Archives - The Program on Science and Global Security

Past Biosecurity Seminars

Spring 2012 Seminars

Sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation.

Friday, April 20, 2012 - "Addressing Biosecurity: Roles and Responsibilities of the Research and Security Communities" Ed You, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, Biological Countermeasures Unit

Friday, May 4, 2012 - “Biology is Technology: Garage Biology, Microbrewing, and the Economic Drivers of Distributed Biological Production” Robert Carlson, Principal at Biodesic, an engineering, consulting, and design firm in Seattle. link to view video of 5/4/2012 seminar

Friday, May 11, 2012 - "The Health Consequences of the 'War on Terror': An Agenda for the Future" Victor Sidel, MD, MPH, Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Weill Cornell Medical College. link to view video of 5/11/2012 seminar

Fall 2011 Seminars

Sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation.

Friday, November 4, 2011 - The BWC: The Next Generation
Dr. Piers D. Millett, Deputy Head of the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) housed in the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Millett will be speaking about the BWC, its recent work, preparations for the forthcoming review conference in December 2011, and likely outcomes. link to view video of 11/4/2011 seminar

Spring 2011 Seminars

Sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011 - "The Convergence of Biology and Chemistry: Arms Control Implications". Dr. Jonathan B. Tucker is a former Senior Fellow, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

Friday, February 25, 2011 - "Alternative Approaches to the Biological Weapons Convention, The Comfort With No Protocol". Kay Mereish, PhD, Deputy Director NCMI, Department of Homeland Security

Friday, April 8, 2011 - "Globalizing Biosecurity: The Virtual Biosecurity Center." Nishal Mohan, PhD, Executive Director of the Virtual Biosecurity Center at the Federation of American Scientists. Dr. Mohan joined the Federation of American Scientists in December 2008. Prior to FAS, he was a graduate student in molecular biology at Princeton University. link to view 4/8/2011 video

Friday, May 13, 2011 - "Review of the National Academies' Investigation of the FBI's Investigation of the 2001 Anthrax Letter Attacks". Nancy Connell, PhD is Professor and Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), New Jersey Medical School. link to view 5/13/2011 video

Fall 2010 Seminars

Sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation.

October 22, 2010 - "Global Vaccine Industry: Risks and Opportunities" Dr. Adel Mahmoud, former president of Merck Vaccines and expert on disease control in the developing world. Dr. Mahmound has a joint appointment in Princeton University's Department of molecular biology and in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs link to view videotape of 10/22/2010 seminar

November 19, 2010 - "Health-Security Relationships in the 21st Century" David Franz, DVM, PhD, Associate Director at the Midwest Research Institute and a world leader in agricultural biosecurity and biodefense. link to view videotape of 11/19/10 seminar

December 3, 2010 - “How the 7^th Review Conference of the 2011 BWC Can Improve Life Scientists’ Understanding of Biosecurity and the Dual Use Dilemma” Malcolm Dando, PhD, Professor of International Security at the Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK link to view videotape of 12/3/10 seminar

December 10, 2010 - “UN Activities in Support of Global Actions Related to Biosecurity” Dr. Gabriele Kraatz-Wadsack, Chief, Weapons of Mass Destruction Branch, Office for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations

December 17, 2010 - “The National Strategy for Countering Biological Threats” Kristine Beardsley, Director of Biological Counterterrorism and Domestic Security Policy, National Security Staff, Executive Office of the President

Spring 2009 Seminars

Sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation.

February 20, 2009 - "FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations: Preventing Counterfeit Drugs and Corporate Espionage" George Hughes, Senior Advisor, Counterterrorism and Intelligence, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations link to view videotape of 2/20/09 seminar

March 6, 2009 - "Biosafety, Biosecurity and Biocontainment -- the Rocky Road Ahead" Margaret Race, Principal Investigator, Planetary Protection and Risk Communication, SETI Institute link to view videotape of 3/6/09 seminar

March 13, 2009 - "Bioterrorism, Counterterrorism, Science and Foreign Policy: Challenges at the Intersection with National Security" Marc Ostfield, Former Senior Advisor - Bioterrorism, Biodefense, and Health Security, U.S. Department of State, Office of International Health and Biodefense link to view videotape of 3/13/09 seminar

March 27, 2009 - "Smallpox Eradication: What it Taught Us or Did It?" D. A. Henderson, Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Resident Scholar at the Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Former dean of Johns Hopkins School of Public Health 1966-1977 link to view videotape of 3/27/09 seminar

April 3, 2009 - "The Saga of Anthrax" Victor W. Sidel, Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, Adjust Professor of Public Health at Weill Medical College, Cornell University. Former President of the American Public Health Association, and cofounder and past President, Physicians for Social REsponsibility and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War link to view videotape of 4/03/09 seminar

April 17, 2009 - "Supporting Biosecurity in Countries of the Former Soviet Union" Maureen Ellis, Senior Biosecurity Advisor, Global Partnership Program IGX. Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canada.

