Biosecurity News and Research

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Biosecurity is a set of preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, quarantined pests, invasive alien species, living modified organisms.

In axing mRNA contract, Trump delivers another blow to US biosecurity, former officials say

The Trump administration's cancellation of $766 million in contracts to develop mRNA vaccines against potential pandemic flu viruses is the latest blow to national defense, former health security officials said.

6 Jun 2025

WHO and partners announce next phase of African disease monitoring initiative

The World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom announced today the expansion of the successful Health Security Partnership to Strengthen Disease Surveillance in Africa (HSPA) to seven countries on the continent.

29 May 2025

Breakthrough bat organoid platform sheds light on behavior of zoonotic viruses

Did you know that more than 75% of new infectious diseases affecting humans originally come from animals? Bats, in particular, are natural hosts to some of the world's most dangerous viruses, including those responsible for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), MERS-CoV, influenza A, and hantavirus outbreaks.

15 May 2025

New model reveals H5N1 is spreading undetected in US dairy herds

Researchers developed a nationwide model to simulate the spread of H5N1 in US dairy cattle, revealing significant under-reporting and predicting continued outbreaks into 2025. Targeted farm-level biosecurity and surveillance are urgently needed to contain the epidemic.

11 May 2025

Global Virus Network urges action to prevent H5N1 pandemic

Today, the Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from 80+ Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in 40+ countries, published a comprehensive analysis and call-to-action in The Lancet Regional Health-Americas on the North American avian influenza virus, or H5N1, outbreak. The GVN calls on world governments to address the threat of H5N1 avian influenza by enhancing surveillance, implementing biosecurity measures, and preparing for potential human-to-human transmission.

29 Apr 2025

New biosensor offers fast detection of H5N1 in farm air

As highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza continues to spread in the U.S., posing serious threats to dairy and poultry farms, both farmers and public health experts need better ways to monitor for infections, in real time, to mitigate and respond to outbreaks.

24 Apr 2025

Researchers develop a reverse genetics system for African swine fever virus

Researchers from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have developed a reverse genetics system for African swine fever virus (ASFV).

26 Mar 2025

Cambridge launches program to tackle engineered pandemic risks

Covid-19 showed us how vulnerable the world is to pandemics – but what if the next pandemic were somehow engineered? How would the world respond – and could we stop it happening in the first place?

27 Feb 2025

The growing list of human viruses: Are we prepared for the next outbreak?

Researchers review the ever-growing list of human viruses, examining their diversity, transmission pathways, and the urgent need for prevention and global surveillance.

12 Feb 2025

On the front lines against bird flu, egg farmers say they’re losing the battle

Greg Herbruck knew 6.5 million of his birds needed to die, and fast.

7 Feb 2025

Researchers utilize mosquito mating to spread malaria-fighting fungi

Researchers have developed genetically modified fungi that can kill malaria-transmitting mosquitoes through sexual transmission, offering a promising solution to target both indoor and outdoor populations.

19 Jan 2025

From ducks to detection: Revolutionizing surveillance in the fight against HPAI

Vaccination drastically reduces avian influenza outbreaks in ducks, but enhanced passive surveillance is crucial for timely and effective detection of the virus.

5 Jan 2025

How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic

Keith Poulsen's jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October.

20 Dec 2024

The risks of reversed chirality: Study highlights dangers of mirror organisms

The study on mirror bacteria highlights risks of immune evasion and ecological threats, calling for collaboration to ensure safe synthetic biology practices.

16 Dec 2024

Advanced diagnostic kit developed for detecting highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus

The Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub), a national platform hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, in collaboration with the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan, and the A*STAR Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR BII), has successfully developed Steadfast, an advanced diagnostic kit for detecting the highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus (AIV).

22 Nov 2024

Uncovering the link between pollutants and arrhythmia risk

Arrhythmias, a group of disorders that disrupt the normal rhythm of the heart, can lead to serious health complications such as heart failure, stroke, and sudden death.

18 Sep 2024

HKUST researchers unveil eco-friendly disinfectant alternative to chloroxylenol

A widely used disinfectant worldwide, chloroxylenol, has been associated with eco-toxicological threats in water environments due to its relatively high chemical stability and massive consumption.

6 Sep 2024

WHO unveils global framework for investigating origins of novel pathogens

With the support of the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO), the World Health Organization (WHO) has published a global framework to help Member States comprehensively investigate the origins of new and re-emerging pathogens.

4 Sep 2024

Improved governance and pre-release safety evaluations needed for biological AI models

Concerns over the biosecurity risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) models in biology continue to grow.

23 Aug 2024

Texas A&M leads effort to combat cattle fever ticks

Since the early 1900s, eradicating cattle fever ticks has challenged surveillance and quarantine programs designed to protect the U.S. and Texas cattle industry.

16 Aug 2024