66th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Hybrid Conference

Scientific Program

October 16-18, 2023

All times listed will be CENTRAL Standard Time

Sunday, October 15, 2023

6:30 – 8:30 pm Opening Reception in the Exhibit Hall

Monday, October 16, 2023

7:00 – 5:00 pm Registration
7:00 – 8:00 am Continental Breakfast in Foyer
9:00 – 4:00 pm Vendor Exhibits

8:00 – 8:15 am Welcome and ABSA International President’s Address
Master of Ceremonies: Rebecca Moritz, MS, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

8:15 – 8:20 am Local Arrangements Committee Welcome
Matt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

8:20 – 8:25 am Scientific Program Committee Welcome
AJ Troiano, PhD, RBP(ABSA), FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Boston, MA

Rebecca Moritz, MS, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CORebecca Moritz, MS, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM)
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO

Matt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NEMatt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE

Matt is the Biosafety Officer and Responsible Official (RO) at the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL), where he has been since 2009. His duties include management of the biosafety program at UNL, serving as RO for UNL’s Select Agent Program as well as serving on the IBC, IACUC and Plant Growth Facility committees. He attended Dana College in Blair, NE (1994-1998) for his undergraduate studies and double majored in Biology and Chemistry. He earned his PhD in Chemical Biology from Washington University in St. Louis in 2005. His graduate work focused on molecular recognition of the main light sensing pathway in the human eye and understanding the forces and characteristics involved in the interaction between Rhodopsin (a G-protein coupled receptor) and its cognate G-protein,transducin. He completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship also at Washington University designing peptide-based scaffolds for site-directed targeting of lipid nanoparticles carrying both imaging agents and therapeutic compounds. He got his start in biosafety through a post-doctoral fellowship in biosafety at Washington University in St. Louis (2008-2009) under the mentorship of Susan Cook. He has been an ABSA member since 2008, currently serving as Chair of the ABSA E-communications Committee (2015-present), a member of the ABSA Scientific Program Committee (2018–present), ABSA Nominating Committee (2020), and Chair of the Local arrangements Committee for the 2023 ABSA Conference. He has been active in the Midwest Area Biosafety Network (MABioN) affiliate since 2008, having held positions as Councilor-at-Large (2012-2014), President Elect (2014-2016), and President (2016-2018) and Past-President (2018-2020). He obtained his RBP certification in 2015 and CBSP certification in 2019.At UNL Matt has been involved with numerous lab design and renovation projects including BSL-1, BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories. He has completed both ABSA pre-conference courses on Engineering for the Biosafety Professional as well as completed BSL-3 and ABSL-3 training courses from UTMB. As the RO he has been intimately involved with the operations of UNL’s BSL-3 laboratories and participated in every annual certification since the first lab opened in 2009.

Session I Arnold G. Wedum Memorial Lecture Award

Introduction: AJ Troiano, PhD, RBP(ABSA), FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Boston, MA
Moderator: Matt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

8:25 – 9:15 am Mpox Outbreak: Preparedness Efforts, Laboratory Response and Ongoing Efforts
Christina L. Hutson, PhD, MS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

9:15 – 9:25 am Q&A Session

Matt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NEMatt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE

Matt is the Biosafety Officer and Responsible Official (RO) at the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL), where he has been since 2009. His duties include management of the biosafety program at UNL, serving as RO for UNL’s Select Agent Program as well as serving on the IBC, IACUC and Plant Growth Facility committees. He attended Dana College in Blair, NE (1994-1998) for his undergraduate studies and double majored in Biology and Chemistry. He earned his PhD in Chemical Biology from Washington University in St. Louis in 2005. His graduate work focused on molecular recognition of the main light sensing pathway in the human eye and understanding the forces and characteristics involved in the interaction between Rhodopsin (a G-protein coupled receptor) and its cognate G-protein,transducin. He completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship also at Washington University designing peptide-based scaffolds for site-directed targeting of lipid nanoparticles carrying both imaging agents and therapeutic compounds. He got his start in biosafety through a post-doctoral fellowship in biosafety at Washington University in St. Louis (2008-2009) under the mentorship of Susan Cook. He has been an ABSA member since 2008, currently serving as Chair of the ABSA E-communications Committee (2015-present), a member of the ABSA Scientific Program Committee (2018–present), ABSA Nominating Committee (2020), and Chair of the Local arrangements Committee for the 2023 ABSA Conference. He has been active in the Midwest Area Biosafety Network (MABioN) affiliate since 2008, having held positions as Councilor-at-Large (2012-2014), President Elect (2014-2016), and President (2016-2018) and Past-President (2018-2020). He obtained his RBP certification in 2015 and CBSP certification in 2019.At UNL Matt has been involved with numerous lab design and renovation projects including BSL-1, BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories. He has completed both ABSA pre-conference courses on Engineering for the Biosafety Professional as well as completed BSL-3 and ABSL-3 training courses from UTMB. As the RO he has been intimately involved with the operations of UNL’s BSL-3 laboratories and participated in every annual certification since the first lab opened in 2009.

Christina L. Hutson, PhD, MSChristina L. Hutson, PhD, MS
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, GA

Dr. Christina (Christy) Hutson received her MS at the University of Georgia within the College of Veterinary Medicine and her PhD also from the University of Georgia within the College of Veterinary Medicine (Pathology Department). Following completion of her master’s degree in September 2003, Dr. Hutson joined CDC’s Poxvirus program during the first U.S. mpox outbreak. She went on to study and characterize the prairie dog model of monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection and completed her PhD in Veterinary Pathology from the University of Georgia. Beginning in 2016 Dr. Hutson served as the Team Lead of the Virus-Host Molecular Interactions (VHMI) Team within CDC’s Poxvirus and Rabies Branch (PRB). The VHMI team performs fundamental research on viral biology including studies of pathogenesis, host-pathogen interaction, vaccine efficacy, and novel therapeutic (in vitro and in vivo) efficacy studies. This team also serves the core group of individuals that perform training and experiments within the high-containment laboratory (BSL-3 and BSL-4), including performing experiments with variola virus (causative agent of smallpox). Dr. Hutson serves as an advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) Advisory Committee on Variola virus Research (ACVVR) which meets annually. In 2022 PRB was redesignated as the WHO Collaborating Center (CC) for Smallpox and Other Poxvirus Infections, with Dr. Hutson serving as the Director of the CC. In May 2022, Dr. Hutson became Chief of the Poxvirus and Rabies Branch. The branch is configured into 8 teams (with over 70 staff members); 3 laboratory teams, 1 ecology and disease surveillance team, 2 teams focused upon epidemiologic surveillance and clinical guidance, 1 team focused upon quality and regulatory compliance and 1 program management and operations team. During the 2022 global mpox outbreak, Dr. Hutson served as the lead for CDC’s Laboratory and Testing Taskforce.

9:25 – 10:00 am Exhibits, Posters, and Coffee Break

Session II Applied Biosafety

Moderators: Francine Rogers, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Tufts University, Boston, MA
Rachel Gamble, DrPH, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Merrick & Company, Greenwood Village, CO

10:00 – 10:15 am Empirical Biosafety
Kelly Kim, MS, Gryphon Scientific, Takoma Park, MD

10:15 – 10:30 am Global Factors Influencing BSC Performance
Katlyn Montalbano, MPH, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM

10:30 – 10:45 am Findings of the RAV3N Applied BioRisk and Biosafety Gap Assessment Workshop
Kurt Zuelke, DVM, PhD, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

10:45 – 11:00 am Q&A Session

Rachel Gamble, DrPH, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Merrick & Company, Greenwood Village, CORachel Gamble, DrPH, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Associate Director of Biosafety and Biosecurity
Merrick & Company
Greenwood Village, CO

Dr. Rachel Gamble is the Associate Director, Biorisk Management Programs within Science & Technology in the Life Sciences practice at Merrick. Rachel has 15+ years of experience directing and managing safety programs for two biomedical research institutions with focused experience in biological safety and select agent regulations. She previously served as the Director of the Office for Environmental Safety as well as the director for the high containment/select agent research facility at Baylor College of Medicine. During this time, she also held faculty appointments at The University of Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health in the Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences department and Baylor College of Medicine in the Molecular, Virology, and Microbiology department. She is currently assisting with the stand-up of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, KS, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in addition to various projects for government and academic institutions both domestic and international.

