Editing Biosecurity: Needs and Strategies for Governing Genome Editing
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The National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center: Issues
= -*=&9.43&1= .4)*+*38*=3&1>8.8=&3)= 4:39*72*&8:7*8=*39*7a=88:*8=+47=43,7*88= &3&=_=-*&= 5*(.&1.89=.3=(.*3(*=&3)=*(-3414,>=41.(>= :1>=+3`=,**1= 43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 18/1**= <<<_(78_,4;= -,23+= =*5479=+47=43,7*88 Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress -*=&9.43&1= .4)*+*38*=3&1>8.8=&3)=4:39*72*&8:7*8=*39*7a=88:*8=+47=43,7*88= = :22&7>= The mission of the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) is to understand current and future biological threats; assess vulnerabilities and determine potential consequences; and provide a national capability for conducting forensic analysis of evidence from bio-crimes and bio-terrorism. The NBACC is operational, with a program office and several component centers occupying interim facilities. A laboratory facility dedicated to executing the NBACC mission and to contain two NBACC component centers is being built at Fort Detrick, Maryland, as part of the National Interagency Biodefense Campus. The laboratory facility, with an estimated construction cost of $141 million, will be the first Department of Homeland Security laboratory specifically focused on biodefense. Its programmatic contents and component organization appear to be evolving, as conflicting information has been provided during previous budget cycles. Congressional oversight of programs, especially those performed in federal facilities for homeland security purposes, is considered key to maintaining transparency in biodefense. Policy issues that may interest Congress include the operation of the NBACC facility as a federally funded research and development center, transparency and oversight of research activities performed through the center, and the potential for duplication and coordination of research effort between the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies. -
Cyborg Insect Drones: Research, Risks, and Governance
CYBORG INSECT DRONES: RESEARCH, RISKS, AND GOVERNANCE By: Heraclio Pimentel Jr. 12/01/2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1 I. BACKGROUND: THE RESEARCH ................................................................................................................................................ 2 A. Emergence of HI-MEMS .................................................................................................................................................. 2 B. Technical Background .................................................................................................................................................... 3 C. The State of the Technology ......................................................................................................................................... 4 D. Intended Applications of HI-MEMS ............................................................................................................................ 6 II. RISKS: DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS OF HI-MEMS ................................................................................................................ 8 A. HI-MEMS Pose a Risk to National Security ............................................................................................................. 9 B. HI-MEMS Pose a Threat to Personal Privacy ..................................................................................................... -
The Pentagon Bio-Weapons
The Pentagon Bio-Weapons https://southfront.org/pentagon-bio-weapons/ ANALYSIS #USAEditor's choice DilyanaGaytandzhieva is a Bulgarian investigative journalist and Middle East Correspondent. Over the last two years she has published a series of revealed reports on weapons smuggling. In the past year she came under pressure from the Bulgarian National Security Agency and was fired from her job in the Bulgarian newspaper Trud Daily without explanation. Despite this, Dilyana continues her investigations. Her current report provides an overview of Pentagon’s vigour in the development of biological weapons. Twitter/@dgaytandzhieva (Here is a topic long suspected, but never ‘brought to light’ until now. Don't expect to see such an article in the Main Stream media [MSM] as it would be censored and/or heavily edited before being published. The level of details provided by the author makes her case irrefutable! Those that would like better documentation, can go to the website cited, as virtually EVERY photo, document, map, etc., is enlargeable.. Downloaded from the above website on Feb 10, 2018 ~ Don Chapin) The US Army regularly produces deadly viruses, bacteria and toxins in direct violation of the UN Convention on the prohibition of Biological Weapons. Hundreds of thousands of unwitting people are systematically exposed to dangerous pathogens and other incurable diseases. Bio warfare scientists using diplomatic cover test man-made viruses at Pentagon bio laboratories in 25 countries across the world. These US bio-laboratories are funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) under a $ 2.1 billion military program– Cooperative Biological Engagement Program (CBEP), and are located in former Soviet Union countries such as Georgia and Ukraine, the Middle East, South East Asia and Africa. -
Maximum Containment: the Most Controversial Labs in the World
Maximum Containment: The Most Controversial Labs in the World By Alison K. Bruzek B.A. Biological Sciences Northwestern University, 2010 SUBMITTED TO THE PROGRAM IN COMPARATIVE MEDIA STUDIES/WRITING IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SCIENCE WRITING AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MASSACHUSETTS IN'T-QUTE OF 7ECHNOLOqi September 2013 JUL 0 22013 @2013 Alison K. Bruzek. All rights reserved. Li__RARI ES The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis document in whole or in part in any medium now known or hereafter created. Signature of Author: -----.. Program in Con rativeMedia Studies/Writing June 10, 2013 Certified by: Philip Hilts Director, Knight Science Journalism Fellowships Thesis Supervisor Accepted by: Seth Mnookin Assistant Professor of Science Writing Director, Graduate Program in Science Writing 1 2 Maximum Containment: The Most Controversial Labs in the World By Alison K. Bruzek Submitted to the Program in Comparative Media Studies/Writing on June 10, 2013 in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Science Writing ABSTRACT In 2002, following the September 1 1 th attacks and the anthrax letters, the United States allocated money to build two maximum containment biology labs. Called Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) facilities, these labs were built to research new vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments for emerging infectious diseases, potential biological weapons, and to contribute to the nation's biodefense. These labs were not the first dramatic reaction to the threat of biowarfare and are in fact, one product of a long history of the country's contentious relationship with biological weapons. -
