Bacteria Francisella tularensis, a potential biothreat agent. Picture by Shutterstock/ Kateryna Kon
Over the summer, I met with Dr. Tomoya Saito in Tokyo to learn about outbreak and bioterror preparedness in Japan.
This is Part II of my conversation in which we discuss the risks of dual-use technologies for biosecurity. Part I focused on the structure of the Japanese preparedness system and was posted in March. Continue Reading
Dr. Tomoya Saito
Last summer, I met with Dr. Tomoya Saito in Tokyo to learn about outbreak and bioterror preparedness in Japan.
Our conversation will be posted in two parts. Part I (below) is about the role that different Japanese institutions play to prevent and respond to biological threats. In Part II (to be posted soon) we will discuss how dual-use technologies change the risk of biothreats.
Dr. Saito is Chief Senior Researcher at the Department of Health Crisis Management of the National Institute of Public Health of Japan (NIPH). His current area of research is biosecurity, public health emergency preparedness and response, and simulation epidemiology. He is based in Saitama, Japan.
Suneil Malik, PhD. Photo courtesy of McGill University, Canada
I recently spoke with Dr. Suneil Malik about genomics and outbreak preparedness.
Dr. Malik is a Manager and Team Leader for Toxicology at Health Canada, a government agency directed by the Canadian Minister of Health. He is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Happy New Year, everyone! From January 29th to January 31st 2019 there will be a conference held by the American Society for Microbiology in Arlington, Virginia. Discussions and exhibitions on the latest developments in biosecurity and bioterrorism will be held by leading experts in academia, government, and the public health industry from around the world.
Ebola virus. Picture by jaddingt/Shutterstock
On the preparedness front in the United States, the new National Biodefense Strategy was released on September 19, 2018. The new strategy establishes clear and thoughtful goals that will become a vital part of “managing the risk of biological incidents… in today’s interconnected world” 1. Continue Reading
Smallpox variola virus. Photo by fotovapl/Shutterstock.com
As I have researched the topic of bioterrorism, I have found this subject to be a uniquely challenging issue for society and nations to tackle to ensure the safety of their citizens. Dr. Jeffrey Ryan defines bioterrorism as, “the intentional use of microorganisms or toxins derived from living organisms to cause death or disease in humans or the animals and plants on which we depend.”1 In this article, I will point out the issues that make bioterror not only a difficult topic, but an extremely important one to focus on, as well. Continue Reading