Rachel has been an ABSA member since 2006 and currently serves on the Training Tools and Resources Committee and the Scientific Program Committee. In addition to being an active ABSA member, she is active in her regional ABSA affiliate, the Southern Biosafety Association (SBA) and has held previous positions as the treasurer, vice president, president, and past president. Currently, Dr. Gamble is serving another term as the SBA’s vice president and a reviewer for Applied Biosafety—The Journal of ABSA International.

Kelly Kim, MS
Gryphon Scientific
Takoma Park, MD

Kelly Kim, MS is an Analyst at Gryphon Scientific. During her time at Gryphon, she has been the project manager for multiple projects focusing on the development of empirical evidence for biosafety practices. In addition, she has authored multiple biosafety publications, and has contributed to the development of several Innovations in Biosafety workshops. Prior to joining Gryphon, she obtained her master’s in Microbiology at Colorado State University and worked in a laboratory focused on Flavivirus replication.

Katlyn Montalbano, MPH
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, NM

Katlyn Montalbano, MPH is a Member of the Technical Staff in the Global Chemical and Biological Security Program at Sandia National Laboratories. She graduated from the University of Florida with an MPH in Epidemiology and BS in Microbiology and Cell Sciences. Following graduation, Katlyn worked with the Florida Department of Health as a multi-county epidemiologist during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, she is an alumna of the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program, a two-year fellowship with the National Institutes of Health focused on laboratory biosafety.

Kurt Zuelke, DVM, PhD
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX

Dr. Kurt Zuelke is the inaugural Executive Director of the Texas A&M University Global Health Research Complex (GHRC) and is the Founder and Co-PI of the RAV3N Network. Dr. Zuelke formerly directed the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, and the USDA ARS National Animal Disease Center.

Session III Continuous Improvement: Enhancing Your Biosafety Program

Moderators: Betsy Matos, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Maya Nair, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of North Texas Science Center, Fort Worth, TX

11:00 – 11:15 am Below the Iceberg: Safety and Compliance for Biomedical Research Review
Maren Schniederberend, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Yale University, New Haven, CT

11:15 – 11:30 am Biosafety Challenges for Rodent Gnotobiotic Facility
Peili Zhu, MD, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

11:30 – 11:45 pm Intentional and Unintentional Human Failures
Vibeke Halkjaer–Knudsen, PhD, Vipsit LLC, Helsinge, Denmark

11:45 – 12:00 pm Q&A Session

Maren Schniederberend, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
Yale University
New Haven, CT

Maren Schniederberend currently serves as Biosafety Supervisor and Safety Advisor Co-Manager in the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at Yale University. Maren has obtained an MS and PhD in Microbiology from University of Osnabrueck, Germany. As a Postdoctoral Associate, she studied the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Section of Infectious Diseases at Yale University. Maren made the transition from research to biosafety at Yale University when she joined the Office of Environmental Health & Safety in 2017. She currently manages the human pathogens compliance program, recombinant/synthetic nucleic acid compliance program and other biosafety programs. She supports the University’s research community in the safe conduct of basic, translational, and clinical research. Her biosafety training programs emphasize hands-on training and provide safer alternatives to researchers for continuous program improvement.

Peili Zhu, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CAPeili Zhu, MD, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
University of California – San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Peili Zhu has been working as the Biosafety Officer at University of California – San Francisco since 2010. She received her MD from the Southeast University of China in 1983 and PhD from the Basel University of Switzerland in 1994. She has worked 6 years in medical clinics, 7 years in biomedical research and 20 years in the Biosafety and Biosecurity field. As the BSO of UCSF, she oversees the UCSF Biosafety Program which consists of more than 700 bio-medical research laboratories and several BSL-3/ABSL-3 high containment facilities. She is very familiar with various federal, state, and local laws, policies and regulations relating to Biosafety/Biosecurity and has extensive experience overseeing the operations of BSL-2/ABSL-2 and BSL-3/ABSL-3 facilities. As the Responsible Official of the UCSF Select Agent program, she also has significant knowledge of Select Agent regulations and biosecurity.

Vibeke Halkjaer Knudsen, PhDVibeke Halkjaer–Knudsen, PhD
Vipsit LLC
Helsinge, Denmark

Vibeke Halkjaer-Knudsen (Vips) is a Senior Subject Matter Expert (SME) in areas related to biological and chemical risk management, incident management and response, accident and incident root cause investigations, dual-use materials, and high containment lab design. She performs multidimensional impact and risk assessments from a product, GMP, GMO, environment, health and safety, emergency preparedness, animal welfare, chemical and biological point of view. She has extensive experience with lab design and sustainable solutions on all continents. She sits in several think tanks and advisory boards, revises guidelines when needed and has a true passion for building the next generation of biorisk management professionals. She serves several of these younger individuals as a mentor, coach and provides reach back capacity when the daily tasks become too challenging. For almost 20 years, she was a Director at the Danish Statens Serum Institute, responsible for quality control labs, Tuberculin production, large scale vaccine production and facility design. She has spent the last 12 years at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico as Principal and later Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, working with international stakeholders, within the biorisk management non-proliferation programs funded by the U.S. Government. Since 2006, she has been consulting as a private GMP and Biorisk Management Consultant on the side while continuing to work her daytime jobs. In the autumn of 2022, she decided to focus full time on her role as an experienced project manager, supporting clients who were implementing biorisk management standards in their labs and in making risk informed decisions for sustainable laboratory design around the globe. She earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen.

12:00 – 1:30 pm Exhibits, Posters, and Lunch

Session IV Poster Session

12:30 – 1:30 pm Presenters must be available during the session.

Session V Invited Speaker

Introduction: Susan Vleck, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Moderator: Noman Siddiqi, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

1:30 – 2:20 pm Vaccination of Honeybee (Apis Mellifera) Against Brood Diseases: A Novel Approach to Prevent Spread of Infections
Dalial Freitak, PhD, Karl-Franzen University of Graz, Graz, Austria

2:20 – 2:30 pm Q&A Session

Susan Vleck, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Stanford University
Stanford, CA

Susan E. Vleck, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA) is an EH&S Assistant Director and oversees the Laboratory Chemical and Physical Safety Program and the Animal Research Occupational Health and Safety Program at Stanford University. Her background is in viral infectious diseases, and she has over ten years of experience in biosafety and lab safety.

Noman Siddiqi, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
Harvard School of Public Health
Boston, MA

Dalial Freitak, PhD
Karl-Franzen University of Graz
Graz, Austria

Dalial Freitak is an Estonia born biologist and works currently as an Associate Professor at the Institute of Biology at Karl Franzens University of Graz, Austria. She has been studying insect immunity for over 15 years and her desire to understand how organisms adapt to stressors has led to paradigm shifting discovery of the underlying mechanisms behind immune priming in honeybees. She is currently leading the honeybee pathology lab at the University and is teaching students about immunology and social insects. Outside of basic research, Dalial is a founding member and CSO of Dalan Animal Health, Inc. – a company pioneering the development of a first vaccine for honeybees. In her free time, she likes to travel, read books, and cook.

