Sunday, October 26, 2025
6:30 – 8:30 pm Opening Reception in the Exhibit Hall
MONDAY SCHEDULE:
Scientific Program
October 27, 2025
All times listed will be Eastern Standard Time
7:00 am – 5:00 pm Registration
7:00 – 8:00 am Continental Breakfast in Foyer
9:00 am – 4:00 pm Vendor Exhibits
8:00 – 8:15 am Welcome and ABSA International President’s Address
Sherry S. Bohn, PhD, MSL, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
8:15 – 8:20 am Local Arrangements Committee Welcome
Scott Alderman, MS, CBSP(ABSA), Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC
8:20 – 8:25 am Scientific Program Committee Welcome
Colleen Kovacsics, PhD, RBP(ABSA), FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Morrisville, NC
Dr. Sherry S. Bohn, the current President of ABSA International, is a respected microbiologist and expert in biosafety. She has more than 17 years of experience working in private companies, government agencies, and universities. Following 14 years focusing on biosafety and biosecurity, Dr. Bohn is now the Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She is a CBSP (ABSA International) and holds a Masters in Law from University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Carey School of Law. Her current work focuses on creating the business case for safe and secure environments for scientific research. A published author and a certified expert in managing change, Dr. Bohn is committed to improving biosafety through education, innovation, and mentoring others.
Scott Alderman has more than 28 years of biosafety experience and is currently the Director of Safety and RBL Operations for the Human Vaccine Institute at Duke University. He provides oversight of a comprehensive safety program for the Institute, which includes the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, a BSL-3/ABSL-3 facility that is currently registered with the CDC Select Agent Program. Scott is a voting member of Duke’s Institutional Biosafety Committee and is the Program Manager for the Duke Infectious Disease Response Training (DIDRT) consortium, a federally funded program through the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. Over the past three years, more than 2000 healthcare and clinical laboratory workers have received tailored training through the DIDRT program on safely performing their assigned work duties during infectious disease outbreaks. Scott has a Bachelor of Science in biology from Radford University and a Master of Science in environmental sciences and engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been an active member of the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) since 1996, including past service as a Councilor for the Association. Scott is a member and Past-President of the Carolinas Biological Safety Association, an affiliate of ABSA.
As the Global Biosafety Officer for FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Colleen brings a wealth of experience and expertise in biorisk management, cell & viral gene therapy, and GMP operations. In this role, she serves as a centralized subject matter expert to assist in all aspects of contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) operations surrounding biologically derived therapeutics, specifically: new product introductions, risk assessments, training, and regulatory compliance. Colleen previously served as the Lead Biosafety Officer for Spark Therapeutics, overseeing capital investment projects like their new Gene Therapy Innovation Center, scaling their AAV commercial platform, and was a pivotal SME in the success of Luxturna®, the first ever FDA approved viral gene therapy for the treatment of inherited retinal dystrophy. Previous to this, she worked as the biosafety officer at the University of Pennsylvania where she partnered with Dr. Carl June on the first ever CAR-T Cell therapy, Kymriah®. Colleen has a B.S. in neuroscience from Penn State University, holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania, is a registered biosafety professional though the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA International), and is the chair of ABSA’s Scientific Program Committee. She currently lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband and 7-year-old son, as well as their Boston Terrier puppy, Millie.
