In-person Professional Development Courses
All times listed are in MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME
Friday Courses
Friday, November 1, 2024
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge
Friday, November 1, 2024, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
1. BSL-3 Operations and Management
This course will review the important aspects of BSL-3 Operations and Management from two points of view; “hardware” (i.e., facilities & equipment issues) and “software” (i.e., administrative controls). It will cover various aspects you need to consider in order to operate a BSL-3 facility, such as training, maintenance support, occupational health, waste management, maintenance, performance verification, and emergency response. The instructors will encourage interaction and the exchange of experiences among the attendees. Regulatory aspects from any specific country, or planning, design, or construction-related issues will not be covered.
Objectives:
- Describe the elements of BSL-3 Operations and Management (risk management, primary barriers, annual performance verification, emergency response, etc)
- Recognize institutional, management, and user responsibilities
- Summarize approaches to developing manuals, SOPs, and training
Suggested Background: Basic Risk Assessment and familiarity with BSL-3 Concepts
Target Audience: Safety Professionals, BSL-3 Managers, Containment Engineers, Lab and Scientific Directors
Audience Level: Basic
COURSE FACULTY
J. Paul Jennette, MS, PE, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Biosafety Engineer
Director of Biocontainment Operations
Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine
Ithaca, NY
Paul Jennette holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Environmental Engineering from Cornell and the University of Massachusetts, respectively, and is both a Registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Biological Safety Professional. Since 1999, he has held the position of Biosafety Engineer at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine and has also been the Director of Biocontainment Operations there since 2013. Paul’s responsibilities include: design, verification, operation, decontamination, and program management related to Cornell’s BSL-3, ACL-3, and ABSL-3 facilities, which include both research & diagnostic laboratories as well as a BSL-3 large animal necropsy; training all Cornell BSL-3 scientific and support staff and providing direct, in-containment support for BSL-3 diagnostic operations; directing the operations of Cornell’s medical and pathological waste treatment facility, which includes a 5,000-lb/batch carcass digester; serving on Cornell’s Institutional Biosafety Committee and directing the Cornell Vet College Rabies Risk Management Program. Paul serves on biosecurity teams for Select Agent Labs at the Cornell Vet College and provides technical support for the College’s effluent decontamination systems. He served as the American Biological Safety Association’s representative on the ANSI committee to develop a national standard for the verification of BSL-3 facility performance, is a reviewer and lead author of a technical column for the Applied Biosafety journal, and is a member of ABSA’s Professional Development Team. He is a former co-chair of ABSA’s Principles & Practices of Biosafety class as well as a regular instructor for BSL-3 courses offered by the Eagleson Institute and ABSA. In addition to his position at Cornell, Paul provides biocontainment operations consulting services to a variety of academic, governmental, and pharmaceutical clients.
Carrie Smith, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Senior Scientist
Biosafety and Laboratory Operations
Merrick & Company
Greenwood Village, CO
Carrie Smith has served as a biosafety professional for over fourteen years in academia, the government, and the private sector. In her current role, she serves as a Senior Scientist with Merrick & Company, specializing in biosafety and laboratory operations planning for new laboratories, renovations, and laboratory transitions. Prior to her role at Merrick, she served as BSO and ARO at Oklahoma State University, a biosafety specialist and trainer at University of Wisconsin—Madison, and BSO and ARO at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center. Carrie earned her undergraduate degree in Biology with a concentration in Biotechnology from the University of Delaware and her PhD in Genetics from North Carolina State University. Her research included work with recombinant bacteria, viruses, fungi, and plants as well as biological toxins. As a biosafety professional, Carrie has managed both small and large biosafety programs and her expertise includes BSL-3/ABSL-3 oversight, atypical animals in biocontainment, select agent program management, recombinant technology, plant biosafety, diagnostic labs, and on-line and in-person training development. She serves as Co-Chair and Instructor for ABSA’s Principles & Practices of Biosafety Course and is a member of the Preconference Course Committee.
Dee Zimmerman
Biosafety Consultant
ABSA Past President-2019
Galveston, TX
Dee Zimmerman retired from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Environmental Health and Safety. She was the university biosafety officer, director of the health, safety and training core for the University of Texas Medical Branch—Galveston (UTMB) National Laboratory, senior environmental health and safety consultant in the Biological Safety program and served as the university’s select agent program alternate responsible official, IBC member and coordinator. Her duties include working closely with research staff in BSL-2, BSL-3, BSL-4, ABSL-2, 3, and 4 laboratories working closely with research scientists, biocontainment engineers, facility staff and occupational health. Dee was with the University of Texas Medical Branch from 1982 until retiring in 2017. She attended Inter-American University in Puerto Rico and was the lab and safety coordinator for the Marine Ecology Division, Center for Energy and Environmental Research at the University of Puerto Rico. Dee is the 2019 Past President of ABSA International.