2:30 – 3:00 pm Exhibits, Posters, and Coffee Break

Session VI Public Health

Moderators: Julianne Baron, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Science and Safety Consulting, Venetia, PA
Kalpana Rengarajan, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Emory University, Atlanta, GA

3:00 – 3:15 pm The Role of Public Health Laboratories in the US to Meet Biosafety Preparedness Needs in Hospital and Clinical Laboratories
Anthony R. Sambol, MA, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

3:15 – 3:30 pm Implementation of an Outreach Program to Improve Laboratory Safety Worldwide
Aufra C. Araujo, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

3:30 – 3:45 pm Infection Control and Biosafety Taskforce
Corrie Ntiforo, MSPH, RBP(ABSA), University of Texas Medical Branch—Galveston, Galveston, TX

3:45 – 4:00 pm Q&A Session

Julianne Baron, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Science and Safety Consulting, Venetia, PAJulianne Baron, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
Science and Safety Consulting
Venetia, PA

Julianne L. Baron, PhD, CPH, RBP(ABSA) is an infectious disease microbiologist with specialized expertise in laboratory and biological safety, risk assessments, emergency preparedness and planning, safety training, regulatory compliance, and scientific writing. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology. Dr. Baron then completed the prestigious National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP) postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Baron started Science and Safety Consulting, LLC to provide reliable, factual scientific information to help support her clients in conducting research safely, making educated decisions, and ensuring plan and program compliance. She has supported research laboratories, including high containment labs, and served as Alternate Responsible Official for the CDC’s Federal Select Agent Program. Dr. Baron has developed and provided both general and specialized safety training including Principles and Practices of Biosafety, Bloodborne Pathogens, Respiratory Protection Standard Awareness, and hands-on respirator use and fit testing, to hundreds of individuals. She has assisted professional organizations, research institutions, universities, and businesses with scientific and safety projects that include reviewing training materials and revising Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety plans, conducting gap analysis of institutional practices and written procedures, performing experimental decontamination validation, developing OSHA compliant laboratory safety programs, and creating emergency management and pandemic preparedness plans. Dr. Baron has over 15 years of laboratory research experience and has presented her work at national and international conferences. She has authored and co-authored many peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters. Dr. Baron is Certified in Public Health through the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). She is a Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) through the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) International. She has also received an Advanced Safety Certificate through the National Safety Council.

Kalpana Rengarajan, PhD, MPH, RBP(ABSA), Emory University, Atlanta, GAKalpana Rengarajan, PhD, MPH, JM, RBP(ABSA)
Director of Research Safety | Senior Biosafety Officer
Emory University
Atlanta, GA

Kalpana Rengarajan is the Director of Research Safety at the Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHSO) and is the Senior Biosafety Officer for Emory University. EHSO has University-wide responsibility for all aspects of Environmental Health and Safety support, including Biosafety and EHS compliance support to Emory Healthcare. This includes biosafety support to the Emory Serious Communicable Diseases Unit (SCDU), which cared for 4 Ebola patients in 2014. The SCDU continues to be a major leader in the U.S. National Ebola Training Center. Her background includes a PhD in Immunology and she has worked as a Visiting Associate at the National Eye Institute, NIH. Prior to joining EHSO she worked as a Research Associate at the Emory Vaccine Center. Kalpana has a passion for Global Biorisk Management Public Health Preparedness and provides guidance internationally. She has a Masters of Public Health from Rollins School of Public Health (Emory University) and a Juris Masters of Law (Emory University). She is a Registered Biosafety Professional. Dr. Rengarajan serves on committees for the ABSA International (American Biological Safety Association) and the Campus Safety Health and Environmental Association (CSHEMA), to create professional development courses, and is a member of the technical writing team for ISO/TC 212/Working Group 5 (ISO Laboratory Biorisk management standard), and was a technical writer for the CEN Workshop Agreements relating to Biorisk Management Systems: CWA 15793:2011 and 16393: 2012. Dr. Rengarajan regularly teaches/facilitates and presents at ABSA and CSHEMA. She has also been teaching for the Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS) program at CDC.

Anthony R. Sambol, MA, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM)
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska

Mr. Anthony R. Sambol is an Assistant Director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and has an appointment as an Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Mr. Sambol is currently the Responsible Official for the University’s Tier 1 Biological Select Agent and Toxin program that is regulated by the CDC. Anthony’s prior duties include serving as the Manager of the Biosecurity and Special Pathogens Laboratory sections in the NPHL. As the Manager of the Biosecurity Laboratory, Anthony was responsible for overseeing and establishing the Laboratory Response Network (LRN-B) testing capability for agents of bioterrorism, as well as overseeing the LRN Chemical Terrorism Preparedness Laboratory (LRN-C). Anthony was also the Laboratory Program Advisor for the NPHL, and as such he was also involved in the establishment of a statewide laboratory network to improve Nebraska’s public health infrastructure. Anthony received both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Nebraska. Prior to joining the NPHL in the fall of 1999, Anthony was employed in a variety of positions. These included working as a medical technologist in diagnostic virology and infectious disease serology, a research scientist for an animal vaccine laboratory, and as a teacher of science courses at local community colleges. Anthony is listed as an author or co-author in more than 20 publications and two book chapters.

Aufra C. Araujo, PhD
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, GA

Dr. Aufra C. Araujo is a Health Scientist in the Quality and Safety Systems Branch with the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She leads the Division ECHO Biosafety Program and develops data-driven strategies to improve safety and quality in clinical and public health laboratories. Dr. Araujo serves as a member of the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee. She works collaboratively with APHL to implement ISO 35001 in two pilot sites in the US. Aufra has served as the acting lead of CDC’s Laboratory Leadership Service program, coordinated laboratory preparedness and capacity building activities during the 2014 Ebola response in West-Africa, participated in the 2019 Polio outbreak investigation in Angola and served as biosafety expert during the COVID-19 Emergency Response. Dr. Araujo’s research interests include high-throughput diagnostic assays to detect hepatitis viruses, laboratory waste inactivation and biorisk management in low resource countries. Dr. Araujo earned her Master of Science and Doctorate degrees in Microbiology from the Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Corrie Ntiforo, MSPH, RBP(ABSA)
University of Texas Medical Branch—Galveston
Galveston, TX

Mrs. Corrie Ntiforo obtained a BS in Microbiology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a MSPH in Parasitology/Tropical Medicine from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Within the biocontainment, leadership, research, healthcare, and emergency responder community she has served as a biosafety professional for 16 years. She works at the University of Texas Medical Branch as a Lead Biosafety Professional and Alternate Responsible Official for the Federal Select Agent Program and oversees the high and maximum containment biosafety program. She has extensive experience in developing, implementing, and providing specialized training for a variety of worker populations. In addition, she provides Biosafety support for UTMB’s Biocontainment Unit (BCU) which includes PPE and biosafety training to hospital clinical staff designated to care for patients suspected of having high consequence infectious diseases.

Session VII Biosafety Perspectives: Ethics, Genetic Engineering, and Evolving Regulations

Moderators: Jessica McCormick-Ell, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
Kelly Flint, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, MD

4:00 – 4:15 pm Editing the Building Blocks of Life: The Evolution of Genetic Engineering
Timo Alexander Kehl, PhD, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany

4:15 – 4:30 pm Areas of Consensus and Improvement on Dual–Use Research Risk, Ethics, and Oversight
Elika Somani, National Institutes for Health, Bethesda, MD

4:30 – 4:45 pm Never Say Never: Repeal of Prohibition on Import of LSDV Into Australia
James Thomas Paulley, PhD, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, East Geelong, Victoria, Australia

4:45 – 5:00 pm Q&A Session

Timo Alexander Kehl, PhD
German Cancer Research Center
Heidelberg, Germany

Timo Kehl has been heading the Biological Safety Department at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg since 2018. In addition, since February 2020, he has been leading the DKFZ’s Coronavirus Task Force to manage the pandemic situation at DKFZ. Timo Kehl studied Biology at the University of Heidelberg and completed his doctoral thesis on “Pancreatic Cancer” in the Department of Genome Modifications and Carcinogenesis at the DKFZ in 2009. He then spent two years as a laboratory head at the Technical University of Munich before returning to the DKFZ in 2011 as a postdoc in the field of applied tumor virology. After two years as a postdoc, he joined the Biological Safety Department at the DKFZ as a Biosafety Officer in 2013.

