Virtual Biosecurity Center | Your online source for biosecurity news, events, reports and other information.

Op-Ed – Dual-Use Research: Is it possible to protect the public without encroaching rights?

T. Tosin Fadeyi, Master’s Candidate, Biotechnology (Biodefense and Biosecurity Concentration), University of Maryland University College For decades, scientists have had reasonable freedom and control over their research and experiments and able to publish and share their work without much inconvenience. The freedom of creativity in the field of science is much like that of an artist – often fueled by an inspiration from other sources, a passion for a unique realm of art (in this case, science), and a natural curiosity. Within reasonable limits, artists and scientists had the world at their fingertips; as long as they weren’t causing a societal disruption Read More »
- May 18, 2015 |
- Filed Under Biosafety, Biotechnology, International, Policy & Initiatives, Research
Book Review: Bioinsecurity and Vulnerability

Reviewed by T. Tosin Fadeyi Edited by Nancy N. Chen and Lesley A. Sharp Contributors: Steven C. Caton, Nancy N. Chen, Joseph Masco, Monir Moniruzzaman, Carolyn Rouse, Lesley A. Sharp, Glenn Davis Stone, Ida Susser, David Vine, and Michael J. Watts. Bioinsecurity and Vulnerability is an intuitive compilation of writings that explore the hysteria surrounding preparation for a silent threat: biological terror. The essays in this book illustrate the reality of biological preparedness in the 21st century by bringing together previously unacquainted realms like genetic engineering, the military, and accidental disasters around the world. Bioinsecurity features relevant photography to illustrate and enhance the contributors’ discussions. Rather Read More »
- April 30, 2015 |
- Filed Under Biosafety, Bioterrorism, International, Policy & Initiatives
Op-Ed – Microbial Forensic Attribution: Where Science Meets International Relations

Christopher A. Bidwell, JD, Senior Fellow for Nonproliferation Law and Policy, Federation of American Scientists & Mark Jansson, Program Manager, CRDF Global. The U.S. government is making significant investments in bio forensics as a tool for attribution. In order for that investment to pay-off, it must be combined with investments in international collaborations so that the science behind any future attribution claims that may be made are accepted as fact, both in scientific and political terms. To better understand how evidence derived from microbial forensics will be received in international contexts among people with different cultural, professional, and political backgrounds, the Federation of American Read More »
- July 17, 2014 |
- Filed Under Agents & Toxins, Biocrimes, Biological Weapons, Biosafety, Bioterrorism, Countermeasures, International, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health
Op-Ed – Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Developing Initial International Research Priorities

Committee on Science Needs Microbial Forensics: Developing an Initial International Roadmap, Board on Life Sciences, Division of Earth and Life Sciences, National Research Council of the National Academies. Today we find ourselves with a complex infrastructure of government agencies, Select Agent registries, regulated research, environmental monitoring in designated cities, federal and state regulations—all resulting from one more or less successful biological attack on the United States. The Amerithrax attack with highly refined material produced by a knowledgeable expert (presumably in a U.S. bioweapons laboratory) resulted in 22 illnesses and 5 deaths. Approximately 4 g of material were used in the Amerithrax attack. Read More »
- July 17, 2014 |
- Filed Under Agents & Toxins, Agriculture, Biocrimes, Biological Weapons, Biosafety, Biotechnology, Bioterrorism, Countermeasures, International, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, Research
Vaccinations have prevented at least 103 million cases of contagious disease since 1924

(TheVerge) Vaccinations have been credited with some of humanity’s greatest health technological triumphs over disease, including drastically reducing polio around the globe and almost eliminating smallpox entirely. But how many people have been spared life-threatening infections thanks to the introduction of vaccines? At least 103.1 million children in the US alone since 1924, according to a new analysis of historical infection rate data going back to 1888.
- December 2, 2013 |
- Filed Under Policy & Initiatives, Public Health

Browse by region

Browse By Category

Obama Cautions Syria on WMD Usage

Any attempt by the Syrian government to employ or strategically field biological or chemical weapons would cross a "red line" that could lead the United States to change its posture on dealing with the Assad regime's attempt to remain in power, Reuters quoted President Obama as saying on Monday. "A red Read More »

August 20, 2012
| Filed under Research
Share

Retailers Respond to Cantaloupe Salmonella Outbreak

(Food Safety News) Grocery retailers such as Wal Mart, Kroger and Valu Market are reassuring customers that none of the cantaloupes in their stores are those affected by the ongoing Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes grown at an unnamed farm in southwestern Indiana that have killed 2 people and sickened at Read More »

August 20, 2012
| Filed under North America, Agriculture, and Public Health
Share

New book tells story of 10-year-old malaria project

(EurekAlert) Few infectious diseases can rival malaria’s ability to kill and cripple. Each year the disease causes hundreds of millions of people to be sickened and more than a million — mostly African children under the age of five — die. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the announcement of Read More »

August 20, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Europe, North America, Agents & Toxins, Biosafety, and International
Share

Ebola outbreak kills one, infects three in DR Congo

(AlertNet) An outbreak of Ebola has killed one person and is believed to have infected three others over the last week in northeastern Congo, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said on Friday. The outbreak is in Isiro, a busy town in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Oriental province, which shares a border Read More »

August 20, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, South Asia, Agents & Toxins, International, and Public Health
Share

El Salvador: Dengue Fever: National Emergency Declared – Eurasia Review

El Salvador: Dengue Fever: National Emergency DeclaredEurasia ReviewSince the beginning of the year El Salvador has registered over 18,000 suspected cases of tropical dengue fever, with 4,800 confirmed, 2,300 hospitalizations and two deaths from the hemorrhagic type that can be fatal. The increasing number of cases …

August 20, 2012
| Filed under Research
Share

« First «...10 20 30...395 396397398 399...410 420 430...»Last »

Upcoming Events More »
There are no upcoming events at this time.
Global Forum on BIORISK

SIGN IN | REGISTER
Recent Blog Posts More »
- Op-Ed – Dual-Use Research: Is it possible to protect the public without encroaching rights?
  
  T. Tosin Fadeyi, Master’s Candidate, Biotechnology (Biodefense and Biosecurity Concentration), University of Maryland Read More »
- Book Review: Bioinsecurity and Vulnerability
  
  Reviewed by T. Tosin Fadeyi Edited by Nancy N. Chen and Lesley A. Read More »
- Op-Ed – Microbial Forensic Attribution: Where Science Meets International Relations
  
  Christopher A. Bidwell, JD, Senior Fellow for Nonproliferation Law and Policy, Federation of American Read More »
- Op-Ed – Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Developing Initial International Research Priorities
  
  Committee on Science Needs Microbial Forensics: Developing an Initial International Roadmap, Board on Read More »
- Op-Ed – A Necessary Biopreparedness Priority: Strengthening the Medical Countermeasures Enterprise
  
  Christina England, Master’s Candidate, Security Policy, University of Maryland School of Public Policy; Read More »

BAA – Medical Countermeasures for Priority Pathogens

(Global Biodefense) The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has released Read More »
New Antibody Weapons Against Marburg Virus

(Global Biodefense) A new study led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute identifies Read More »
FDA Accepts BLA for Inhalational Anthrax Countermeasure

(Global Biodefense) Anthim (obiltoxaximab) is for the treatment and prevention of inhalational anthrax, Read More »
South Korea MERS death toll rises to 20

(CNN) The World Health Organization said Tuesday that the number of new cases Read More »
What you should know about MERS, the mystery disease that has South Korea on edge

(Washington Post) The spread of MERS, which has infected 126 people since the outbreak began last Read More »