On Wednesday 10 June, Imperial will hold a high-level conference, Biosecurity at the frontier, bringing together global leaders to examine emerging biological threats and the actions needed to address them. In this article series, °®ÎÛ´«Ã½ experts explore the cutting edge of the conference's three themes: Understanding the threats; Response and Countermeasures; and Surveillance. 

Understanding the threats

Establishing a blueprint for safe biosecurity research

Funders, regulators and researchers from around the world need to communicate existing safety mechanisms to the public and agree on global guardrails for this research. The UK, with its cautious yet open approach, could offer a blueprint.

Building a global knowledge base for future threats

Understanding how a pathogen behaves and spreads buys critical time to contain its spread and allocate resources where they are most needed.

The emerging risk of manmade pathogens

Developing novel organisms is easier than it has ever been. While a boon for researchers, that also makes it much easier for malicious actors to create and release dangerous organisms into the environment or expose humans to them.

Rising biosecurity threats make shared science and technology critical for pandemic preparedness

Academia, government and industry need to develop tomorrow’s capability today to meet mounting biosecurity risks.

Surveillance

Closing the diagnostic gap with portable technology

Infectious diseases and AMR are interrelated, complex biosecurity threats that need multiple innovative approaches. To meet these threats effectively, clinicians, researchers, and health systems must have access to accurate, real-time data.

Response and countermeasures

Accelerating engineering biology for global resilience

Biofoundries create spaces to embed responsible innovation in the activities of students, early-career researchers, and new startups.

Pandemic preparedness: healthcare systems as the frontline

Healthcare systems are always at the forefront of infectious disease outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics.

Harnessing synthetic biology for future of biosecurity

Synthetic biology offers malicious actors a toolbox to threaten the environment and human lives, but it also contains the weapons to fight the same biosecurity threats.

Building an immune atlas for future pandemic threats

An atlas of human immune responses to candidate vaccines could give health systems an advantage when faced with the next pandemic. Developing this knowledge should be a top priority to protect people from future biosecurity threats.