Elika Somani
National Institutes for Health
Bethesda, MD

Elika Somani is a fellow in the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes for Health researching dual-use ethics, oversight, and risk of biomedical research and emerging technologies. She has a background in global health and outbreak response.

James Thomas Paulley, PhD
Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness
East Geelong, Victoria, Australia

J.T. Paulley is the Biorisk Manager for the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong, Victoria. He has over 15 years of experience in high containment laboratory operations and oversight with extensive experience working within regulatory frameworks globally.

5:00 – Close Members’ Business Meeting

Door prizes will be awarded—must be present to win.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

7:00 – 5:00 pm Registration

7:00 – 8:00 am Continental Breakfast in Foyer

9:00 – 4:00 pm Vendor Exhibits

8:00 – 8:05 am Welcome
Master of Ceremonies: Luis Alberto Ochoa Carrera, MSc, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Luis Ochoa Carrera, MSc, Michigan State University, Lansing, MIMr. Ochoa currently serves as the High-Containment Lab/Pandemic Safety Manager and Alternate Responsible Official (RO) for the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at Michigan State University. From October 2019 to June 2021, he worked as the Director of the Epidemiological Surveillance and Research Laboratory Network of the Mexican Institute for Social Security (IMSS) from the Ministry of Health in Mexico. From March 2013 to October 2019, he served as BSL-3 Lab Coordinator at the National Reference Laboratory in Mexico. Prior to his current position, he received a Master´s Degree in Public Health Management focused on Biological Risk Management. He has been an ABSA member since 2014, served as the Chair of the Publications Committee, member of the International Engagement Committee, member of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Working Group, and international editor for Applied Biosafety Journal. As one of the eighteen founding members and past President of the AMEXBIO, he has strengthened the network between biosafety professionals in the region and helped to create strategic alliances with international and national institutions. Additionally, Mr. Ochoa has served as a mentor of the International Twinning Project from Sandia National Laboratories, the Next Generation Global Health Security Network, and the IFBA Mentorship Program since 2021. In addition, Mr. Ochoa serves as Senior Advisor for PandemicTech, a virtual incubator that enables innovative approaches to confronting infectious disease threats and is a Certified Biosafety Professional from IFBA in four disciplines: Biorisk Management, Biological Risk Assessment, Biocontainment Facility Design, Operations and & Maintenance, and Biosafety Cabinet Selection, Installation and Safe Use.

Session VIII Griffin Lecture Award

8:05 – 8:15 am Introduction: Erin Sorrell, PhD, Elizabeth R. Griffin Program, Washington, DC

Moderator: Francine Rogers, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Tufts University, Boston, MA

8:15 – 9:05 am Addressing Biosafety and Biosecurity Issues at Research and Diagnostic Laboratories: Building Local Capacity–A Big Challenge
Halima Benbouza, PhD, National Council of Scientific Research and Technologies, Algiers, Algeria

9:05 – 9:15 am Q&A Session

Halima Benbouza, PhD
National Council of Scientific Research and Technologies
Algiers, Algeria

Session IX Understanding Regulations

Moderators: Peili Zhu, MD, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Betsy Matos, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), Iowa State University, Ames, IA

9:15 – 9:30 am Navigating Through the Fog: Lessons Learned from Using the CDC & USDA Electronic Filing Systems
Anastasia Petit, MS, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD

9:30 – 9:45 am Piloting the ISO:35001 Standard: Cruising Towards Biorisk Management
Julianne Baron, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CPH, Science and Safety Consulting, LLC, McMurray, PA

9:45 – 10:00 am Permitting of Organisms and Vectors, USDA Permits Required
Troy Bigelow, DVM, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Story City, IA

10:00 – 10:15 am Q&A Session

Peili Zhu, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CAPeili Zhu, MD, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
University of California – San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Peili Zhu has been working as the Biosafety Officer at University of California – San Francisco since 2010. She received her MD from the Southeast University of China in 1983 and PhD from the Basel University of Switzerland in 1994. She has worked 6 years in medical clinics, 7 years in biomedical research and 20 years in the Biosafety and Biosecurity field. As the BSO of UCSF, she oversees the UCSF Biosafety Program which consists of more than 700 bio-medical research laboratories and several BSL-3/ABSL-3 high containment facilities. She is very familiar with various federal, state, and local laws, policies and regulations relating to Biosafety/Biosecurity and has extensive experience overseeing the operations of BSL-2/ABSL-2 and BSL-3/ABSL-3 facilities. As the Responsible Official of the UCSF Select Agent program, she also has significant knowledge of Select Agent regulations and biosecurity.

Anastasia Petit, MS
AstraZeneca
Gaithersburg, MD

Anastasia Petit holds a master’s degree in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Newly Emerging Infectious Diseases from Georgetown University. She has 11 years of biosafety/biosecurity experience working as a contractor for AstraZeneca. Anastasia also has a background in conducting clinical HIV research at the Institute of Human Virology.

Julianne Baron, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Science and Safety Consulting, Venetia, PAJulianne Baron, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
Science and Safety Consulting
Venetia, PA

Julianne L. Baron, PhD, CPH, RBP(ABSA) is an infectious disease microbiologist with specialized expertise in laboratory and biological safety, risk assessments, emergency preparedness and planning, safety training, regulatory compliance, and scientific writing. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology. Dr. Baron then completed the prestigious National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP) postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Baron started Science and Safety Consulting, LLC to provide reliable, factual scientific information to help support her clients in conducting research safely, making educated decisions, and ensuring plan and program compliance. She has supported research laboratories, including high containment labs, and served as Alternate Responsible Official for the CDC’s Federal Select Agent Program. Dr. Baron has developed and provided both general and specialized safety training including Principles and Practices of Biosafety, Bloodborne Pathogens, Respiratory Protection Standard Awareness, and hands-on respirator use and fit testing, to hundreds of individuals. She has assisted professional organizations, research institutions, universities, and businesses with scientific and safety projects that include reviewing training materials and revising Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety plans, conducting gap analysis of institutional practices and written procedures, performing experimental decontamination validation, developing OSHA compliant laboratory safety programs, and creating emergency management and pandemic preparedness plans. Dr. Baron has over 15 years of laboratory research experience and has presented her work at national and international conferences. She has authored and co-authored many peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters. Dr. Baron is Certified in Public Health through the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). She is a Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) through the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) International. She has also received an Advanced Safety Certificate through the National Safety Council.

Troy Bigelow, DVM
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Story City, IA

Dr. Troy Bigelow received his DVM from Iowa State University in 2001. After graduation, Troy practiced mixed animal practice including swine, dairy and cow calf in Iowa and Wisconsin. Troy left private practice to start his government career with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in 2003, now 20 years ago. In 2007 Troy moved to USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Swine health programs where he focused on program management and development of swine program policies. He also managed the BSE and EIA programs as interim staff. He has also led incident command teams for the USDA and been deployed multiple times for disease emergency response efforts including working with high path avian influenza in US poultry flocks. Dr. Bigelow, who prefers to be called “Troy” came to Organisms and Vectors, under Animal Products Import Export, in 2017 where he has been doing permitting activities. Troy, who lives in Story City, Iowa, has two children, a semi-trucking company, and a goat herd.

