biodefense

The Climate Connection

March 10, 2020 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

Climate change will not only increase the risk of vector-borne pathogens, but also of water- and food-borne ones. Picture by Shutterstock

This week has proven to be a tumultuous week in which the steady rise of coronavirus cases in the US has led to more aggressive measures for outbreak control. The National Guard has been called to a neighboring town to contain the outbreak. On a personal note, my school district has closed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. I originally created this blog as a way to spread awareness of the importance of public health preparedness, as it was an undervalued topic. However, times have changed and public health and emergency management are at the forefront of news and public policy today as a result of COVID-19.

The Norwegian Approach to Public Health and Pandemic Preparedness

December 21, 2019 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

Norway has a universal health system. Photo by Mia Tellmann

As with many other countries around the world, biodefense and public health planning, surveillance, and response are the responsibilities of numerous intertwined agencies within a country that all have different assignments and responsibilities, yet have to work together to successfully protect a nation from harm.

Last summer, I interviewed a Norwegian public health expert who chose to remain anonymous. She shared with me valuable information regarding the Norwegian Government’s approach to public health. As the Norwegian health system is universal and available to everyone, I was interested to find out how they organize pandemic preparedness and the agencies involved. Continue Reading

Learnings on Biodefense Preparedness from Singapore

October 14, 2019 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

Singapore’s Gardens By The Bay. Photo by Mia Tellmann

All around the world, the structure and security measures for biodefense preparedness vary. Countries have very distinct strategies based on their location, size, and type of government. I was particularly interested in Singapore, a very small country of only 5.8 million residents and 278 square miles, because of its reputation for efficiency and high standards. Therefore, I asked the Singaporean Government if they could share information on their approach to protecting their country from biological threats. Continue Reading

Interview with Dr. Tomoya Saito – The Risks of Dual-Use Technologies for Biosecurity

April 28, 2019 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

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

A Japanese Perspective on Outbreak Preparedness: Prevention and Response to Biological Threats

March 17, 2019 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

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.

A Canadian Perspective on Genomics and Outbreak Preparedness

January 15, 2019 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

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.

Sign up for the 2019 ASM Biothreats Conference!

January 3, 2019 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

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.

National Biodefense Strategy 2018: The US Government’s Latest Approach to Combat Biological Threats

November 24, 2018 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

Scientists in high security lab. Picture by Shutterstock/Gorodenkoff

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

Five Reasons Why Bioterror is a Uniquely Difficult Topic to Tackle

October 8, 2018 by Mia Tellmann Leave a Comment

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.”¹In 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