recent BWC Review Conference. Report 16 discusses the final day of the conference and offers reflections on RevCon as a whole. Report 17 provides an outline and discussion of the content of the Final Document. Richard Guthrie also includes discussion of what the Final Document lacks, writing “As well as what would normally be part II of the Final Document, noted above, there were a number of other elements missing. Perhaps the most significant is any substance on the processes that will be established for the review of S&T developments and the promotion of international cooperation under Article X. Other aspects which have had broad support ended up being removed in an attempt to reach consensus included creation of an Article VII database, endorsement of the Tianjin Guidelines, and any reference to gender issues.”

“118th Congress: Bioeconomy and Health Security”

In this piece for the Federation of American Scientists,  Michael A. Fisher, Sruthi Katakam and Maeve Skelly discuss opportunities the 118th Congress has to adopt policies that “help drive U.S. biotech and biomanufacturing to grow regional prosperity, deliver on conservation goals, and improve U.S. competitiveness and resilience.” They offer several ideas for improving competitiveness in the bioeconomy, safeguarding the country against biological threats, and several recommendations for appropriations. An especially interesting portion is that which is dedicated to countering global malnutrition to enhance US security, in which they write “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, environmental impacts, and conflicts like the war in Ukraine, global rates of malnutrition are at eight percent and are forecast to become even worse. Providing life-saving treatment around the world serves a core American value of humanitarianism, and a priority for U.S. national security – the newly released National Security Strategy dedicates an entire section to food insecurity.”

“In 2021 legislation, Congress directed USAID to advance programs to prevent and treat malnutrition around the world and develop a Global Nutrition Coordination Plan. That legislation also directed USAID to create the Nutrition Leadership Council, which can help elevate nutrition programs across U.S. global health interventions and foster collaboration with other sectors, development agencies, partner governments, and local actors. These are important steps to create a centralized food security program with harmonized funding – a system to deploy a more effective response to end global malnutrition and improve U.S. national security.”

“Congress should work with the Administration to begin scaling up global malnutrition assistance in FY 2024, in accord with the 2021 legislation.”

“‘Shot In The Arm’ Shows How Disinformation Can Be Deadly”

Dr. Lipi Roy discusses Shot in the Arm, a film that recently premiered at the Palm Spring International Film Festival, in this piece for Forbes. In it, she covers core elements of the film and how it contributes to the broader conversation surrounding vaccine hesitancy and disinformation going on today, consulting experts like Dr. Peter Hotez along the way. She writes in part, “Health-related misinformation can be deadly, and we must actively combat it. Healthcare professionals need to partner with finance, fashion, sports, media and entertainment industries to promote vaccines and science in general. Celebs like Hugh Jackman, Gayle King and Julia Roberts proudly – and publicly – promoted their Covid-19 vaccinations. I also believe that a politicized problem needs a political response: elected officials – guided by health experts – need to create policies to protect the public, as they did with seatbelts, air bags and bike helmets. Lastly, people who actively promote lies about science and medicine need to be held accountable. As a physician, if I lied to patients and withheld lifesaving treatments for their thyroid cancer or lupus, I would lose my medical license. Similar punitive action must be applied to people who actively propagate egregious lies about YOUR health and safety. Shot in the Arm is really the kick in the pants we ALL need to preserve the sanctity of science and protect the most vulnerable among us. Go see this film.”

What We’re Listening To 🎧

PPE Breaches: Understanding the Risks and How to Respond 

“On the podcast episode “NETEC Guidance on Breach of PPE,” five NETEC [National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center] experts in personal protective equipment (PPE) talked about breaches in PPE and the importance of preparing health care workers to assess the risks and safely respond to a breach.”

One Health Approach for Effective Biodefense and Global Health Security

“The National Academy of Engineering’s Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable will convene a webinar on January 24 from 1-2 P.M. ET to discuss the latest National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan. Discussions will focus on the collaborative and transdisciplinary ‘One Health’ approach, per the Plan, for effective biodefense and global health security. Speakers (below) will explore the role of cross-sectoral partnerships as well as innovative approaches to achieve the goals and objectives outlined in the Strategy.” Learn more and register here.

National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) Meeting

The next NSABB meeting will take place virtually on January 27 at 1 pm EST. This meeting will cover “Draft Findings: Ensuring Biosecurity Oversight Frameworks Keep Pace with the Future of Science.” Learn more and register here.

Special Call for Papers-Journal of Science Policy & Governance

The Journal of Science Policy & Governance recently announced a special call for papers “and competition to provide policymakers with a new perspective on how scientific expertise could be useful to the complex brew of 21st foreign policy and national security challenges, resulting in a special issue on Policy and Governance on Science, Technology and Global Security.” The journal invites “students, post-doctoral researchers, policy fellows, early career researchers and young professionals from around the world to submit op-eds, policy position papers and other articles addressing foreign policy and national security challenges. These include concerns about the use of nuclear or radiological weapons driven by the war in the Ukraine, hypersonic weapons, immigration driven by climate change, and emerging threats in cybersecurity and biosecurity.” The deadline for submission is April 30.

Additionally, there will be a science policy writing workshop on January 30 in addition to two webinars on February 20 and March 30 (one on Policy and Governance on Science and Technology and one on Foreign Policy and National Security, respectively) to help prospective authors prepare their submissions. Learn more about these events and register here.

Closing the Knowledge Gaps

“BIO-ISAC, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, will host a one-day event (with remote participation available) on January 24, 2023.”

“This gathering of thought leaders across the industry and its partners will address knowledge gaps about the bioeconomy itself. The event is expected to deliver recommendations that demonstrate the scope and breadth of industry impacts, identify specific safety needs and goals, and carve the path forward for a secure future.” Learn more and register here.

Novel Applications of Science and Technology to Address Emerging Chemical and Biological Threats

For the first time since 2019, this Gordon Research Conference is back, this time in sunny Ventura, CA. “The Chemical and Biological Defense GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.” The conference will be held March 19-24, 2023. Learn more and apply here by February 19.

Call for Participants: Assess Biosafety and Biosecurity Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens of Pandemic Potential

Kathleen Vogel and David Gillum of Arizona State University are conducting a research project to “…understand how dual use research of concern and pathogens of pandemic potential are regulated and how biosafety and biosecurity of this work is implemented, and if there are opportunities to improve the long-term benefits and minimize risks associated with this scientific work.” Their study includes a survey on this topic, which is accepting responses through January 27. Learn more and take the 20-25 minute survey here.

Notice of Funding Opportunity: Evidence-based Approaches to Implementing Biosafety in Diagnostic and Research Laboratories

This opportunity is offered by the Elizabeth R. Griffin Program at Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health Science and Security. Stakeholders can review this funding opportunity and submit applications here. Applications are due February 28.

Wilson Center Launches International Cooperation for Pandemic Preparedness Website

“As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its fourth year, the Wilson Center’s Science and Technology Innovation Program and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center launched a new website today to address the changing paradigms in international health law and the critical need for strengthening global health security for the future.”

“This dynamic website, International Cooperation for Pandemic Preparedness, features renowned international health experts who break down eight critical issues the pandemic exacerbated, revealed, or created. Through video interviews and written analyses, the interactive examines what can happen at the international level when countries and international organizations work together to find needed solutions. In light of heightened demands for a pandemic treaty under the World Health Organization, expert advice on what is achievable at the international level has never been more critical to combating future COVID-19 variants and future pandemics.”

Weekly Trivia Question

You read the Pandora Report every week and now it’s time for you to show off what you know! The first person to send the correct answer to biodefense@gmu.edu will get a shout out in the following issue (first name last initial). For this week, our question is “In 1985, an American extremist group’s compound was raided by more than 300 law enforcement officers from several federal, state, and local agencies following a three-day standoff. Among other items, officers seized about thirty gallons of potassium cyanide the group intended to use to poison water supplies of several cities. What was the name of this group?”

Shout out to Tracy S. for winning last week’s trivia! The correct answer to “In 1980, a Frenchman entered a cave while visiting Mount Elgon National Park, Kenya. A week later he became seriously ill, eventually dying in a Nairobi hospital. Which cave did he enter and what disease killed him?” is Kitum Cave and Marburg virus disease.