10:15 – 10:45 am Exhibits, Posters, and Coffee Break

Session X Eagleson Lecture Award

Introduction: Mary Ann Sondrini, Eagleson Institute, Sanford, ME
Moderator: Colleen Kovacsics, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Sparks Therapeutics, Elkins Park, PA

10:45 – 11:35 am Evolving Responses to Emerging Disease Threats
Lisa Hensley, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS

11:35 – 11:45 am Q&A Session

Lisa Hensley, PhD
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Manhattan, KS

Dr. Lisa Hensley serves as the Research Leader for the Zoonotic and Emerging Disease Research Unit, or ZEDRU, located at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), which is operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dr. Hensley’s team at NBAF will focus research efforts on zoonotic and emerging pathogens in large livestock and look for ways to interrupt or stop diseases, which is something USDA scientists cannot do anywhere else in the U.S. at the highest level of biocontainment or BSL-4. Before joining the USDA team at NBAF, Dr. Hensley served as the Associate Director for Science at the National Institutes of Health’s Integrated Research Facility in Frederick, Maryland, where she was responsible for developing and managing a multidiscipline/multifaceted research portfolio supporting biodefense, potential pandemic pathogens, and emerging infectious disease research. Dr. Hensley also served as the Director of Regulatory Science for the Medical Countermeasures Initiative in the Office of the Commissioner at the Food and Drug Administration and was the Chief of Viral Therapeutics at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). She has an extensive background in public health, obtaining her doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in immunology and infectious disease from The Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University. She spent the last 25 years developing and characterizing animal models for high-consequence and emerging pathogens, including Ebola and Marburg, SARs, MERs, Variola, mpox (formerly monkeypox) and other viruses. She used these models to develop, evaluate and help advance candidate countermeasures, including therapeutics, post-exposure prophylaxes, vaccines, and diagnostics to improve national and global health. Beyond the confines of the maximum containment laboratory, Dr. Hensley worked in remote locations such as West and Central Africa, where she established research laboratories to respond to outbreaks and conduct clinical trials in low-resource environments. She is considered one of the world’s leading subject matter experts on emerging diseases and high-consequence pathogens. And she is one of few scientists with experience in the development of medical countermeasures from discovery to pre-clinical evaluation and through clinical trials. Dr. Hensley has authored over 250 peer-reviewed scientific papers and book chapters and holds multiple patents.

11:45 – 1:15 pm Exhibits, Posters, and Lunch

Session XI Poster Session

12:15 – 1:15 pm Presenters must be available during the session.

Session XII Emerging Zoonotic Issues

Moderators: Darlene Ward, RBP(ABSA), Advarra, Boca Raton, FL
George Wudiri, DVM, PhD, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM

1:15 – 1:30 pm Learning From the Past: Capacitating Veterinary Labs in Southern Africa
Lia Suzanne Rotherham, PhD, Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa

1:30 – 1:45 pm Handling Bats at Lower Containment Levels – A Case Study of Emergence of Endemic Zoonotics
Shane Riddell, CSIRO-Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

1:45 – 2:00 pm A One Health Approach to Ticks and Tick-borne Disease in Nebraska
Roberto Cortiñas, DVM, PhD, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

2:00 – 2:15 pm Q&A Session

Darlene Ward, RBP(ABSA), Advarra, Boca Raton, FLDarlene Ward, RBP works for Advarra as the Vice-Chair for the IBC Committee and is the Senior Biosafety Expert. Before joining Advarra, she worked for over 28 years in the Higher Ed Environmental Health and Safety field as a Biosafety Officer and Responsible Official overseeing researchers working with infectious diseases, recombinant DNA and select agents. She has a BS in Environmental Science from Florida State University and has been a member of ABSA for over 20 years serving on the Scientific Program and Preconference Course Committees.

George Wudiri, DVM, PhD, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMGeorge Wudiri, DVM, PhD
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, NM

Lia Suzanne Rotherham, PhD
Agricultural Research Council
Onderstepoort Veterinary Research
Pretoria, South Africa

Dr. Lia Rotherham completed her undergraduate degree in BSc: Zoology, as well as her Honours and MSc in Zoology at the University of Pretoria. She joined the CSIR in 2007 to complete a PhD studentship (at the University of Pretoria) focusing on the development of a rapid human tuberculosis diagnostic assay. During her PhD, she was awarded a Columbia University-South African Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program Scholarship, where she spent 6 months at Harvard School of Public Health learning how to work in a BSL-3 facility and the techniques required to culture M. Tuberculosis with Dr. Fortune. After completing her PhD, Lia joined the ARC-OVR in 2013 as a postdoctoral fellow doing research on FMD vaccine development. During this time, Lia was awarded a Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship, where she spent four months at Plum Island Animal Disease Centre working on possible adenovirus-vector vaccine candidates with Drs. De Los Santos and Reider. In 2015, she joined the Vaccine and Diagnostic Development Programme of the ARC-OVR with a research focus on avian influenza and Newcastle disease. A large part of her research focuses on full genome sequence analysis of these viruses, while she also has projects that focus on diagnostic development for poultry and livestock diseases, while also supporting diagnostic laboratories and the training unit at ARC-OVR in various ways.

Shane Riddell
CSIRO-Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness
Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Shane Riddell has worked for CSIRO for over 15 years, and in the Biorisk Management group since 2015. Shane holds joint roles as both the Biorisk Pathogen Specialist and the BSL-4 Laboratory Manager and conducts research into validation of inactivation of Risk Group 3 and 4 viruses to enable staff to work safely at lower containment levels. Shane also conducts research and validation into decontamination of room spaces with newer technologies such as vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide, Fogging Peracetic Acid and Chlorine Dioxide.

Roberto Cortiñas, DVM, PhD, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln, NERoberto Cortiñas, DVM, PhD
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Lincoln, NE

Dr. Roberto Cortinas received his BS in Ecology, Evolution and Animal Behavior at the University of Minnesota and his DVM at Colorado State University. Subsequently, he received his PhD in Veterinary Pathobiology at the University of Illinois, with an emphasis on parasitology and ecology of infectious diseases. Following graduation, he worked as a Senior Scientist in the Parasitology Laboratory at the University of Minnesota, School of Veterinary Medicine. In 2008, he joined the new Cooperative Veterinary Medicine Program at University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Iowa State University as an Assistant Professor of Practice. He teaches veterinary parasitology and Spanish for veterinarians, provides diagnostic support to the Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center, and conducts research on vectors and vector-borne diseases in the region.

2:15 – 3:00 pm Coffee Break, Posters, Exhibits, and Raffle

Session XIII Industrial Biosafety

Moderators: Trent Peacock, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
Tammy Bavaret, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

3:00 – 3:15 pm Collaboration Between Biosafety and Infection Control to Ensure Human Gene Therapy Clinical Trial Success
Allie Reeme, PhD, Shield Consulting, Chesterfield, MO

3:15 – 3:30 pm Developing Spill Response Plans in a Clinical Manufacturing Facility
Alex Brown, CSP, Andelyn Biosciences, Inc., Columbus, OH

3:30 – 3:45 pm Biosafety Practices, Toxicology, and Potent Compound Laboratory
Anthony Gemmellaro, MS, RBP(ABSA), Continuous Pharmaceuticals, Woburn, MA

3:45 – 4:00 Q&A Session

Trent Peacock, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Texas Biomedical Research Institute
San Antonio, TX

Tammy Bavaret, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM)
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA

Allison Reeme, PhD, CIC, RBP(ABSA)Allison Reeme, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
Shield Consulting
Chesterfield, MO

Allison Reeme has over 6 years of experience in infection prevention and hospital epidemiology at an academic medical center consisting of acute care, procedural, and outpatient care settings. She has led multiple quality improvement projects, assisted in hospital credentialing preparedness, mitigating outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms, and designing clinical spaces. Allison has 6 years of experience serving as a Human Gene Therapy expert (HGT) on the Institutional Biosafety Committee, supported a CAR-T cell manufacturing facility and assisted with the training and education of clinical staff supporting HGT clinical trials. Allison has 5+ years’ experience working in A/BSL-2 and A/BSL-3 laboratories conducting bench research with viral and bacterial pathogens. She is certified through the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, is a Registered Biosafety Professional through The American Biological Safety Association and has doctoral degrees in Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics and Translational Science.