Session 1 | Arnold G. Wedum Memorial Lecture Award
Introduction: Colleen Kovacsics, PhD, RBP(ABSA), FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Morrisville, NC
Moderator: Shelley Jones, MS, RBP(ABSA), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
8:25 – 9:15 am The Global One Health Paradigm and the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance
Wondwossen Gebreyes, DVM, PhD, DACVPM, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
9:15 – 9:25 am Q&A Session
Dr. Wondwossen A. Gebreyes completed his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) and his PhD in Population Medicine at North Carolina State University. He is the founding Executive Director of the Global One Health initiative at one of the most comprehensive U.S. public, land-grant universities, The Ohio State University. Dr. Gebreyes received the Hazel C. Youngberg Distinguished Professorship from the Ohio State Office of Academic Affairs and was recently elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). He spearheaded the development of the Global One Health paradigm, bringing together diverse disciplines across health sciences, agriculture, business, engineering, education, social science and others. Some of his current services include the Board of Trustees, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Vice Chair Executive Committee, National Academy of International Education, Chair, Executive Advisory Board, USAID One Health WorkForce-Next Generation [OHW-NG] and Advisory Board, NIH Fogarty International Center. Dr. Gebreyes serves as President of the Board of Managers of the Ohio State Global One Health, LLC; a non-governmental, non-profit affiliated entity of the University that is licensed to function in the state of Ohio as well as in sub- Saharan Africa, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Through this NGO, he has been able to lead numerous high-impact implementation projects including Public Health Social Impact on COVID-19, Global Health Security Agenda, NIH Fogarty Research Training program in Food- water- and vector-borne disease capacity in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania and the Global Innovation Initiative (GII) in Brazil and Mexico. These projects address priority global issues using an integrated, grassroots approach, with a resolve to save lives from epidemic/pandemic threats to food and waterborne diseases (such as Cholera) in Africa, antimicrobial resistance in Latin America etc. while building and strengthening the knowledge base and capacity of the global community. He has mentored and advised more than 145 local and international students and scholars. As a molecular epidemiologist and scholar, he has become a world- renowned scholar for his work addressing antimicrobial resistance, a priority global public health threat. He has led the establishment of the annual Global One Health Summer institute, convened annually since 2012 with more than 8,500 trainees from diverse more than 75 countries & 20 U.S. states between 2012 and 2023. His scholarly achievements include more than 260+ peer-reviewed manuscripts published in highly reputable journals. He served as the principal investigator of several research and training programs sponsored by the National Institute of Health (NIH) Fogarty International Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. State Department, Global Innovation Initiative (U.S., U.K., Brazil), and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation among others.9:25 – 9:55 am | Exhibits, Posters, and Coffee Break
Session 2 | Applied Biosafety
Moderators:
Matthew Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), MRIGlobal, Kansas City, MO
Betsy Matos, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), Iowa State University, Ames, IA
9:55 – 10:10 am BSC MythBusters: All Airflow Monitors are Created Equal
Kara Held, PhD, The Baker Company, Sanford, ME
10:10 – 10:25 am Heat Me with Your Best Shot
Shane Riddell, MSc, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, East Geelong, Victoria, Australia
10:25 – 10:40 am Cutting Edge Safety: Characterizing Sharps Use in the Research Laboratories
Sheryl Mansour, MPA, University of California—San Diego, San Diego, CA
10:40 – 10:55 am Q&A Session
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.
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.
Sheryl Mansour serves as the Biosafety Officer at the University of California—San Diego, where she plays a crucial role in safeguarding the community through comprehensive biorisk management. With her recent completion of a Master’s in Public Administration and years of experience, Sheryl brings a unique perspective by applying principles of public management to the specialized field of biosafety. Her integrated approach combines rigorous scientific standards with effective administrative practices to create sustainable safety protocols that protect researchers and the broader community.10:55 – 11:00 am | Stretch
Session 3 | Poster Speed Talks
Moderators:
Colleen Driskill, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA
Rachel Gamble, DrPH, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Pond & Company, Peachtree Corners, GA
11:00 – 11:30 am
Implementing Risk-Based Stratified Controls for the Safe Use of Diphtheria Toxin
Mary Brock, CBSP(ABSA), CPBCA, Duke University, Durham, NC
Use of Hybrid Hydrogen PeroxideTM Vapor to Decontaminate a Small Hepa Housing with Hepa Filter Installed
Rachael Sullivan, MS, RBP(ABSA), Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Tips & Tricks for Designing Studies with UV-Reactive Microorganism Simulants
Devin Boyles, MS, RBP(ABSA), CPH, MRIGlobal, Gaithersburg, MD
Mobilizing Biosafety — An Intro to Mobile Laboratories & Event Preparedness
Shoolah Escott, MS, MT(ASCP), Biosafety and Biosecurity Trainer, Lexington, MA
Developing Pharma Biosafety Professionals: The Right Mix of on the Job and Structured Training
Michelle Frondelli, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Johnson and Johnson, Raritan, NJ
Advancing Laboratory Safety: The Impact of Community Outreach and Training Initiatives at Boston Children’s Hospital
Madeeha Maqsood, MS, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Celebrating 25 Years of the Needlestick Prevention Act!