CONTACT HOURS
This course has been approved for 1.0 CM points toward RBP/CBSP recertification. ABSA International is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. This course is approved for 7.5 P.A.C.E.® contact hours.
Friday, November 1, 2024, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
2. IATA Infectious Substance Shipping Certification
This course is appropriate for those who have some experience with infectious substance handling or shipping but may not have been certified within the past 3 years and those with little to no previous training. The course utilizes several facilitated learning activities. There will be group discussions and interactive exercises focused on the essential areas of infectious substance shipping. New IATA requirements for competency assessment will be administered short interactive assignments, and an online exam. Participants will mark, label, package, and complete documentation for infectious substance shipments (Category A, Category B, and Exempt Patient Specimens), and review applicable regulations with a focus on IATA. Additional U.S. DOT differences will also be addressed. This course is appropriate for those responsible for packaging, marking, and labeling shipments of all categories of infectious substances, dry ice, and liquid nitrogen. Participants have both an online exam (score at least 80%) and practical exercises to complete to demonstrate competency. Successful completion of the course will qualify attendees for IATA/DOT certification.
Objectives:
- Review and restate shipping regulations for both air and ground with a particular focus on 49 CFR US DOT and IATA air regulations
- Conduct a risk assessment and be able to properly classify and identify infectious substances for transport purposes
- Package, mark, label, and prepare documentation for shipments of infectious substances to meet regulatory requirements for air and ground shipments
Suggested Background: None
Target Audience: All Safety Professionals, New Biosafety Professionals, Laboratory Workers
Audience Level: Basic
COURSE FACULTY
Eric Cook, MPH
Senior Member – Technical Staff
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, NM
Eric Cook is a Senior Member of the Technical Staff in the International Biological and Chemical Threat Reduction Program at Sandia National Laboratories where his work focuses on promoting global laboratory biorisk management. He serves as one of the program’s lead trainers. Eric served as the Biosafety Officer for Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH for five years where he managed the Biosafety Program and Institutional Biosafety Committee. Prior to working at Dartmouth, Eric was an Assistant Biosafety Officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for six years. While at MIT, Eric completed his Master’s Degree in Public Health at Boston University with a focus on Environmental Health. Eric has a B.S.in Molecular Biology from Brigham Young University where he worked in a recombinant DNA lab for two years assisting with work in phylogenetics. He is certified by the National Registry of Certified Microbiologists as a Specialist Microbiologist in Biological Safety Microbiology and previously by ABSA International as a Certified Biological Safety Professional. Eric has particular expertise in dangerous goods and infectious substance shipping. He worked for three years at Saf-T-Pak, Inc. developing training programs and packaging for shipping infectious substances.
CONTACT HOURS
This course has been approved for 1.0 CM points toward RBP/CBSP recertification. ABSA International is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. This course is approved for 7.5 P.A.C.E.® contact hours.
Friday, November 1, 2024, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
3. Basic Risk Assessment
Rapid scientific and technological advances continue to challenge the biosafety community in determining and establishing the practices and containment necessary to avoid exposure to hazardous biological agents and materials found in the laboratory. This introductory course will provide an opportunity to incorporate the basic knowledge and skills necessary to perform risk assessments for working safely with pathogens (human and animal) and rDNA (genetically modified organisms or viral vectors). Using case studies, attendees will work together to conduct risk assessments by determining the hazards involved; the appropriate questions to ask to address the potential risks associated with the intended activities and make recommendations on appropriate containment and practices required to work safely. Each group will present their conclusions from the activity.
Objectives:
- Identify and list determinants for assessing risk (host, environment, agent)
- Complete the steps of a risk assessment and determine steps to manage risk (mitigation)
- Identify resources and references for risk assessment/management
Suggested Background: None
Target Audience: New Biosafety Professionals, Laboratory Workers
Audience Level: Basic
COURSE FACULTY
CONTACT HOURS
David Harbourt, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM)
Safety and Occupational Health Manager
Office of Management, Center for Veterinary Medicine
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Dr. David Harbourt is a Safety and Occupational Health Manager for the Center of Veterinary Medicine at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Prior to his current position, he served as the Program Director of the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP) at the National Institutes of Health. Before that, he served in a variety of roles at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) including Biosafety Officer, Chief of the Biosafety Division and Deputy Director of the USMARIID Transition Office (2012-2021). Prior to working at USAMRIID, he was a fellow in the NBBTP. Preceding the fellowship, he graduated with his B.S. in Biochemistry from Virginia Tech (’05) and his Ph.D. in Toxicology from UNC-Chapel Hill (’09).
Dr. Harbourt has been an active member of ABSA International since 2010; has previously served as the Chair of the Preconference Course Committee and Chair of the Training Tools and Resources Committee; and currently serves as a member of the Exam Development Board for the CBSP Exam. He has also been a member of the Standards Committee, Professional Development Team, and BSAT Community Advocate Committee for ABSA. He has recently been named Co-Chair of the ABSA Ambassadors Committee. Locally within the Chesapeake Area Biosafety Association, Dave has been a Councilor, Chair of the Scientific Program Committee for its annual symposium, and Chair of the Pre-Symposium Committee. Previously, Dr. Harbourt served as Chair of the DoD Biosafety and Scientific Review Panel.
Dr. Harbourt has published several articles on topics relevant to biosafety including bacteriology, virology, agent inactivation, effluent decontamination systems, and risk assessment. He has also taught courses both at ABSA and at local universities on biosafety, risk assessment, emergency management, and effluent decontamination systems. Dave is a Registered Biosafety Professional and Certified Biological Safety Professional through ABSA International and a Specialist Microbiologist (NRCM) through the American Society of Microbiology.
Rachel Gamble, DrPH, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)
Pond & Company
Peachtree Corners, GA
Katie George, PhD, MPA, RBP(ABSA)
Associate Partner and Human Gene Therapy Biosafety Officer
Clinical Biosafety Services
Chesterfield, MO
Katie George lives in Missoula, Montana and is currently an Associate Partner and Human Gene Therapy Biosafety Officer for Clinical Biosafety Services (Chesterfield, MO) working with clinics, universities, and hospitals in the United States and Canada prepare for IBC review of Human Gene Therapy (HGT) clinical trials.
Katie holds a BS in Biology from the University of Iowa, a PhD in Biochemistry from Northwestern University, and an MPA from Purdue University. After obtaining her PhD, she was a post-doctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health researching mycobacterial pathogenesis. After her post-doctoral position, she served as faculty at the University of Montana teaching and leading a research team studying organophosphate pesticide toxicology. Later, she taught medical students at the Medical University of the Americas (Nevis, West Indies). During her career, Katie has worked as a toxicology consultant for the State of Montana Public Defenders and the State of Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.
Katie has been an ABSA member since 2020 and a Registered Biosafety Professional since 2021. She currently serves on the Distance Learning Committee for ABSA International.
This course has been approved for 1.0 CM points toward RBP/CBSP recertification. ABSA International is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. This course is approved for 7.5 P.A.C.E.® contact hours.
Friday, November 1, 2024, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
4. Intersection Between Biosafety and Infection Control: An Introduction to Infection Control and Biosafety in Clinical Spaces
This course is meant for the biosafety professional who would like to learn more about application of biosafety principles in the clinical environment and partnering with Infection Control Departments in health systems. This is increasingly important as clinical trials using biological therapeutics, such as human gene transfer (HGT), require safety professionals to develop investigational product handling, preparation, and administration protocols that align with current clinical safety practices and environments. The goals of this course are to introduce different clinical environments, specific biosafety considerations for each space, hospital regulatory requirements that influence safety protocols, and how to collaborate with hospital infection control professionals to operationalize safety protocols in a way that’s meaningful to hospital staff.
Objectives:
- Describe inpatient, procedural and outpatient clinical environments and how this affects implementation of Biosafety Practices
- Restate the similarities and differences between biosafety levels, isolation precautions and standard precautions
- Summarize how NIH and BMBL guidelines relate to hospital regulatory and accreditation requirements when creating protocols for HGT clinical trials
Suggested Background: Principles and Practices of Biosafety® (PPB), Risk Assessment
Target Audience: All Safety Professionals, All Biosafety Professionals
Audience Level: Intermediate
COURSE FACULTY
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.
CONTACT HOURS
This course has been approved for 1.0 CM points toward RBP/CBSP recertification. ABSA International is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. This course is approved for 7.5 P.A.C.E.® contact hours.