Alex Brown, CSP
Andelyn Biosciences, Inc.
Columbus, OH

Alex M. Brown, CSP is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor of Science in Safety Management and Human Factors. Alex currently works at Andelyn Biosciences as the Biosafety Program Manager and Biosafety Officer. He has over 12 years of experience creating a safer workplace for a variety of industries such as aviation, manufacturing, healthcare, and biomedical research, and commercial biotechnology. He has been HAZWOPER trained for over 10 years and has served and trained as a HAZMAT/DECON responder.

Anthony Gemmellaro, MS, RBP(ABSA)
Continuous Pharmaceuticals
Woburn, MA

Anthony Gemmellaro is an EHS professional, with over 25 years of experience in the biotechnology industry. He served as the first biological safety professional in the public sector to regulate high containment facilities and served as the biosafety officer for several companies in the Boston area.

Session XIV Material Transport and Import/Export

Moderators: Frank Novembre, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
Cristine Lawson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), DoD BSAT Biorisk Program Office, Fort Detrick, MD

4:00 – 4:15 pm The Challenges of Shipping Biologicals and Other Regulated Materials
Marie-Luise Faber, MS, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

4:15 – 4:30 pm Import and Export of Biological Materials, a Holistic View
Althea Treacy, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

4:30 – 4:45 pm Evolving a Multifaceted Research Material Shipping Program
Stanley Howell, PhD, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

4:45 – 5:00 pm Q&A Session

Frank Novembre, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FLFrank Novembre, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL

Cristine Lawson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
DoD BSAT Biorisk Program Office
Fort Detrick, MD

Marie-Luise Faber, MS
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

Marie-Luise Faber, Assistant Biosafety Officer, has been at the University of Pennsylvania since 2010. She obtained her BS in Environmental Biology from the University of Dayton in 2000 and her MS in Environmental Resource Management from Antioch New England Graduate School in 2002. After six years of bench work supporting the development of a recombinant rabies virus wildlife vaccine, that is now used globally, Marie-Luise changed direction to become a biosafety professional at Penn. Amongst many other responsibilities, she oversees the Dangerous Good Shipping program for the University of Pennsylvania, where she provides IATA-based shipping training to researchers and various support to researchers for their biological shipment.

Althea Treacy, PhD, CBSP(ABSA)Althea Treacy, PhD, CBSP(ABSA)
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD

Dr. Treacy is an Associate Biosafety Officer, the Quarantine Permit Service Office Team Lead, and Alternate Responsible Official (Select Agent Program) in the Division of Occupational Health and Safety at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Her duties include providing expert safety guidance to researchers working with biological materials and recombinant nucleic acids, reviewing requests to import or export biological materials, delivering safety training to high containment researchers at NIH Bethesda, and mentoring fellows in the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP). Dr. Treacy earned her Bachelor of Science with High Honors in Microbiology from the University of Michigan in 1998 and her PhD from Washington University in St. Louis in the Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis program in 2005. During her doctoral work she identified and characterized two UDP-galactose transporters in the protozoan parasite Leishmania major, refining the role of glycoconjugate synthesis in the parasite life cycle and disease pathogenesis. Dr. Treacy then did postdoctoral research at The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, and the University of California, Irvine, where she investigated molecular interactions required for arenaviral budding and roles for the arenaviral matrix protein in viral RNA synthesis and infection. While at UC-Irvine, she also mentored undergraduate students, taught undergraduate biological science courses, and served as BSL-3 laboratory manager. In 2014, Dr. Treacy completed a fellowship in the NBBTP at the NIH. As a NBBTP Fellow, she examined the effective life span ULPA filters in aerosol management systems for cell sorters, produced a training video to promote safer practices when using biological safety cabinets, and developed virtual lectures that were adopted as part of the American Society for Microbiology’s Culture of Responsibility workshops.

Stanley Howell, PhD
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ

Stanley Howell received his PhD from the University of California at San Diego in Biochemistry in 2008, followed by post-doctoral appointments at Vanderbilt University and Yale University. Dr. Howell returned to the University of California system in 2015, serving in laboratory safety at UCLA and later at UC-Irvine as the Chemical Hygiene Officer. Dr Howell has been serving as the Program Manager for Chemical Safety at Princeton University and managing Princeton’s Hazardous Material Shipping Program since 2019.

6:00 – 10:00 pm Banquet at The Durham Museum

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

7:00 – 5:00 pm Registration
7:00 – 8:00 am Continental Breakfast in Foyer

8:00 – 8:05 am Welcome
Master of Ceremonies: Sherry Bohn, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

Sherry Bohn, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM)
University of Maryland—Baltimore
Baltimore, MD

Session XV Field Biosafety

Moderators: Kaci Van Dalen, MS, NIH/NIAID, Fort Collins, CO
George Wudiri, DVM, PhD, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM

8:05 – 8:20 am Introducing Field Biosafety Levels for Safe Research Beyond Laboratory Walls
Marc Valitutto, DVM, EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY

8:20 – 8:35 am Chronic Wasting Disease in Pennsylvania White Tail Deer
Sarah Capasso, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

8:35 – 8:50 am First Year Lessons as a New Field Research Safety Lead
Jamie Bishop, PhD, University of California—Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

8:50 – 9:05 am Considerations of Field Biosafety Principles and Working with Animals
Gregory Powell, PhD, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

9:05 – 9:35 am Q&A Session

Kaci Van Dalen, MS, NIH/NIAID, Fort Collins, COKaci Van Dalen, MS
NIH/NIAID
Fort Collins, CO

George Wudiri, DVM, PhD, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NMGeorge Wudiri, DVM, PhD
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, NM

Marc Valitutto, DVM
EcoHealth Alliance
New York, NY

Dr. Marc Valitutto is a senior field veterinarian at EcoHealth Alliance, where he focuses on pandemic preparedness throughout the world. He is involved in collaborative research investigating wildlife as a zoonotic disease reservoir, as well as identifying ways of protecting endangered species in their natural habitats. His primary focus is on animal welfare and occupational safety through the advancement of animal biosurveillance methods and developing practical biosafety solutions for field participants, respectively. He previously served as global lead for the USAID Emerging Pandemic Threats PREDICT project in Myanmar, where he and his colleagues detected novel coronaviruses in endemic bat populations. He received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a four-year residency in zoological medicine and surgery at the Wildlife Conservation Society and Cornell University. Prior to joining EcoHealth Alliance, he served in various roles focused on animal health and conservation. His work has been featured on several media outlets, including CBS’s 60 Minutes and NBC’s Today Show.

Sarah Capasso, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PASarah Capasso, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

Dr. Sarah Capasso, Associate Biosafety Officer, has been at the University of Pennsylvania since 2017. She obtained her BS in Biology from Gettysburg College in 2008 and her MS and PhD in Plant Pathology from Penn State University in 2010 and 2016, respectively. At Penn, she works closely with researchers, the Institutional Biosafety Committee, and the university’s large animal laboratories and hospital. Among her many duties, she is the biosafety liaison to the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) at the University of Pennsylvania where she provides technical biosafety support and outreach.

Jamie Bishop, PhD
University of California—Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA

Jamie Bishop has served as the Biosafety Officer and the organization-wide subject matter expert on biological containment practices at University of California – Santa Barbara for over 12 years and took on the Field Research Safety Program mid-2022. She develops risk assessments tailored to academic research and maintains expertise of existing and proposed regulations, with specific attention to those in the broad areas of biological research and waste management. She now supports field researchers with an equipment library and by promoting safety documentation for off campus field research, in the sciences as well as the humanities and social sciences. She earned a Doctorate in Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering from UCSB and worked in private industry on a MEMS-based medical device prior to joining UCSB’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety.

Gregory Powell, PhD
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

Gregory L. Powell is the Animal Biosafety Officer in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at Arizona State University. He has a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and doctoral degree in Physiological Sciences from the University of Arizona. His recent external biosafety work has included coauthoring a manuscript in Applied Biosafety on field safety considerations when working with bats. Additionally, he has presented general field safety recommendations for working with animals at the recent CSHEMA conference. He has served as the Secretary for the Arizona Biosafety Alliance (local ABSA chapter) and is currently the President-Elect.

Session XVI Richard Knudsen Award

Introduction: Larry Mendoza, MS, RBP(ABSA), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Moderator: Kalpana Rengarajan, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Emory University, Atlanta, GA

9:35 – 9:55 am Autoclaving as a Routine Method for the Decontamination of Animal Carcasses in a Biosafety Level 3 Facility
Hermann Schildorfer, PhD, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Mödling, Lower Austria, Austria

9:55 – 10:05 am Q&A Session

Larry Mendoza, MS, RBP(ABSA)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA

Kalpana Rengarajan, PhD, MPH, RBP(ABSA), Emory University, Atlanta, GAKalpana Rengarajan, PhD, MPH, JM, RBP(ABSA)
Director of Research Safety | Senior Biosafety Officer
Emory University
Atlanta, GA

Kalpana Rengarajan is the Director of Research Safety at the Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHSO) and is the Senior Biosafety Officer for Emory University. EHSO has University-wide responsibility for all aspects of Environmental Health and Safety support, including Biosafety and EHS compliance support to Emory Healthcare. This includes biosafety support to the Emory Serious Communicable Diseases Unit (SCDU), which cared for 4 Ebola patients in 2014. The SCDU continues to be a major leader in the U.S. National Ebola Training Center. Her background includes a PhD in Immunology and she has worked as a Visiting Associate at the National Eye Institute, NIH. Prior to joining EHSO she worked as a Research Associate at the Emory Vaccine Center. Kalpana has a passion for Global Biorisk Management Public Health Preparedness and provides guidance internationally. She has a Masters of Public Health from Rollins School of Public Health (Emory University) and a Juris Masters of Law (Emory University). She is a Registered Biosafety Professional. Dr. Rengarajan serves on committees for the ABSA International (American Biological Safety Association) and the Campus Safety Health and Environmental Association (CSHEMA), to create professional development courses, and is a member of the technical writing team for ISO/TC 212/Working Group 5 (ISO Laboratory Biorisk management standard), and was a technical writer for the CEN Workshop Agreements relating to Biorisk Management Systems: CWA 15793:2011 and 16393: 2012. Dr. Rengarajan regularly teaches/facilitates and presents at ABSA and CSHEMA. She has also been teaching for the Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS) program at CDC.

Hermann Schildorfer, PhD
Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety
Mödling, Lower Austria, Austria

10:05 – 10:35 am Coffee Break

Session XVII The State of the Biosafety Profession

Moderators: Colleen Kovacsics, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Sparks Therapeutics, Elkins Park, PA
Sunny Hoffman, MPH, RBP(ABSA), Clinical Biosafety Services, Columbia, MO

10:35 – 10:50 am Do They Know Who We Are? Do We?
Andrew Maksymowych, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

10:50 – 11:05 am Developing a Biorisk Management Competency Framework for ABSA International
LouAnn Burnett, MS, CBSP(ABSA), ABSA International, Mundelein, IL

11:05 – 11:20 am Identifying Competencies for a Biosafety Career Ladder
Paul Meechan, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Biosafety Consultant, Catonsville, MD

11:20 – 11:35 am Development of a Future Sustainable Workforce: The Biorisk Management Certificate at IUP
Tracey Lynn Cekeda, DSc, CSP, Indiana University of PA, Indiana, PA

11:35 – 12:05 pm Q&A Session

Sunny Hoffman, MPH, RBP(ABSA), Clinical Biosafety Services, Columbia, MOSunny Hoffman, MPH, RBP(ABSA)
Clinical Biosafety Services
Columbia, MO

Andrew B. Maksymowych, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PAAndrew B. Maksymowych, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

Andrew has been at the University of Pennsylvania since 2006. He is Penn’s Institutional Biosafety Officer and Associate Director for Life Sciences Safety (BIOSAFETY) and Compliance Programs, IBC Administrator, and the Institutional Contact for Dual Use Research. He sits on the Vice Provost’s for Research, Human Research Advisory Committee, the Human Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee, the Cadaver and Body Parts Oversight Committee, and a Veterinary IRB. Andrew obtained his BS and MS degrees from Villanova University, and his PhD in Biochemistry from Bryn Mawr College. He has more than 20 years of teaching and 35 years of research experience, a major portion of which included oversight of research safety and compliance programs. Prior to his journey at Penn, he held a faculty appointment at Thomas Jefferson University where his research focused on the analysis of structure-function relationships in proteins, including protein toxins that poison the human nervous system, studying the mechanism of action of botulinum neurotoxins. For the past nine years Andrew has been involved in programs with the Biosafety Administrator’s Association (BSAA).

LouAnn C. Burnett, MS, CBSP(ABSA)LouAnn Burnett, MS, CBSP(ABSA)
ABSA International
Mundelein, IL

LouAnn C. Burnett, MS, CBSP(ABSA) is finishing her second term on the ABSA International Executive Committee and Council. For ABSA, she has served significant roles in professional development – as the co-founder of the Principles and Practices of Biosafety immersive course, as the first team leader for the Professional Development Team, and as a frequent ABSA International instructor. In her role for the Global Chemical and Biological Security group at Sandia National Laboratories, LouAnn developed the Global Biorisk Management Curriculum and the Biorisk Management Trainer Development Program which has been used across the world to equip over 1400 trainers in 60 countries to develop training programs in biorisk management. In 2018, LouAnn was awarded an Employee Recognition Award by Sandia for Individual Excellence in mentoring trainers.

Paul Meechan, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Biosafety Consultant
Catonsville, MD

Paul J. Meechan is currently a biosafety consultant, providing guidance and training to a number of academic and government institutions regarding safe containment practices. He has over 30 years’ experience in the field, including positions at the CDC and Merck and Co., Inc. He was also the CDC editor for the 6th edition of the NIH/CDC manual Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories. Paul has served as President of ABSA International and holds a PhD from the University of Rochester.

Tracey Lynn Cekeda, DSc, CSP
Indiana University of PA
Indiana, Pennsylvania

Tracey Cekada, DSc, CSP, is a Professor and Department Chair of the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). She joined IUP in Fall 2005. She completed her MS in Environmental Science and Policy from The Johns Hopkins University and her DSc in Information Systems and Communications from Robert Morris University. Dr. Cekada is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and in 2016 she was the recipient of the nationally recognized Dr. William E. Tarrants Outstanding Safety Educator Award. In 2011, Dr. Cekada was recognized and honored as one of the “100 Women Making a Difference in the Safety, Health and Environmental Profession” book published by the former American Society of Safety Engineers.

12:05 – 1:50 pm Honor Awards and Special Recognition Luncheon
Presenter: Rebecca Moritz, MS, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Arnold G. Wedum Distinguished Achievement Award
Everett J. Hanel, Jr. Presidential Award
John H. Richardson Special Recognition Award
Diane Fleming Leadership Award
Scientific and Informational Poster Awards
Hashimoto Award for Service and Honor
Richard Rebar Recognition of Certified Biological Safety Professionals and Registered Biosafety Professionals

Rebecca Moritz, MS, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CORebecca Moritz, MS, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM)
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO

Session XVIII Animal Biosafety

Moderators: Max Schroeder, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tucker, GA
Darlene Ward, RBP(ABSA), Advarra, Boca Raton, FL

1:50 – 2:05 pm Microbiome Work in Gnotobiotic Mice: I See Your “Healthy Human Flora” and Raise You a BSL-2 Agent
Susan Vleck, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Stanford University, Stanford, CA

2:05 – 2:20 pm Building a Successful Animal Research Safety Program at a University
Marina Zelivyanskaya, DVM, RBP(ABSA), Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

2:20 – 2:35 pm Issues in Non-Human Primate BSL-3 Research Facilities
Edwin Scott Kreitlein, MArch, BHDP Architects, Cincinnati, OH

2:35 – 2:50 pm Q&A Session

Max Schroeder, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Tucker, GA

Darlene Ward, RBP(ABSA), Advarra, Boca Raton, FLDarlene Ward, RBP works for Advarra as the Vice-Chair for the IBC Committee and is the Senior Biosafety Expert. Before joining Advarra, she worked for over 28 years in the Higher Ed Environmental Health and Safety field as a Biosafety Officer and Responsible Official overseeing researchers working with infectious diseases, recombinant DNA and select agents. She has a BS in Environmental Science from Florida State University and has been a member of ABSA for over 20 years serving on the Scientific Program and Preconference Course Committees.