Steven H. Strauss 21 December 2018
CV STEVEN H. STRAUSS 21 DECEMBER 2018 Distinguished Professor of Forest Biotechnology Phone: 541/737-6578 Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Fax: 541/737-1393 Oregon State University Email: [email protected] Corvallis, Oregon, USA 97331-5752 Born: November 28, 1955 Home page / TBGRC Coop / Posters-Presentations PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 7/09-present Distinguished Professor, Oregon State University 1/18-present Graduate Faculty, Environmental Sciences 1/18-present Graduate Faculty, Environmental Sciences 3/14 Visiting Scientist, Scion (Forest Biotechnology), New Zealand 11/04-12/13 Director, Outreach in Biotechnology, Oregon State University 2003-2012 Editor, New Phytologist 7/95-present Professor, Forest Ecosystems and Society; Molecular & Cellular Biology 1/01-4/01 Visiting Senior Fellow, Linacre College, Oxford University, UK 1/01-4/01 Visiting Scientist, Department of Plant Science, Oxford Forestry Institute , UK 7/90-6/95 Associate Professor, Department of Forest Science, OSU 7/94-present Director, Tree Genomics and Biosafety Research Cooperative, OSU 7/99-6/04 Director, National Science Foundation Center for Tree Genetics (Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program) 6/93-8/93 Visiting Scientist, INRA, Versailles & Orleans, France 9/91-6/92 Visiting Professor, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia 9/91-6/92 Visiting Scientist, CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, Canberra, Australia 6/90-7/90 Visiting Scientist, Department of Botany, Tromsø University, Norway 7/85-6/90 Assistant Professor, Department of Forest Science and Genetics Program, OSU 7/85-9/85 Visiting Scientist, US Forest Service, Berkeley, California (Sederoff laboratory) EDUCATION Ph.D. 1985 University of California at Berkeley, Forest Resources (Genetics) M.F.S. -
Responsible Life Sciences Research for Global Health Security a Guidance Document WHO/HSE/GAR/BDP/2010.2
Responsible life sciences research for global health security A GUIDANCE DOCUMENT WHO/HSE/GAR/BDP/2010.2 Responsible life sciences research for global health security A GUIDANCE DOCUMENT © World Health Organization 2010 All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization can be obtained from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: [email protected]). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications – whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution – should be ad- dressed to WHO Press, at the above address (fax: +41 22 791 4806; e-mail: [email protected]). The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publica- tion. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. -
High-Risk Human-Caused Pathogen Exposure Events from 1975-2016
F1000Research 2021, 10:752 Last updated: 04 AUG 2021 DATA NOTE High-risk human-caused pathogen exposure events from 1975-2016 [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review] David Manheim 1, Gregory Lewis2 11DaySooner, Delaware, USA 2Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK v1 First published: 04 Aug 2021, 10:752 Open Peer Review https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.55114.1 Latest published: 04 Aug 2021, 10:752 https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.55114.1 Reviewer Status AWAITING PEER REVIEW Any reports and responses or comments on the Abstract article can be found at the end of the article. Biological agents and infectious pathogens have the potential to cause very significant harm, as the natural occurrence of disease and pandemics makes clear. As a way to better understand the risk of Global Catastrophic Biological Risks due to human activities, rather than natural sources, this paper reports on a dataset of 71 incidents involving either accidental or purposeful exposure to, or infection by, a highly infectious pathogenic agent. There has been significant effort put into both reducing the risk of purposeful spread of biological weapons, and biosafety intended to prevent the exposure to, or release of, dangerous pathogens in the course of research. Despite these efforts, there are incidents of various types that could potentially be controlled or eliminated by different lab and/or bioweapon research choices and safety procedures. The dataset of events presented here was compiled during a project conducted in 2019 to better understand biological risks from anthropic sources. The events which are listed are unrelated to clinical treatment of naturally occurring outbreaks, and are instead entirely the result of human decisions and mistakes. -
BWPP Biological Weapons Reader
BWPP Biological Weapons Reader Edited by Kathryn McLaughlin and Kathryn Nixdorff Geneva 2009 About BWPP The BioWeapons Prevention Project (BWPP) is a global civil society activity that aims to strengthen the norm against using disease as a weapon. It was initiated by a group of non- governmental organizations concerned at the failure of governments to act. The BWPP tracks governmental and other behaviour that is pertinent to compliance with international treaties and other agreements, especially those that outlaw hostile use of biotechnology. The project works to reduce the threat of bioweapons by monitoring and reporting throughout the world. BWPP supports and is supported by a global network of partners. For more information see: http://www.bwpp.org Table of Contents Preface .................................................................................................................................................ii Abbreviations .....................................................................................................................................iii Chapter 1. An Introduction to Biological Weapons ......................................................................1 Malcolm R. Dando and Kathryn Nixdorff Chapter 2. History of BTW Disarmament...................................................................................13 Marie Isabelle Chevrier Chapter 3. The Biological Weapons Convention: Content, Review Process and Efforts to Strengthen the Convention.........................................................................................19 -