May 1, 2009 - "Zoonotic Disease: Minimizing Risk in a Global Society" Kristine Smith, DVM, Assistant Director for Field Programs, Global Health Programs, Wildlife Conservation Society link to view videotape of 5/1/09 seminar

May 8, 2009 - "Building International Consensus on Biosecurity - The Experience of the OECD" Michael Oborne, PhD, Director, Multidisciplinary Issues, OECD International Futures Programme link to view videotape of 5/8/09 seminar

Fall 2008 Seminars

Sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation.

September 26, 2008 - "Advancing Global Biological Threat Reduction" Kendra Chittenden

October 3, 2008 - "Linking Global Surveillance for Human and Animal Diseases: Progress and Pitfalls" Peter M. Rabinowicz, MD, MPH link to view 10/3 video

October 10, 2008 - "From Here to Biosecurity" R. H. Sprinkle

November 21, 2008 - "Extensivley Drug Resistant Tuberculosis: A Global Health and Security Crisis Being Addressed via Lilly Public/Private Partnerships" Gail Cassell

December 5, 2008 - "Crime in a Wheat Field: Forensic Plant Pathology, A New Discipline to Meet National Needs" Jacque Fletcher link to view video of 12/5

December 12, 2008 - "The Risks of Safety" Edward Tenner link to view video of 12/12

Spring 2008 Seminars

Sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation.

January 15, 2008 - "DNA for Peace: Balancing Biosciences for Development and for Security"
Peter Singer, Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto; Co-Director/Senior Scientist, McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health

February 20, 2008 - "International Health Regulations" Rebecca Katz

March 14, 2008 - "Countering Biological Risks" Terence Taylor

March 28, 2008 - "To Keep a Genie in its Bottle? The Risks and Regulation of Synthetic Genomics in the US" Damon Terill

April 18, 2008 - "Between Terrorism and Indifference: Charting the Future of Biodefense Policy"
Jeanne Guillemin

April 22, 2008 - "The Global Health Initiative for Biosecurity of the World Health Organization and How to Develop and Strengthen Ethics Programs for Scientists" Peter Folb, Chief Specialist Scientist and Director of South African Medical Research (MRC); Chairman of World Health Organization (WHO) Committee in Vaccine Safety; Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Policy Research, and Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa

Fall 2007 Seminars

Sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation.

November 27, 2007 - "Plague in a Virtual World: What Real World Biosecurity Can Learn from Warlock Night Elves" Nina Fefferman, PhD, Assistant Research Professor at The Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science

December 11, 2007 - "Biotechnology Nonproliferation: US Export Regulations and International Collaboration" Beth Scott, Director, Chemical and Biological Controls Division, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) at the Department of Commerce

December 18, 2007 - "Global Biosecurity: Challenges and Opportunities, Options for Reducing Natural and Intentional Biological Risks" David Franz, DVM, PhD, Former commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases; Vice President and Chief Biological Scientist, Midwest Research Institute

Spring 2007 Seminars

Sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation.

February 9, 2007 - "Governance for Biological Threat Reduction: A Comprehensive, Interdisciplinary, International Approach" Dr. Gerald L. Epstein, Senior Fellow for Science and Security, Homeland Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Dr. David Heyman, Director and Senior Fellow, Homeland Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies

February 16, 2007 - "The New Arms Race: Making the Case for an International Compact for Infectious Diseases" Dr. Harvey Rubin. He is the founder and Director of the Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis and Response, and has multiple appointments in the Department of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania

March 9, 2007- "Synthetic Biology and Biological Security" Dr. Drew Endy, Assistant Professor, Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

March 30, 2007 - "The Biological Weapons Threat and Nonproliferation Options: A Survey of Senior U.S. Decision Makers and Policy Shapers" Dr. Amy Smithson, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC

April 13, 2007 - "Emerging Exotic Diseases of Food Producing Animals: Global Implications"

Dr. James A. Roth, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine and the Director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University link to view videotape of 4/13/07 seminar

April 27, 2007 - "Defense Against Infectious Diseases and Biological Threats" Dr. Ken Alibek, Distinguished Professor at George Mason University; President and Chief Scientist of Advanced Biosystems. Formerly Dr. Alibek was First Deputy Director of Biopreparat in the former Soviet Union. He is the author of “Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World—Told from the Inside by the Man Who Ran It.”

May 4, 2007 - "The Weapon Potential of a Microbe and the Select Agents Act "

Dr. Arturo Casadevall, Selma and Jacques Mitrani Professor in Biomedical Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York and Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Montefiore Medical Center link to view videotape of 5/4/07 seminar

May 11, 2007 - "Terror Medicine" Leonard A. Cole. He is an adjunct professor of political science at Rutgers University, in Newark, New Jersey. He is an expert on bioterrorism and is the author of six books including “The Anthrax Letters: A Medical Detective Story

May 18, 2007 - "Dual-Use Biotechnology Threats in a Post 9/11 World: Synthetic Genomics and Bioterrorism" Dr. Kathleen Vogel, Assistant Professor of Peace Studies/Science and Technology Studies, Cornell University

Fall 2006 Seminars

Helping the Life Sciences Community Contribute to Biodefense Policy Development.

A Carnegie Corporation sponsored research project built around a workshop and seminar series.

October 6, 2006 - "BSL4 Research in the 21st Century" Dr. Stanley Lemon, John Sealy Distinguished University Chair and Director of the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas, Medical Branch

October 13, 2006 - "Assessing the Biological Weapons and Bioterrorism Threat" Dr. Litenberg, Senior Research Scholar onArms Control and Biological Weapons School of Public Policy, University of Maryland

October 20, 2006 - "The Debate Over the Role of the Biological Weapons Convention in Today's Biodefense Equation" Ambassador Donald A. Mahley, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Threat Reduction, Export Controls and Negotiations, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, U.S. Depart of State

October 27, 2006 - "Integration of Former Soviet Biowarfare into the International Research into the International Community: Success or Failure?" Jens Kuhn, Research Scholar, Division of Tumor Virology, New Engliand Primate Research Center, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School

December 1, 2006 - "The Dual-Use Research Issue" Dennis Kasper, Director, Channing Laboratory, William Ellery Channing Professor of Medicine, Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School

December 8, 2006 - "Pathogen Surveillance and Discovery" Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, Jerome L. and Dawn Greene Professor of Epidemiology; Director of the Infectious Disease Laboratory, Mailman School of Public Health; Scientific Director, Northeast Biodefense Center; and Professor of Neurology and Pathology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University

December 15, 2006 - Bio Lecture David Bernstein

Spring 2006 Seminars

Helping the Life Sciences Community Contribute to Biodefense Policy Development

A Carnegie Corporation sponsored research project built around a workshop and seminar series.

February 10, 2006 - "Preventing Bio-Violence: The Need for International Legal Action"

Dr. Barry Kellman, Professor of International Law; Director, International Weapons Control Center, DePaul University College of Law

February 24, 2006 - "Assessing Synthetic Genomics: Applications, Risks and Governance"

Dr. Gerald Epstein, Senior Fellow for Science and Security, Homeland Security Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies

March 10, 2006 - "Biodefense Research: NIH Role, NIH Management, Oversight of Safety, Oversight of Security and Oversight of Dual-Use Implications" Dr. Richard Ebright, Professor of Chemistry, Rutgers University; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Laboratory Director, Waksman Institute of Microbiology link to view videotape of 3/10/06 seminar

March 17, 2006 - "Codes of Ethics and Whistleblowers in Biodefense Research" Dr. Nancy Connell, Professor and Vice-Chair for Research, Department of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

March 24, 2006 - "The Life Sciences, Biosecurity and Dual-Use Research" Dr. Malcolm Dando, University of Bradford, UK and Brian Rappert, University of Exeter

March 31, 2006 - "Incapacitating Biochemical Weapons" Dr. Alan Pearson, Global Security Science and Technology Fellow, Department of Homeland Security

April 21, 2006 - "Managing the Dual-Use Dilemma: Lessons From The International Oversight of Smallpox Virus Research" Dr. Jonathan Tucker, Senior Fellow, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies

April 28, 2006 - "Proposed International Regimes for Regulating Biotechnology Research" Dr. Christopher Chyba, Professor of Astrophysical Sciences and International Policy, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University

May 12, 2006 - "Science, Policy and National Security: Addressing the Threat of Bioterrorism" Dr. Scott Steele, Senior Policy Specialist, Counterterrorism Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation

May 2, 2006 - "Terrorist Speech and the Future of Free Expression" Dr. Laura Donohue, Fellow, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University

Fall 2005 Workshop

Helping the Life Sciences Community Contribute to Biodefense Policy Development

A Carnegie Corp. funded research project built around a workshop and seminar series.

December 2, 2005 - Bioscience Oversight: Where are We and Where Should We Go? Speakers:

Mary Groesch, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health. The Challenge of Enhancing Biosecurity in the Life Sciences. Michael Imperiale, Chair, University of Michigan Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). Biosecurity and the IBC. Elisa D. Harris, Director, Controlling Dangerous Pathogens Project, University of Maryland. Protective Oversight of Dual-Use Research. Edward Hammond, Director, Sunshine Project. The Sunshine Project. The Sunshine Project Survey of Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBC's) Panelists: Nancy Connell, Chair, UMDNJ Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC); Lynn Enquist, Chair, Princeton University IBC; and Mathew Finucane, Director, Environmental Health and Radiation Safety, University of Pennsylvania

Spring 2004 Seminars

February 13, 2004 - Strengthening the BWC: Lessons Learned from the Failed Attempt to Agree on a Verification Protocol: Where Next? Chair: Frank von Hippel, Professor of Public and International Affairs and Co-Director, Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University Speakers: Jonathan B. Tucker, Senior Researcher, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies. "The Biological Weapons Convention: Current Status and Next Steps". Michael Moodie, President, Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute, Washington, DC. "Lessons Learned, Where Next?"

February 27, 2004 - Development of New Pathogens Should not be Part of a Biodefense Program

Chair: Lee Silver, Professor of Molecular Biology and Public Affairs, Princeton University Speakers:

Guy B. Roberts, Principal Director, Negotiations Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense. Eileen Choffnes, Senior Program Officer, Office of Policy and Global Affairs, NAS

March 26, 2004 - Technical, Economic and Legal Obstacles to the Development of Vaccines and Other Therapeutics for Potential Bioterrorism Agents Chair: Leon Rosenberg, Professor of Molecular Biology and Public Affairs, Princeton University Speaker: Adel Mahmoud, President, Merck Vaccines, Merck and Company, Inc. "Technical, Economics and Legal Obstacles to the Development of Faccines and other Therapeutics for Potential Bioterrorism Agents" link to view 03/26/04 video - Adel Mahmoud

April 23, 2004 - Response of the Life-sciences Community to the Biodefense Challenge Chair: Tom Shenk, Chair, Dept. of Molecular Biology, Princeton University and President, ASM

Speaker: Ron Atlas, President emeritus, ASM and Professor of Biology, University of Louisville. "Response of the Life-Sciences Community to the Biodefense Challenge"

May 21, 2004 - The Policy Agenda: Responses to the Seminar Series Laura Kahn, MD and Research Staff, Program on Science and Global Security, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University. "Biodefense Research -- Secrecey, Safety and Risk". Lynn Enquist and Tom Shenk, Dept. of Molecular Biology, Princeton University. Susan Wright, Research Scientist, History of Science and Science Policy, University of Michigan. "Contradictions of Biodefense and Counterbioterrorism". Jonathan B. Tucker, Senior Fellow, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies. "Biodefense: How much Transparency is Enough?". Frank von Hippel, Professor of Public and Internation Affairs and Co-Director, Program on Science and Global Security, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University. "Must we have a BW Arms Race with Ourselves?"

Fall 2003 Workshop

The Biodefense Challenge: How Should the Life-Science Research Community Respond?

A Carnegie Corporation sponsored research project built around a workshop and seminar series.

Opening Workshop: The Federal Biodefense R&D Agenda

Sept. 7, 2003 Speaker: Lawrence Altman, medical correspondent, New York Times, “What Have We Learned From SARS?”

Sept. 8, 2003 Moderator: Tom Shenk, Chair, Dept. of Molecular Biology, Princeton University and President, ASM. Speakers: Mary Lerchen, Acting Director, Office of Extramural Research, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "NCID/CDC Biodefense Research: Priorities and Funding Opportunities". Deborah Katz, Deputy Director, Office of Biodefense Research Applications, National Institutes of Health. "NIAID Biodefense Research Agenda". John Skvorak, Director, Chemical & Biological Defense Program, Department of Defense. "Medical Biological Defense Research Program"

Fall 2003 Seminars

The Biodefense Challenge: How Should the Life-Science Research Community Respond?

A Carnegie Corporation sponsored research project built around a workshop and seminar series.

Oct. 10, 2003 - "The U.S. Government’s Response to Bioterrorism: Implications for the Life-sciences" Chair: Lynn Enquist, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University.

Speaker: David Franz, Vice President, Chemical and Biological Defense Division, Southern Research Institute link to view 10/10/02 video

October 24, 2003 - Secrecy and Transparency in Research and Publication in the Biological Sciences Chair: Frank von Hippel, Professor of Public and International Affairs and Co-Director, Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University. Speakers: John Steinbruner, Director, Controlling Dangerous Pathogens Project, Center for International and Security Studies, University of Maryland. "The Protective Management of Biotechnology". Lynn Enquist, Editor, Journal of Virology, and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University. "Impact of US Biodefense Policies on Virology: A Virology Journal Editor's Perspective"

November 21, 2003 - "Defense Against Biological Weapons: Can Immunization and Secondary Prevention Succeed?" Chair: Laura Kahn, MD, Research Scientist, Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University. Speaker: Victor Sidel, Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

December 5, 2003 - "The Role for International Transparency in Biodefense R&D" Chair: Jonathan B. Tucker, Senior Researcher, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies. Speaker: Mark Wheelis, Professor of Microbiology, University of California Davis.