Pandora Report 7.8.2016

by spopescu, posted in Pandora Report

We hope you had a lovely Fourth of July holiday and are ready to get your feet wet with the latest news in global health security! Global health advocates are pointing to the impending reality of blurring between national security interests and global health agendas. Researchers in Belgium have discovered E. coli samples from cows and pigs that contain a novel gene, MCR-2, that is colistin-resistant. Colistin-resistant bacteria are particularly concerning as colistin is the antibiotic of last resort. This week has been busy with three major reports on lessons learned from the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

Panel Urges Reform After HHS Ebola Response Failures 
The plain and simple truth of the 2014/2015 West Africa Ebola outbreak is that the U.S. was not prepared to handle it – we struggled internationally and seriously failed domestically. In the wake of this sobering reality, an independent review of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) efforts found serious flaws within their response to the outbreak. You can read the report here, which stresses that the lessons from HHS’s response to Ebola can be applied to future outbreaks, including Zika virus. There were thirteen findings from the panel ranging from “lack of strong leadership and response coordination from WHO hindering HHS and international response efforts” to “HHS did not apply existing pandemic plans and coordination mechanisms during the Ebola response” and “HHS is not configured or funded to respond to a prolonged public health or medical emergency overseas or at home”. Key recommendations focussed on coordination with the National Security Council and federal partners to finalize a government framework for multi-agency response, clarification on strategy for communicating risk-related information to the public, Congress, and other key stakeholders during public health crises, etc. Communication and consistent messaging was definitely a huge issue during this outbreak and just from my experience in healthcare during the outbreak, the dissemination of information was muddy at best and only served to add fuel to an already chaotic fire. “Four thousand HHS personnel were unable to travel to West Africa, the panel said, because of untested regulations outlined in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Additionally, US government workers who wanted to work more than 30 days overseas had to complete a training course before traveling to an outbreak country. The course had only limited availability, making it difficult to deploy staff quickly”. The report is definitely worth the read and includes some great explanations for each finding and excellent timelines throughout the outbreak.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Ebola Response Improvement PlanScreen Shot 2016-07-05 at 6.53.46 PM
Following the aforementioned report and lessons learned, HHS released their Ebola Response Improvement Plan. The plan breaks down priorities and actions into six main categories: global health security and coordination with international partners, incident management and operation coordination, public health and healthcare response, risk communication, medical countermeasures, and response funding. Aside from supporting the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), the improvement plan discusses codifying infectious disease emergency management under the National Response Framework (NRF) via the Biological Incident Annex and better defining roles during such events. I found the healthcare side particularly interesting as plans included the pre-identifiction of healthcare facilities that can be used for quarantine, isolation, and treatment, strengthening waste management interagency concept of operations, refining personal protective equipment (PPE) guidance and developing a mechanism to coordinate the purchase of PPE by federal partners, etc. Regarding risk communication, HHS will “Identify and train a cadre of personnel from across HHS that have public health expertise and a thorough understanding of, and fluency in, health crisis and risk communications to serve as spokespersons during domestic or international public health and medical emergencies. This training can draw upon a body of work developed since the 9/11 terrorist attacks”. Overall, the report addresses several key categories, vulnerabilities, and makes correlations to the independent panel report.

Safeguarding Deadly Pathogens and Poisons and U.S. Progress on Global Health Security Screen Shot 2016-07-05 at 7.07.37 PM
The term “select agents” gets thrown around a lot, but what really does it mean and why is it so important? The CDC recently published two new segments in their “Public Health Matters Blog” that gives the basics on select agents, why work involving them is so important, and how the U.S. is doing in terms of global health security. “While it might be easier to avoid handling deadly pathogens and poisons in the first place, scientists have to work with them in order to better understand how to protect people from their effects. Research leads to discoveries that save lives – for example, when we create vaccines to protect from exposure to smallpox or when we’re able to track mutations of killer diseases like Ebola.” The blog discusses the role of the Federal Select Agent Program and lab safety, specifically the response practices in the event of a “whoops” moment. They also reference the findings from the recently published 2015 Annual Report of the Federal Select Agent Program and the continuous commitment to both safety and increased transparency. While this may seem like the tourist’s brochure to select agents and concerns over lab safety, it’s a nice strategy to better educate the public on the work surrounding these agents and the safety mechanisms in place. They also have a pretty fantastic infographic accompanying the post. The next Public Health Matters blog talks about how the U.S. is handling global health security. Centering around a photo that includes colleagues from the HHS and USDA, the blog discusses the Joint External Evaluation Team. The team, which is part of GHSA, works to assess how well the U.S. is prepared to prevent, detect, and respond to major public health threats. The best part about this team is that its work is independent and unbiased. The group spent five days in May assessing federal response capabilities, the CDC’s work and technical practices, etc. Aside from finding excellent reporting mechanisms within the CDC and other federal agencies, they also found that we could improve in a few areas: “communicating risks quickly and consistently with communities across the country, combining and utilizing data from multiple surveillance systems, including systems that monitor human, animal, environmental, and plant heart, and conducting triage and long-term medical follow-up during major radiological disasters”.