Artificial Intelligence As a Dual-Use Technology Éva AMBRUS1
AARMS Vol. 19, No. 2 (2020) 19–28. 10.32565/aarms.2020.2.2 Artificial Intelligence as a Dual-use Technology Éva AMBRUS1 The aim of this article is to give an overview of the state of artificial intelligence regarding malware attacks, its uses in the military and views regarding if it should be classified as a dual-use technology. As an emerging technology, with a wide variety of use and capabilities, more could be done to overview its uses, and some form of control over it. While the classical exports control might be counterproductive, a more closed approach towards critical information dissemination might be advisable until the full range of capabilities of artificial intelligence will be known. Keywords: artificial intelligence, dual-use technology, military use, malware Introduction The security paradigm is changing. Until a new definition comes forward, policy-makers, academia and users will debate its nature and possible effects. Asymmetrical warfare, hybrid warfare, ‘grey area’ warfare, (dis)information warfare, unpeace are just a few names used trying to pinpoint the development of (IT) technology on security. Warfare and security includes more and more cyberspace, including cyber weapons, cyber espionage and cybersecurity. One driver of this change is the advances made in the last decade regarding artificial intelligence (AI). In this article I will present the idea that AI should be classified as a dual-use technology, meaning that it can be used for both civilian and military applications. I will start with presenting where AI weapons are today, followed by the nature of the relationship between state and technology. -
Studies of Military R&D and Weapons Development: Offensive/Defense
5. The Question of Offensive/Defensive Distinctions in Biological Weapons Related Research, and the Potential Stimulus to BW Proliferation by Expanded Research Programs The word "research," or any specific reference to "offensive" or "defensive" in a research context, does not appear in Article I of the Biological Weapons Convention. That reads as follows: "Each State Party to the Convention undertakes never in any circumstances to develop, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire or retain: (1) Microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes; (2) Weapons, equipment or means of delivery designed to use such agents or toxins for hostile purposes or in armed conflict.,,1 However, the word research did appear in the provisional treaty draft that had been drawn up by the U.K. and that had been presented to the negotiating states on July 10, 1969. That draft required states signing or ratifying the treaty "not to conduct, assist or permit research aimed at production ... " of the agents or weapons forbidden by Article I (1) and (2) above. 2 Even earlier in a working paper on microbiological warfare that the U.K. submitted to the states negotiating in Geneva, the U.K. stated: The Convention would also need to deal with research work. It should impose a ban on research work aimed at production of the kind prohibited above, as regards both microbiological agents and ancillary equipment. It should also provide for the appropriate civil medical or health authorities to have access to all research work which might give rise to allegations that the obligations imposed by the Convention were not being fulfilled. -
The Environmental Ethics of Domestication
The Environmental Ethics of Domestication when biotechnology reframes nature by Samantha McLean, BAppSc (Hons) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Geography and Environmental Studies University of Tasmania December 2008 Declaration of Originality This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. amantha McLean Statement of Authority of Access This thesis may be made available for loan and limited copying in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. Abstract Controversies about genetic engineering in agriculture mobilise the concept of nature in ways that reframe nature with significant conceptual implications for the field of environmental ethics. The political economy and regulatory environment of genetic engineering excludes non- technical, non-expert and non-market perspectives in official assessments of biotechnological risk, but broader public conceptions of risk include philosophical concerns about the implications of genetic engineering for nature. Critical attention to the philosophical substance of these concerns is moderated by the conceptual ambiguity of their articulation in terms of unnaturalness and the ubiquity of other rhetorical appeals to nature as a source of precedence, legitimacy and morality. These discourses of naturalness are primarily concerned with whether genetic engineering represents a significant departure from conventional and traditional crop breeding practices or merely their continuation. This tension is seen in contrasting visions of biotechnology as either evolutionary or revolutionary and is resolved by recourse to particular narratives of domesticatory, evolutionary and cultural histories. -
Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS This PDF is available at http://nap.edu/24605 SHARE Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology DETAILS 230 pages | 7 x 10 | PAPERBACK ISBN 978-0-309-45205-2 | DOI 10.17226/24605 CONTRIBUTORS GET THIS BOOK Committee on Future Biotechnology Products and Opportunities to Enhance Capabilities of the Biotechnology Regulatory System; Board on Life Sciences; Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Board on Chemical Sciences and FIND RELATED TITLES Technology; Division on Earth and Life Studies; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Visit the National Academies Press at NAP.edu and login or register to get: – Access to free PDF downloads of thousands of scientific reports – 10% off the price of print titles – Email or social media notifications of new titles related to your interests – Special offers and discounts Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the National Academies Press. (Request Permission) Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology Committee on Future Biotechnology Products and Opportunities to Enhance Capabilities of the Biotechnology Regulatory System Board on Life Sciences Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology Division on Earth and Life Studies A Report of Copyright National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 This activity was supported by Contract No.