Marian Downing, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Consultant, Kemah, TX
Occupational Hazard Assessments for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Erica Dahl, PhD DABT, SafeBridge Consultants, Inc., New York, NY
Beyond the Blueprint: Navigating Biosafety in Lab Transitions
Carrie Smith, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Merrick & Company, Greenwood Village, CO
A Unified Compliance Model of Biosafety and Animal Care and Use Programs at USF
Debra Howeth, MPH, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Mary Brock, CBSP(ABSA), is currently a Safety and Health Specialist serving as Assistant Biosafety Officer in the Biological Safety Division of the Occupational and Environmental Safety Office at Duke University Health System. She is also an Alternate Responsible Official for the Select Agent Program. Mary has been a member of ABSA International since 2021. Mary is an active member of the Public Relations and Marketing Committee. Mary began her career as a researcher and safety professional with the Department of Defense before moving to Duke University.
Rachael is a Senior Laboratory Coordinator at the BRI. As a working supervisor, she works with the other Lab Coordinators to order PPE and supplies for the research labs, set up labs prior to research studies, decontaminate research spaces after project completion, and many things in between. The Lab Coordinators facilitate communication between different groups both in and out of the building, such as operations staff, biosafety staff, equipment vendors, EH&S, and researchers. Rachael also serves as a member of the BRI Project Coordination Committee which functions to schedule research projects in the facility. Rachael worked as a Biosafety Specialist at the BRI for seven years before becoming a Lab Coordinator. Prior to that, she worked in infectious disease research at the BSL-3 level with organisms such as Brucella Melitensis, Francisella Tularensis, and Yersinia Pestis. She enjoys teaching and implementing practical strategies for improvement in the constantly evolving research program at the BRI.
Devin is a Registered Biological Safety Professional (RBP) that serves as a staff scientist and technical developer for biorisk management and diagnostic training programs in support of various governmental, academic, and commercial clients. Previous to her work at MRIGlobal she spent two years in laboratory safety and biological import specialist positions at the University of Pittsburgh, and, before that, worked as a virology research technician in Pitt’s Center for Vaccine Research where she studied the neurological and congenital effects of Rift Valley fever virus infection in rodents. Devin has a Master of Science in Environmental and Occupational Health and is Certified in Public Health.
Shoolah Escott is currently an independent, Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Bioterrorism Preparedness Trainer and a COVID-19 Contact Tracer with Partners In Health. She was the Biosafety Manager and ARO at the MA State Public Health Laboratory for over 2 years where she provided biosafety training and support to over 50 clinical laboratories and to internal public health laboratory staff. She worked for APHL/CDC National Laboratory Training Network, CDC Laboratory Training Branch for over 17 years developing, implementing, delivering, and presenting national training programs in biosafety, biosecurity and bioterrorism preparedness. She has a strong background in clinical microbiology and was the safety officer for the Memorial Hospital clinical laboratory. Currently, she serves on several ABSA and APHL committees. Here are a few key biosafety accomplishments: What Constitutes an Effective Biosafety Plan at the World Microbe Forum; Biosafety and Biosecurity: Minimizing the Risks in the Laboratory and Clinical Laboratory Biosafety Risk Assessment seminars presented nationally multiple times; and the lead on the initial development and revision of the Clinical Laboratory Preparedness and Response Guide.
Michelle Frondelli is an Occupational Toxicologist at Johnson and Johnson, specializing in biosafety and occupational toxicology. With a solid background in the pharmaceutical industry, her work focuses on the classification and risk assessment of new and cutting-edge biologic modalities. Prior to her current role, she has several years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program at the National Institutes of Health, where she underwent intensive training in high and maximum biocontainment. She holds a PhD from New Jersey Medical School/Rutgers University, an MS from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a BS from Rutgers University, all in Biomedical Engineering. Additionally, she most recently earned her Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) credential from ABSA International. Looking into the future, Michelle is eager to take on new challenges and make a meaningful impact on the field of biosafety and occupational toxicology.
Madeeha Maqsood, originally from Lahore, Pakistan, and raised in Arizona, USA, is the first in her family to pursue higher education. She holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Arizona State University. Currently, Madeeha serves as the Senior Biosafety Program Coordinator and Associate Biosafety Officer at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). In this role, she conducts risk assessments, develops safety protocols, and oversees the biosafety program to ensure compliance with safety standards. She also serves as a voting member of BCH’s Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Madeeha actively promotes safety at BCH through educational initiatives, including organizing Lab Representative Town Halls, conducting Safety Audits, and leading the Annual RLSO Safety Fairs, all of which foster a culture of safe research practices across the institution.
Marian is currently a biosafety consultant; she has 53 years of laboratory bench and biorisk management experience in public health, academia, pharma and veterinary laboratories, and retired after serving as a Biosafety Officer at Abbott Laboratories. She is a past president of ABSA International, the ABSA representative to the APHL Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee and Co-Chair of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Committee.
Erica Dahl is a senior managing toxicologist at SafeBridge Consultants, which provides environmental health and safety services to support pharmaceutical manufacturing. She has 25 years’ experience as a toxicologist, study director, and researcher. Dr. Dahl received her PhD in molecular and environmental toxicology from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. Her postdoctoral research at the University of California—San Francisco involved antimalarial drug discovery.
Carrie Smith is a seasoned biosafety professional with over fifteen years of experience spanning academia, government, and the private sector. As a Senior Scientist at Merrick & Company, she specializes in biosafety and laboratory operations planning, helping clients design and transition laboratories through new constructions, renovations, and strategic upgrades. Her expertise also extends to training, biosafety program development, standard operating procedures (SOPs), manuals, decontamination strategies, and other critical biosafety initiatives. Before joining Merrick, Carrie held key roles in biosafety leadership, serving as BSO and ARO at Oklahoma State University, a biosafety specialist and trainer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and BSO and ARO at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology with a concentration in Biotechnology from the University of Delaware and went on to complete her PhD in Genetics at North Carolina State University, where her research encompassed recombinant bacteria, viruses, fungi, plants, and biological toxins. Throughout her career, Carrie has successfully led both small and large biosafety programs, demonstrating expertise in BSL-3/ABSL-3 oversight, atypical animal biocontainment, select agent program management, recombinant technology, plant biosafety, diagnostic laboratory protocols, and the development of online and in-person training. In addition to her professional contributions, she is deeply involved in educational initiatives, serving as an instructor for ABSA’s Principles & Practices of Biosafety Course, teaching the ABSA BSL-3 Operations and Management professional development course, and actively participating in the Preconference Course Committee.
Debra Howeth serves as the Biosafety Officer within the Research Integrity & Compliance office at the University of South Florida (USF). With over 30 years of scientific experience, she honed her expertise in both BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratory environments. Her background includes various institutions, such as USF, the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. Approximately 15 years ago, Debra made the pivotal transition from laboratory bench work to a dedicated focus on research compliance. Her extensive experience in the Select Agent program encompasses positions as both a laboratorian and a Responsible Official, demonstrating her comprehensive understanding of biosafety and regulatory compliance. Debra holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Microbiology and a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a specialization in Infectious Diseases from the University of South Florida. In addition, she has obtained a certificate in Infection Control from USF. Debra is also an active member of prominent professional organizations, including the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA International) and the Southeastern Biological Safety Association (SEBSA), further underscoring her commitment to advancing biosafety and compliance practices in the field.
11:30 – 1:00 pm | Exhibits, Posters, and Lunch
Session 4 | Poster Session
12:00 – 1:00 pm Presenters must be available during the session.
Session 5 | Griffin Lecture Award
Introduction: Erin Sorrell, PhD, MSc, Elizabeth R. Griffin Program, Washington, DC
Moderator: Sunny Hoffman, MPH, RBP(ABSA), Columbia, MO
1:00 – 1:45 pm From National to Continental Biosafety: Morocco’s Path, BMAM’s Role, and AfBSA’s Future
Larbi Baassi, PhD, IFBA-CP, AfRSME Africa-CDC, Biorisk Management Association of Morocco (BMAM), Rabat, Morocco
1:45 – 2:00 pm Q&A Session
Dr. Larbi Baassi earned his PhD in Immunology and Infectious Diseases from Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco. He currently serves as Executive Assistant and Biosafety Advisor at the National Institute of Hygiene under Morocco’s Ministry of Health. In this capacity, he has overseen national assessments of public health laboratories and guided the implementation of biosafety and biosecurity programs to strengthen Morocco’s compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR). He is the founding President of the Biorisk Management Association of Morocco (BMAM) and the incoming President of the African Biological Safety Association (AfBSA), where he works to unify and advance biosafety priorities across the continent. Recognized by Africa CDC as a Regional Subject Matter Expert under its Biosafety and Biosecurity Initiative, Dr. Baassi contributes to shaping Africa-wide strategies for biorisk management. He is also an International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA) Certified Professional in both Biorisk Management and Biosecurity. Over his career, Dr. Baassi has led and advised numerous training initiatives in Morocco and across Africa, collaborating with partners such as IFBA, Africa CDC, Sandia National Laboratories (USA), Georgetown University, John Hopkins University and many others. He has mentored emerging biosafety leaders through multiple international programs and contributed to the development of institutional biosafety frameworks and laboratory risk assessments. Beyond his technical work, he actively promotes biosafety culture and cyberbiosecurity awareness in academic and research settings, helping build sustainable systems that protect communities and foster responsible science.
2:00 – 2:30 pm | Exhibits, Posters, and Coffee Break
Session 6 | Perspectives Beyond the Traditional Lab
Moderators:
Mike McCarthy, RBP(ABSA), Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA
Eric Lewis, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ
2:30 – 2:45 pm Biosafety from the Field: Livestock to Public Health Laboratories
Eric Lundquist, RBP(ABSA), Minnesota Department of Health, St Paul, MN
2:45 – 3:00 pm Biosafety & Beyond in Marine Research
Shane Gillooly, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), CSP, University of Miami, Miami, FL
3:00 – 3:15 pm Developing CAR-T Therapies: Lessons Learned from a Biosafety Perspective
Edward David, MPH, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Bristol Myers Squibb, San Diego, CA
3:15 – 3:30 pm Greater than 10 Liters…What About 20,000 Liters? Large-Scale Biorisk Management at North America’s Biggest End to End Manufacturing Facility for Biologically Derived Therapeutics
AJ Troiano, PhD, RBP(ABSA), FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Morrisville, NC
3:30 – 3:45 pm Enhanced Laboratory Containment: Beyond Standard Biosafety Levels
Drew Fayram, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Merrick & Company, Greenwood Village, CO
3:45 – 4:00 pm Q&A Session
Eric Lundquist currently serves as the Biosafety Coordinator at the Public Health Laboratory-Infectious Disease Laboratory at Minnesota Department of Health. Eric is a current member of the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee providing subject matter expertise to public health and clinical laboratories around enhancing and improving laboratory biosafety and biosecurity capacity. During his tenue on the committee, Eric has led the effort to develop a risk assessment guide for laboratories to assess their risk of exposure to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1) when testing raw milk samples. Eric is also a current member of the American Biological Safety Association. He currently is a certified Medical Laboratory Scientist and is a Registered Biological Safety Professional.
Shane Gillooly is the Associate Director of EHS and Biosafety Officer for the University of Miami. He is a Vice Chair for Advarra and is currently pursuing a PhD in Molecular Biology. He is a CBSP, RBP, and CSP.
Eddie David is an Associate Director of EHS within the Safety Center of Excellence at Bristol Myers Squibb, a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to help patients fight serious diseases. At BMS, he has supported EHS programs at the Global, Regional, and site-based level with a focus on improving Biosafety. Prior to his work at BMS, he worked in Hospital/Healthcare as the Biosafety Officer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in academia as the Biosafety Officer at the University of Southern California.
AJ serves as the Global Director of Biosafety and Toxicology at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies and is part of the global quality leadership team. In this critical role, he oversees safety operations for both patients and workers across 6 campuses spanning Europe and North America, assisting in and harmonizing hazard identification, risk assessment, risk mitigation, and risk monitoring strategies. AJ describes his role as a “safety diplomat” across the company’s operations landscape, with his core belief that a successful safety leadership position is predicated on collaborating with stakeholders across scientific, operational, quality and environmental health and safety (EHS) infrastructures, as well as both engaging and empowering leadership. Before joining FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, AJ worked in various capacities as a biosafety and operations consultant in the Greater Boston, MA area and across the United States. He has audited, inspected, or provided gap analyses for laboratories at numerous multinational life science corporations, academic institutions, biotechnology start-ups, as well as various government agencies. He received his BS in Microbiology and Classics from the University of New Hampshire, a PhD in Biomedical Science with a concentration in Molecular Biology and Biophysics from the University of Connecticut Health Center and a MS in Clinical Toxicology through the University of Florida. AJ is a Registered Biosafety Professional with the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA International), and a member of ABSA’s Scientific Program Committee. A passionate safety advocate, AJ is active in both biosafety and toxicology professional organizations globally, and lives in the Boston, MA area.
Drew Fayram is a Senior Scientist in Biosafety and Biosecurity for Merrick & Company. He consults on international and domestic projects related to laboratory planning, design, operations, biosafety, and biosecurity. Drew’s expertise includes containment laboratory operations and program management, public health laboratory testing, biosafety, biosecurity, and training. He currently serves on the Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee for the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) and is an instructor for ABSA International’s Principles and Practices of Biosafety (PPB) course. Drew holds the Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) and Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) credentials through ABSA International and is registered as a biosafety officer (RBSO) with the Canadian Association for Biological Safety.
4:00 – 4:05 pm | Stretch
Session 7 | Planning for the Future of Biosafety
Moderators:
Francine Rogers, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Tufts University, Boston, MA
Don Sibley, PhD, Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA
4:05 – 4:20 pm Realigning Biosafety Biosecurity to the Modern Biological Order
Aparupa Sengupta, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Nuclear Threat Initiative, Washington, DC
4:20 – 4:35 pm Synthesizing Safety and Security: Nucleic Acids, Select Agents, and Synthetic Biology
Michael Parker, PhD, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
4:35 – 4:50 pm Building Resilience: Biosafety Planning in an Evolving Regulatory Climate
Heidi Page, MS, RBP(ABSA), Azelia Laboratories, Pepper Pike, OH
4:50 – 5:05 pm Q&A Session
Dr. Aparupa Sengupta serves as a Senior Program Officer for NTI’s Global Biological Policy and Programs team NTI | bio. In this role, she supports the Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction Initiative (BIRRI) to reduce risks of biotechnology catastrophe. This includes efforts to advance the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science, a new international entity NTI is launching to safeguard science and reduce the risk of catastrophic events that could result from deliberate abuse or accidental misuse of bioscience and biotechnology. Dr. Sengupta is an accomplished scientist and global health security practitioner with more than 15 years of research, regulatory, and training experience across the fields of infectious disease containment, biosafety and biosecurity, and global biological risk reduction. Prior to joining NTI in 2022, she served at the University of California-Merced campus, where she initiated and led their biosafety and biosecurity programs, first, as the campus biosafety-biosecurity officer since May 2018 and then as the Assistant Director for Environmental Health and Safety and Director of High Containment Research Laboratories. Dr. Sengupta is an active member of ABSA International, where she plays key leadership roles in multiple committees; to highlight- Chair, Publications Committee and Co-Chair, International Engagement Committee. She also teaches pre-conference courses in the field of gene editing and related to other emerging technologies, and she has been invited to give many talks in the U.S. and internationally, advocating for the safe and secure use of emerging recombinant technologies in the evolving field of biosciences. Dr. Sengupta holds a PhD in Microbiology & Applied Biochemistry and MS in Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology from Michigan Technological University and a MSc in Biotechnology from Bangalore University, India. Sengupta is also a Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) with ABSA International.
Michael Parker is an Assistant Dean at Georgetown University, where he advises Biology and Chemistry undergraduate degrees, teaches technical and policy coursework in the biology department, sits on a variety of university committees, and leads a team of undergraduate researchers in biosecurity policy. Dr. Parker holds a PhD in Immunobiology from Yale University, where he studied the mammalian innate immune response to viral infections, with particular focus on detection of RNA viruses by DNA sensing pathways. He has published work applicable to a variety of fields, including genetics, genomics, virology, immunology, microbiology, and biosecurity policy. Since receiving an Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Fellowship in 2019, Dr. Parker has led a philanthropically funded research program that transposes his technical background (virology, immunology) into biosecurity policy work, which blends techniques of social science, philosophy, biology, and history. The group’s focus is to document and analyze the history of regulations that govern access to the most dangerous biological agents, using this knowledge to extrapolate trends, uncover lessons learned, and provide ideas to inform modern biosecurity.
Heidi has extensive experience in, and passion for, the ‘grey zone’, intertwining regulation, safety and human behavior to find the best overall solutions to the safety and compliance challenges we face when doing research. Heidi has 15+ years of experience in the field of biosafety and has over 7 years of experience serving as the Biological Safety Officer and Assistant Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Case Western Reserve University. She earned a BS in Organismal Biology from the University of Kansas, a MS in Cell and Molecular biology from University of Missouri—Kansas City and is a Registered Biosafety Professional with ABSA International. In her role as the Director of Sabai’s Shield Consulting group, Heidi has the opportunity to work with varied clients from academic institutions, CROs, startup biotechs, large pharma, and healthcare institutions. Outside of work Heidi is often found trying her hand at something new, be it gardening, cooking, raising chickens or keeping bees. She feels passionately that there is always something new to learn.
5:10 – Close | Members’ Business Meeting
Door prizes will be awarded—must be present to win.