Drug Resistant Bacteria in Rio Waters
Jaws made you wonder if it was safe to go back into the water, but multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO’s) are the growing threat for aquatic events at the approaching Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Researcher Renata Picao believes that the resistant bacteria made their way into the waters from sewage that local hospitals have been dumping. The research team tested water samples from 2013 to 2014 for MDRO’s and found carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE. Sadly, the team doesn’t believe these levels have changed and with reports of athlete infections and irritations due to water contact, that’s likely an accurate prognosis. CRE is easily one of the nastiest MDRO’s and is extremely difficult to treat, with a report citing 50% mortality rates. The concerns over Zika and drug-resistant organisms are just two in a laundry list of trouble that has followed Brazil’s Olympic bid – athlete mugging, financial issues, and unfinished buildings. While the acting governor of Rio has expressed concerns, he says that the city will be ready for the games, but also encouraged visitors to moderate their expectations. While some athletes have quit the games due to concerns over Zika, it’s interesting that the concern for drug resistant organisms in the water haven’t raised the same fears.

Is the Biological Weapons Convention Falling Behind?
While the Eighth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) won’t be until November, the Preparatory Committee for the Review Conference is next month. One can only imagine the scientific and technological advancements since the BWC was initiated in 1972. Despite some countries struggling to develop effective national biosecurity programs, the growing capabilities of CRISPR and other biotech breakthroughs have moved full-steam ahead. Many are pointing to the U.S. challenges to merely agree on an oversight system for gain of function research. “The discussions of science at the experts’ meetings should be split off into a separate dedicated parallel track. This is the best way to create the necessary time. Even then, it will be impractical to cover all relevant ground across the sciences, so each year a specific topic — CRISPR editing, say — should be considered. Researchers and scientific bodies should present the facts, and then discuss the implications with government officials at the experts’ meeting.” Between dual-use technologies of concern and CRISPR-Cas9, the BWC must adapt to the rapid pace of the biotech industry and the growth of biosecurity developments.

What Direction is the Zika Storm Blowing?
The ECDC has released their sixth Zika update, which discusses several uncertainties that prove difficult when developing response options. Some of these uncertainties include: “all the currently reported sexual transmission events are linked to symptomatic index cases. There is no evidence of transmission by asymptomatic sexual partners” and “there is growing evidence that Zika virus infection during the first and second trimester is associated with increased risk for central nervous system malformation of the foetus. The risk associated with infection during the third trimester is unknown. Therefore, Zika virus infection should be considered as a risk throughout the entire duration of pregnancy.” Fort Benning is trapping and freezing mosquitoes in effort to help the military combat the virus and quickly identify any positive Aedes mosquitos. National Institute of Health supported researchers will be monitoring Zika virus exposure in a group of U.S. athletes, coaches, and Olympic Committee staff attending the games in Brazil. A recent news poll found that most Americans aren’t worried about Zika, in fact they were more worried about Ebola than they currently are about Zika. When asked what they’re doing to limit exposure to Zika, 67% of respondents said they’re waiting to see if it is necessary. The CDC has reported 1,133 cases of Zika virus in the U.S. as of July 6th, 2016. You can also find the full transcript of President Obama’s remarks on Zika on July 1st, following an update from his public health team.

Zika Funding – The Disease Slush Fund
GMU Biodefense MS student Greg Mercer talks about the funding issues related to Zika virus in this week’s commentary. Greg’s overview of the funding struggles reveals a deeper issue when it comes to public health funding and emergency outbreaks. While the U.S. likes to paint itself as a global force for epidemic response, the truth is that we’ve struggled to combat government dysfunction and partisanship. “Government agencies might be funded by the fiscal year, but there’s no telling what the CDC, NIH, and others will have to fight next, not how big that fight will be.”

National Biosafety Systems – Case Studies 
Researchers from the UPMC Center for Health Security released their report on case studies to analyze current biosafety approaches and regulations for Brazil, China, India, Israel, Pakistan, Kenya, Russia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. “In previous research, we found that there is a lack of international norms governing biosafety precautions for dangerous or especially contagious; by describing a variety of biosafety governance approaches in these nations, we hoped to find areas of commonality which could be further developed into international norms.” Five trends were identified during comparison of the ten nations – biosafety regulation exists in all ten nations, information availability was extremely variable, making comparisons difficult, the incentives behind biosafety regulation are varied, ranging from agricultural development to infectious disease control to biotechnology investments, advanced or synthetic biology is not consistently addressed by national-level biosafety policy, and funding information for biosafety was generally available. Aside from evaluating each nation, the case studies will aid in future evaluations by establishing nation-level biosafety norms.

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Pandora Report 3.28.15

by juliadhomstad, posted in Pandora Report

This week we’re covering a new treatment for inhalation anthrax, Russian nuclear threats, chlorine accelerating antibiotic resistance and other stories you may have missed.

Have a great week and see you back here next weekend!

FDA Approves Emergent BioSolutions’ Inhaled Anthrax Treatment

Considered one of the most likely agents to be used in biological warfare, Anthrax now has a new enemy—Anthrasil. This treatment, developed by Emergent BioSolutions Inc., neutralizes toxins of Bacillus anthracis and requires only two doses to confer immunity, versus the three of BioThrax (the current treatment for inhaled anthrax).

Reuters—“The company developed the treatment, Anthrasil, as part of a $160 million contract it signed in 2005 with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a part of the HHS. Anthrasil, which is approved in combination with other antibacterials, is already being stored in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile, the company said on Wednesday. The drug is made using plasma from healthy, screened donors who have been immunized with Emergent Bio’s Anthrax vaccine, BioThrax, the only FDA-licensed vaccine for the disease. Anthrasil has an orphan drug designation and qualifies for seven years of market exclusivity.”

Russia Threatens to Aim Nuclear Missiles at Denmark Ships if it Joins NATO Shield

Denmark has said that in August it will contribute radar capacity on some of its warships to NATO’s missile defense system. Russia has now threatened to aim nuclear missiles at Danish warships if Copenhagen goes through with its actions. Moscow opposes the system arguing that it reduces the effectiveness of the Russian nuclear arsenal and could lead to a new Cold War-style arms race.

The World Post—“‘We have made clear that NATO’s ballistic missile defense is not directed at Russia or any country, but is meant to defend against missile threats. This decision was taken a long time ago, so we are surprised at the timing, tone and content of the statements made by Russia’s ambassador to Denmark,” [NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu] said. “Such statements do not inspire confidence or contribute to predictability, peace or stability.’”

Chlorine Treatment Can Accelerate Antibiotic Resistance, Study Says

Research presented at the American Chemical Society meeting last week shows that chlorine treatment of wastewater may actually encourage the formation of new antibiotics—rather than eliminating the drug residues. While scientists are looking for new antibiotics, this isn’t good news. ACS says that upon re-entering the environment, the new drugs—in theory—can promote the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria. In a test, doxycycline was exposed to chlorine; the results are described below.

Gizmodo—“The study evaluated the changes in the antibacterial activity of the products that form in the reaction between doxycycline and chlorine using antibiotic resistance assays. The results showed that some of the transformation products have antibiotic properties. The products of chlorination were also examined…and several chlorinated products were detected. These transformation products may still select for antibiotic resistant micro-organisms in the environment even in the absence of the parent doxycycline molecule. This suggests that re-evaluation of wastewater disinfection practices may be needed.”

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Image Credit: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration