Recent News

By Region: North America

Biosecurity group to review new avian flu data

(Nature.com) Anthony Fauci, director the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) made the announcement in an early-morning panel discussion of the H5N1 papers at the American Society for Microbiology Biodefense and Emerging Diseases …

March 1, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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US Biosecurity Board to Reconsider Revised H5N1 Flu Papers

(Science Now) The US government will ask a government biosecurity advisory board to conduct a new review of revised versions of two controversial H5N1 flu research manuscripts. The review could open the way …

March 1, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, Biological Weapons, and Biotechnology
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How Do You Stop a Synthetic-Biology Disaster?

(Synthetic Biology Project) WASHINGTON – Experts say at least $20 million to $30 million in government research is needed over the next decade to adequately identify and address the possible ecological risks of synthetic biology, an emerging area of research focused on the design and construction of new biological parts and systems, or modification of Read More »

March 1, 2012
| Filed under North America, Biotechnology, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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Op-Ed – Balancing Research Capability, Oversight, and Communication Post the H5N1 Controversy

Applied Biosafety, the journal of the American Biological Safety Association has provided the following pre-publication release of an editorial addressing the H5N1 publication controversy, with recommendations for strengthening biosafety and biosecurity at the institutional level. It will be published in print in Applied Biosafety, in Volume 17.1 March 31, 2012. Over the past months, numerous Read More »

February 29, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, Biosafety, International, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
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Boston Lab Poses “Extremely Low” Public Health Risk, New Study Finds

(Global Security Newswire) A U.S. government study released on Friday found that a state-of-the-art biodefense laboratory built in Boston would for the most part pose an “extremely low” public health danger if it is authorized to conduct research with some of the world’s most dangerous disease agents, Nature reported. The National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratories Read More »