Susan Vleck, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Stanford University
Stanford, CA

Susan E. Vleck, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA) is an EH&S Assistant Director and oversees the Laboratory Chemical and Physical Safety Program and the Animal Research Occupational Health and Safety Program at Stanford University. Her background is in viral infectious diseases, and she has over ten years of experience in biosafety and lab safety.

Marina Zelivyanskaya, DVM, RBP(ABSA)
Northwestern University
Chicago, IL

Marina Zelivyanskaya, DVM, MSRC, RBP(ABSA) joined the Research Safety Office at Northwestern in 2010. She is a Senior Biosafety Specialist and works as a liaison between RS, IACUC, and Animal Facility. She is an IACUC member. The main responsibilities of her current position are to estimate the risk assessment for chemical and biological hazardous agents used in research animals. She works in collaboration with Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Chemical and Radiation Safety Committees. She presented her work at different conferences, including AALAS, and Society for Neuroscience.

Edwin Scott Kreitlein
MArch, BHDP Architects
Cincinnati, OH

Scott Kreitlein has over 30 years of experience in the architectural design community planning some of the most complex science related projects in the industry. Having worked exclusively in the science and technology field, Scott has utilized his extensive experience and skills in planning and designing a variety of different research-based facilities across the globe. His portfolio reflects experience in research, healthcare, and biomedical projects in a variety of different academic, governmental, and corporate institutions, inside and outside the United States. This has made him a well-rounded expert in a variety of science related building types. Some of his clients include the United States Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization, the United State Corps of Engineers, Tulane University, University of California Berkley, the Institute of Surgical Research, United States National Primate Research Centers, the Nazarbayev University in Astana Kazakhstan, and many more internationally recognized institutions. He specializes in both biocontainment and barrier type vivarium facilities and has designed both project types in Taiwan at Chang Gung University and the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control. Scott has shared his knowledge and experience by speaking at science and technology research conferences and seminars in the United States, Germany, China, and Taiwan. He recently served as the President of the Arizona Chapter of I2SL, a nationally recognized organization that specializes in sustainability and energy conservation in laboratory planning and design.

2:50 – 3:15 pm Coffee Break

Session XIX Unique Topics in Biosafety

Moderators: Matt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
Kelly Flint, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, MD

3:15 – 3:30 pm Enhancing Biosafety for the Use of Biohazards in High-Speed Cell Sorters
Benjamin Fontes, MPH, CBSP(ABSA), Yale University, New Haven, CT

3:30 – 3:45 pm Reflections on Biotech Incubators in Academic Settings
Olga Draper, University of California—Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

3:45 – 4:00 pm High Containment Laboratory Support at UW-Madison
Andrea Ladd, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, WI

4:00 – 4:15 pm BSC MythBusters: Do Large Lab Machines Require an Enclosure to Maintain Protection
Kara Held, PhD, Baker, Sanford, ME

4:15 – 4:45 pm Q&A Session

Matt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NEMatt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE

Matt is the Biosafety Officer and Responsible Official (RO) at the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL), where he has been since 2009. His duties include management of the biosafety program at UNL, serving as RO for UNL’s Select Agent Program as well as serving on the IBC, IACUC and Plant Growth Facility committees. He attended Dana College in Blair, NE (1994-1998) for his undergraduate studies and double majored in Biology and Chemistry. He earned his PhD in Chemical Biology from Washington University in St. Louis in 2005. His graduate work focused on molecular recognition of the main light sensing pathway in the human eye and understanding the forces and characteristics involved in the interaction between Rhodopsin (a G-protein coupled receptor) and its cognate G-protein,transducin. He completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship also at Washington University designing peptide-based scaffolds for site-directed targeting of lipid nanoparticles carrying both imaging agents and therapeutic compounds. He got his start in biosafety through a post-doctoral fellowship in biosafety at Washington University in St. Louis (2008-2009) under the mentorship of Susan Cook. He has been an ABSA member since 2008, currently serving as Chair of the ABSA E-communications Committee (2015-present), a member of the ABSA Scientific Program Committee (2018–present), ABSA Nominating Committee (2020), and Chair of the Local arrangements Committee for the 2023 ABSA Conference. He has been active in the Midwest Area Biosafety Network (MABioN) affiliate since 2008, having held positions as Councilor-at-Large (2012-2014), President Elect (2014-2016), and President (2016-2018) and Past-President (2018-2020). He obtained his RBP certification in 2015 and CBSP certification in 2019.At UNL Matt has been involved with numerous lab design and renovation projects including BSL-1, BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories. He has completed both ABSA pre-conference courses on Engineering for the Biosafety Professional as well as completed BSL-3 and ABSL-3 training courses from UTMB. As the RO he has been intimately involved with the operations of UNL’s BSL-3 laboratories and participated in every annual certification since the first lab opened in 2009.

Benjamin Fontes, MPH, CBSP(ABSA)
Yale University
New Haven, CT

Benjamin Fontes is currently the Biosafety Officer and Senior Associate Director for the Yale University Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Office. He has served as the Biosafety Officer since 1995 and has managed the EHS Safety Advisor program from 2001 to 2022. Ben has an undergraduate degree in Biology from Wesleyan University (1986) and an MPH in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Michigan (1995). He is a Certified Biological Safety Professional and an active member of the American Biological Safety Association International (ABSA), where he currently serves on the Training Tools and Resources Committee. Previously, he has served as the 2010 President of the association. He also previously served as an ABSA Councilor (2002 – 2005) and Chair of the ABSA Training and Education Committee (1999 – 2002). Ben has also served on the executive board of the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (2013 – 2020) where he has served as Board Chair from 2014 – 2017.

Olga Draper
University of California—Berkeley
Berkeley, CA

Olga Draper is an assistant biosafety officer at University of California—Berkeley, helping support 50 companies and 250 labs. She was in academic research for 20 years prior, mostly focused on the cell biology of bacteria.

Andrea Ladd, PhD, RBP(ABSA)
University of Wisconsin—Madison
Madison, WI

Andrea Ladd has been the Director of Biological Safety and Biological Safety Officer at the University of Wisconsin – Madison since 2016. She is also the co-founder and chair of the University of Wisconsin – Madison High Containment Laboratory Committee. She has a BS in Molecular Biology, a PhD in Cell Biology, and holds the Registered Biosafety Professional credential.

Kara Held, PhD, Baker, Sanford, MEKara Held, PhD
Baker
Sanford, ME

Kara Held, PhD brings an extensive knowledge of Cell Biology, Pharmacology, and Biosafety to The Baker Company. Prior to her coming on board, she was a Lab Manager, Safety Officer, and Researcher at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. She earned her PhD at the University of Vermont Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and then completed her postdoctoral training at Yale University in the Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program. Her recent experience in academic research brings a unique perspective, familiarity, and hands-on knowledge base with laboratory science. As the Science Director for Baker, she has helped provide some clarity into the nuances of Biosafety through the use of Biosafety Cabinets.

4:45 pm Close of Conference

Sherry Bohn, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD