69th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Hybrid Conference
Scientific Program
October 12-14, 2026
All times listed will be Eastern Standard Time
Featured Speakers
Arnold G. Wedum Memorial Lecture Award
Alvin Smith, PhD, PMP
NASA Johnson Space Center
Houston, TX
Planetary Protection: An Intersection of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Space Exploration
Monday 8:25 am
Eagleson Lecture Award
Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, MD
McGovern Medical School (UTHealth Houston)
Houston, TX
Tuesday 8:00 am
Invited Speaker
Neal Woollen, DVM, PhD
National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska
Omaha, NE
Wednesday 8:00 am
Monday, October 12, 2026
8:00 – 8:15 am Welcome and ABSA International President’s Address
Anne-Sophie Brocard, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), CHMM, CSP, The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX
8:15 – 8:20 am Local Arrangements Committee Welcome
Anthony Walters, MPH, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
8:20 – 8:25 am Scientific Program Committee Welcome
Colleen Kovacsics, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Genentech, Philadelphia, PA
The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX
Anne-Sophie Brocard is a seasoned biosafety professional with over 20 years’ expertise in the biosafety field. She currently serves as the Sr. Director of Environmental Health and Safety at the University of North Texas (UNT) Health, in Fort Worth. She oversees the biosafety program and EHS department and is a trusted source of knowledge on appropriate practices, equipment, facilities, and best in classwork practices. Before joining UNT Health Sophie worked at ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) headquartered in Manassas, Virginia as the Biosafety Officer and EHS Leader. She previously spent two decades at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston. During her tenure, she contributed significantly to UTMB biosafety program serving as an adjunct assistant professor in the department of Pathology. Her roles included Biosafety Program Director, Institutional Biosafety Officer, and Alternate Responsible Official for the Select Agent program. Sophie’s diverse background spans healthcare, research, academia, and production/repository/cGMP. She has actively participated on many different safety committees including, Biorisk Management Committee, Institutional Biosafety Committee, Chemical Safety Committee, and IACUC. Sophie’s hands-on experience extends to BSL3/ABSL3/ACL3 research, animal work, field operations, and BSL4 safety experience. As a dedicated education, Sophie has directed several graduate courses and has conducted biosafety training both nationally and internationally. Until 2016, she served as the Director of the Laboratory Biosafety Training Program at the UTMB National Biocontainment Training Center. Sophie has been an active member of ABSA since 2005 and contributed her expertise to various Committees and Teams. Notably, she served as ABSA Treasurer (2021-2023). Her commitment to safety is underscored by certifications as a Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) and Certified Safety Professional (CSP). Sophie’s unwavering dedication and extensive experience position her as a highly valuable asset within the biosafety community.
Genentech, Philadelphia, PA
Colleen Kovacsics is the Principal EHS Program Manager at the Roche Innovation Center of Philadelphia.
Session 1 | Arnold G. Wedum Memorial Lecture Award
8:25 – 9:15 am Planetary Protection: An Intersection of Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Space Exploration
Alvin Smith, PhD, PMP, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
9:15 – 9:25 am Q&A Session
NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Dr. Alvin L. Smith’s career reflects a greater than two-decade multi-faceted technical journey spanning vaccine development, high-containment science, planetary exploration, and high-value mission readiness. Currently, Alvin serves as the Project Manager for the Mars Sample Receiving Project within the Astromaterials Research & Exploration Sciences (ARES) Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. He guides multidisciplinary teams to prepare for sample return missions from the lunar surface and restricted planetary bodies. His management work centers on developing technical solutions to secure and analyze extraterrestrial materials—critical steps in answering foundational questions about planetary history and habitability. Before joining JSC, Alvin contributed to mission implementation as a Planetary Protection Engineer and Center of Excellence Manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, supporting programs such as the Mars 2020 Rover and Europa Clipper. His technical oversight helped ensure that exploration systems were designed with planetary protection, scientific integrity, and operational safety in mind. Alvin’s earlier career in high-containment laboratories shaped his expertise in biodefense, where he developed medical countermeasures and biodetection strategies for high-consequence biological threats. His experience with biological threats has informed numerous U.S. government agencies (Congress, Department of Defense/War, Department of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and the intelligence community), strengthening national preparedness and scientific response capabilities. Today, Alvin’s work extends beyond sample return. He collaborates closely with NASA’s Moon Base teams, advancing concepts for human exploration, backward planetary protection (BPP), human safety models, and integrated mission planning that links future lunar bases with eventual human missions to Mars. His contributions help shape how humanity prepares for long-duration presence on other worlds. Alvin holds a doctorate in Medical Microbiology from Howard University, a bachelor’s degree in biology from Talladega College, and is a certified Project Management Professional.
9:25 – 9:55 am | Exhibits, Posters, and Coffee Break
Session 2 | Soft Skills for Hard Times
9:55 – 10:10 am It’s Not Pushback, It’s Neuroscience: SCARF‑Informed Change Management For Biorisk Professionals
Sherry S. Bohn, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Walk away with practical techniques to manage resistance, handle conflict, and lead change more effectively in everyday biosafety and biosecurity interactions.
10:10 – 10:25 am Unlocking Your Inner Hero: Survival Tools For Solo Biosafety Professionals
Matt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), MRIGlobal, Kansas City, MO
Biosafety professionals can improve effectiveness and avoid burnout by applying the H.E.R.O framework detailed in this presentation to intentionally manage time, build efficient systems, prioritize self‑care, and stay connected to professional support networks.
10:25 – 10:40 am Building A Resilient Biosafety Career
Sivarchana Boada, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Rutgers University, Newark, NJ
Deliver actionable, evidence-informed strategies to enhance career resilience, promote workforce sustainability and support effective professional transitions in the biosafety field.
10:40 – 10:55 am Q&A Session
University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Sherry S. Bohn, PhD, MSL, CBSP(ABSA) is the Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where she leads programs that protect people, research, and the environment across a complex academic system. A microbiologist and crisis-management professional, she is known for pairing scientific rigor with people-centered leadership to build systems that help teams work safely and confidently. Her career spans industry, government, and academia, including a postdoctoral fellowship with the NIH National Biosafety and Biosecurity Training Program (NBBTP) and service on its Scientific Advisory Board. Active in the biosafety and biosecurity community for more than 15 years, Dr. Bohn is currently Past-President of ABSA International, an avid supporter of her local affiliate, ChABSA, and an instructor for the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Biorisk Management Certificate. While still firmly rooted in biosafety and EHS, she has of late turned her focus to the ever-expanding world of organizational theory and team dynamics.
MRIGlobal, Kansas City, MO
Matt Anderson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), is a Senior Biosafety and Biosurety Officer with almost two decades of professional experience supporting biosafety programs in complex research and contract research environments. His career has focused on the practical application of biosafety principles to enable safe, compliant, and effective biological research across a broad range of scientific disciplines. Dr. Anderson has extensive experience providing biosafety oversight for high containment laboratory operations, where he has supported research planning, protocol review, facility operations, and incident response. His work has spanned biological risk assessment, containment strategy selection, and the implementation of administrative, engineering, and procedural controls aligned with the actual risk profile of research activities. He has worked closely with multidisciplinary project teams to integrate biosafety requirements into experimental design while maintaining research efficiency and sponsor expectations. In contract research settings, Dr. Anderson has supported diverse portfolios involving evolving methodologies, compressed timelines, and heightened regulatory scrutiny. He has led efforts to standardize review processes, clarify decision authority, and apply risk based prioritization tools to improve consistency, transparency, and defensibility in biosafety decision making. His experience includes advising leadership on program structure, resource allocation, and compliance strategy across multiple regulatory frameworks.
Rutgers University, Newark, NJ
Sivarchana Boada, PhD, MS, RBP(ABSA), is a biosafety professional with expertise in scientific and regulatory compliance, biosafety program development, and high-containment laboratory operations. She earned her PhD in Public Health (Environmental Health) from the University of Louisville and completed NIH NBBTP/IRTA postdoctoral training in 2023. Her doctoral research focused on developing and validating a biosafety climate scale and conducting survey-based analyses of safety perceptions in biological research laboratories. Dr. Boada has over a decade of multidisciplinary experience across federal research institutions, academic laboratories, and healthcare systems, and has presented at scientific conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Her work bridges rigorous scientific practice with people-centered approaches. This commitment extends beyond the laboratory as she serves as a National End-of-Life Doula Alliance proficient Death Doula, Hospice Volunteer, and Patient and Family Advisory Council Member, reflecting her belief that resilience, transitions, and human support are central to both biosafety practice and life.
10:55 – 11:10 am | Break
Session 3 | Poster Speed Talks
11:10 – 11:40 am
If You’re HAB-by and You Know it, Wash Your Hands!
Michele Edenfield, MS, RBP(ABSA), U.S. Geological Survey, Norcross, GA
How to Mitigate and Respond to Threats in the Laboratory
Michael Marsico, MS, Association of Public Health Laboratories, Bethesda, MD
Validation of an Autoclave Cycle for Ruminant Waste
Rachael Sullivan, MS, RBP(ABSA), Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Clinical Use of Phage Therapy to Combat Antibiotic Resistant Infections
Scott Swindle, PhD, Advarra, Cary, NC
A Carcass Surrogate: Ballistics Gel
Trent Peacock, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
IBC Process Improvement Initiative – Streamlining IBC Oversight While Empowering the Laboratory Safety Program
Linna Makmura, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
VHP Decon Validation of Chemical Indicators vs. Biological Indicators
Shelley Brown, RBP(ABSA), Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA
Compliance Requirements and Testing of Interior Finishes in High-Containment Facilities
Tom Walus, Canadian Association for Biological Safety, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Psychological Safety and its Role in Strengthening Biosafety Programs
Marianna Sansone, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Understanding Current Autoclave Safety Practices for Laboratory Spaces
Jocelyn Mendoza, MPH, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
Association of Public Health Laboratories, Bethesda, MD
Michael serves as the Program Manager in Biosafety and Biosecurity under the Public Health Preparedness and Response Program at APHL. He’s responsible for serving as subject matter expert to assist PHLs with strengthening biorisk management; this encompasses developing tools and providing guidance including training to PHLs and developing a community of practice for biosafety professionals. Michael received his Bachelor of Science from the University of New Haven and a Master of Science at Georgetown University.
Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
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 sterilize waste from the research areas. 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 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 changing research program at the BRI.
Advarra, Cary, NC
Scott Swindle is currently the Director of Biosafety Services at Advarra, Inc, where he manages and serves as vice-chair for Advarra’s Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). The Advarra IBC provides externally administered IBC services for over 1,500 research facilities, primarily overseeing human gene therapy research. Prior to joining Advarra in 2021, Scott had a long career as a research professor in academia, where he investigated molecular mechanisms of various biological processes, including viral replication, oncogenesis, gene therapy, and stem cell biology. This ultimately led him into biosafety and regulatory compliance for biomedical research.
City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Linna Makmura is a regulatory and research compliance leader with more than 20 years of experience supporting biomedical research programs and institutional oversight committees. Currently serving as Manager of Laboratory Research Protections at City of Hope, she provides strategic and operational leadership for biosafety, radiation safety, and research compliance programs, ensuring adherence to federal regulations and institutional policies while advancing efficient, high-quality research review processes. Throughout her career, Linna has led major process improvement initiatives, including redesigning regulatory review workflows, implementing electronic research administration systems, and reducing protocol review timelines through innovative committee operations. Her expertise spans biosafety, radiation safety, stem cell research oversight, human gene transfer research, research training, and regulatory program management. A biotechnology graduate of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, she combines a strong scientific foundation with extensive experience in research administration, compliance, and operational excellence.
Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA
Shelley Brown is an experienced biosafety professional with more than eight years of agency level biosafety management experience and over fifteen years supporting international public health emergency responses. As a Biosafety Manager for CDC’s Office of Laboratory Safety, provides expert oversight for 21 major infectious disease programs across Atlanta, Fort Collins, Anchorage, and San Juan. Mrs. Brown conducts comprehensive laboratory inspections, risk assessments, and protocol reviews, analyzes safety data to inform policy change, and leads near miss and complex incident investigations to strengthen laboratory safety practices. Mrs. Brown also serves as a High Containment Laboratory (HCL) Biosafety Manager and voting member of the High Containment Laboratory Operations Group, providing leadership in biosafety innovation and high containment operations. She has contributed to major decontamination efforts, including validation of large scale Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide decontaminations, and is recognized for delivering high quality customer service and safety guidance that supports CDC’s mission and strategic goals. Mrs. Brown holds ABSA’s Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) credential.
Canadian Association for Biological Safety, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Tom Walus, BSc, RBSO (CABS-ACSB) is the Account Executive and Biosafety professional for Arcoplast. He is also the Finance chair for the Canadian Association for Biological Safety (CABS-ACSB). He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He has over 35 years of experience in clinical microbiology having worked at the Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. He also spent 3 years as the lab manager for microbiology at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. He also worked at the International Centre for Infectious Diseases, in Winnipeg, as program director for biosafety. He also worked for 7 years as the Biosafety Officer for Shared Health and Diagnostic Services Manitoba in Winnipeg.
11:40 am – 1:10 pm | Exhibits, Posters, and Lunch
Session 4 | Poster Session
12:30 – 1:30 pm Presenters must be available during the session.
Session 5 | Griffin Lecture Award
1:10 – 1:55 pm Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
1:55 – 2:10 pm Q&A Session
2:10 – 2:40 pm | Exhibits, Posters, and Coffee Break
Session 6 | Biosafety Program Management
2:40 – 2:55 pm From SOPs To System: Implementing A Biorisk Management Framework At A CRO
Tristan White, MSc, BioAgilytix Labs, Durham, NC
Learn practical strategies for transforming disconnected biosafety procedures across multiple sites into an integrated biorisk management framework, including tools to standardize laboratory risk assessments and improve organizational oversight of biological risk.
2:55 – 3:10 pm Pre-Inspection Town Halls: Building Transparency and Strengthening Biosafety Compliance Across a Large University
Stephanie Adams-Tzivelekidis, MS, RBP(ABSA), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Pre-Inspection Town Halls improve laboratory preparedness for inspections while reducing compliance findings and will measurably support compliance and strengthen collaboration between research staff and biosafety officers.
3:10 – 3:25 pm Developing a Biosafety QA Training Program
Kathleen Woods Ignatoski, PhD, CPBCA, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Certify compliance with regulations and guidelines, catch IBC application drift, ensure proper oversight, and disseminate information.
3:25 – 3:40 pm Q&A Session
BioAgilytix Labs, Durham, NC
Tristan is a safety professional specializing in chemical and biological safety within laboratory and research environments. He currently supports a contract research organization, where he oversees safety programs across laboratories, office spaces, and operational areas, with a focus on biological, chemical, and physical hazards. As a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Tristan brings expertise in risk assessment, exposure control, and the development of practical, scalable safety systems. His work emphasizes integrating biorisk management into everyday laboratory operations, ensuring that safety practices are both effective and sustainable.
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Stephanie Adams-Tzivelekidis holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany, and brings over a decade of experience in research and clinical laboratory settings. She served as a laboratory manager for eight years at the University of Pennsylvania in the Departments of Genetics and Biomedical Sciences and previously worked in Clinical Genetics in Germany for three years. For the past three years, Stephanie has been part of the University of Pennsylvania’s Biosafety team as an Assistant Biosafety Officer and earned her Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) credential in May 2025. In her current role, she oversees the Biological Registry and laboratory inspections, conducts risk assessments, and reviews IACUC protocols and IBC registrations. She also leads key initiatives, including the Permissible Amounts Select Agent Toxin Program, the Field Safety Program, and the Pre-Lab Inspection Town Halls.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Kathleen Ignatoski received a BS in Biology: Genetic Engineering and Developmental Biology from Penn State University, and MS in Biology: Viral Oncology from Villanova University, and a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Microbiology from the Penn State College of Medicine. She has over 30 years of research experience on various cancers, bone metastasis, colitis, gut microbiome, stem cell reprogramming, 3D cell growth, autism, bipolar disorder, and depression. Kathleen has been a safety coordinator for large departments at the University of Michigan and is now an institutional biosafety quality assurance specialist. She is also the research lead for the Neurodiversity Project at the University of Michigan and oversees 10 student projects.
3:40 – 3:55 pm | Break
Session 7 | Lessons Learned and Best Practices
3:55 – 4:10 pm Lessons Learned From Laboratory Related Exposures
Peili Zhu, MD, PhD, RBP(ABSA), University of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Outline lessons learned from laboratory-related exposures.
4:10 – 4:25 pm Best Practices in Sustainable Solid Biohazardous Waste Management in Bangladesh
Md Asadulghani, PhD, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Waste generator‑level interventions have transformed biohazardous waste management in Bangladesh from a high‑cost, incineration‑dependent system into a safer, sustainable, and revenue‑generating model.
4:25 – 4:40 pm A Just Culture System: Fostering Biosafety and Biosecurity Culture Through Trust, and Promoting Incident and Near Miss Reporting
Barbara Johnson, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Biosafety Biosecurity International, Merritt Island, FL
Provide examples of how a Just Culture System can be implemented in a laboratory setting, roles and responsibilities at different organizational levels, and various reporting methods and their advantages and challenges.
4:40 – 4:55 pm Q&A Session
University of California—San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Peili Zhu has been working as the Biosafety Officer at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) 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 for 6 years in medical clinics, 7 years in biomedical research and 20 years at EH&S. As the BSO of UCSF, she oversees the UCSF Biosafety Program which consists of more than 600 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 and has extensive experience overseeing the operations of 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.
International Centre of Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dr. Asadulghani has been working in the field laboratory systems strengthening using One Health platform in Bangladesh since 2010, with 14 years’ experience of research in the field of Molecular Genetics and Bacteriophage Biology, at home and abroad, since 1993. He has an MSc and MPhil in the field of Molecular Genetics, from the University of Dhaka. He has a PhD, in the field of post-transcriptional regulation of genes expression, from the Saitama University, Japan in 2004. Completing his postdoctoral research as a Research Associate and JSPS Postdoc Fellow, at the University of Miyazaki, Japan, he joined as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Microbiology and continued working in the Microbial Whole Genome Sequencing Group, Japan. Since September 2009, he has been working as the Head of Biosafety, leading biosafety and biosecurity program, at icddr,b. Side by side, he is leading the nation-wide Biosafety and Biosecurity program and biohazardous waste management program, as well. He was leading strengthening AMR laboratory capacity program under the First Fleming fund Country Grant to Bangladesh and the “Qualifying Workforce for AMR Surveillance in Asia and Africa” in Bangladesh. He has been working for ISO 15189 accreditation of Clinical Laboratory Services at icddr,b since 2010, and solely contributing to ISO 15190 accreditation of the same since 2016. He is a member of the ISO Biorisk Management working group ISO/TC 212/WG5, representing IFBA and a member of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Biosafety. Currently, he is also a member of the ABSA International Engagement Committee.
Biosafety Biosecurity International, Merritt Island, FL
Dr. Johnson has held positions in U.S. Government and in private industry as a biosafety and biosecurity professional and Senior Scientist in microbiological science and technology for the past 25 years. She has managed the construction of facilities for DOD and provides consultation on biosafety and biosecurity matters as they pertain to risk assessment and mitigation, design, and construction for BSL/ABSL- 2, 3, 4 and BSL-3 Ag nationally and internationally. She provides technical and policy advice and strategies in the U.S. to the National Academies of Science, National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, Senate Subcommittee reauthorizing national biosecurity legislation and various government agencies, companies, and universities; as well as to international Ministries of Health.
5:00 – Close | Members’ Business Meeting
Door prizes will be awarded—must be present to win.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Session 8 | Eagleson Lecture Award
8:00 – 8:45 am Title: TBD
Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, MD, McGovern Medical School (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX
8:45 – 9:00 am Q&A Session
McGovern Medical School (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX
Dr. Ostrosky-Zeichner is a professor of medicine and epidemiology, Memorial Hermann Endowed Chair, the Executive Vice-Chair of Medicine for Healthcare Quality, the director of the Laboratory of Mycology Research, and the Division Chief at the Division of Infectious Diseases of the McGovern Medical School. He also serves as the Chief Epidemiology Officer for the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System and as Director for Infection prevention for UT Physicians. Dr. Ostrosky-Zeichner obtained his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. He completed his internal medicine residency at Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran, and his infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center combined fellowship program. Dr. Ostrosky-Zeichner is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Academy of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology. He is a Senior Editor for Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and an Associate Editor for Clinical Infectious Diseases. He is the Past-President of the Mycoses Study Group and Educational Consortium. He is also a past chair of the Infectious Diseases Society of America Standards and Practice Guidelines Committee and has been a consultant to the US FDA and CDC. He has advanced training and experience in medical mycology, healthcare epidemiology, emerging infections, antimicrobial stewardship, general and transplant infectious diseases, and healthcare quality, and has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles and books on those topics.
9:00 – 9:15 am | Break
Session 9 | Biosafety Grab-bag
9:15 – 9:30 am Infection Prevention and Control and Biosafety. Two Roads. Same Destination.
Tom Walus, Canadian Association for Biological Safety, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Biosafety and infection prevention and control share the common goal of protecting public health.
9:30 – 9:45 am Guidelines Needed for the Role of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Biohazardous Research
Daniel Eisenman, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), Advarra, Research Triangle Park, NC
Discuss how AI and robotics will impact biomedical research and how biosafety programs and IBCs should prepare.
9:45 – 10:00 am A Multidisciplinary Framework for Clinical Biosafety at Boston Children’s Hospital
Madeeha Maqsood, MS, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Expanding advanced therapies require harmonized biosafety frameworks across clinical settings to protect staff, patients, and the community while ensuring safe, consistent handling of investigational biologics; this approach enables rapid, standardized guidance implementation.
10:00 – 10:15 am Q&A Session
Canadian Association for Biological Safety, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Tom Walus, BSc, RBSO (CABS-ACSB) is the Account Executive and Biosafety professional for Arcoplast. He is also the Finance chair for the Canadian Association for Biological Safety (CABS-ACSB). He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He has over 35 years of experience in clinical microbiology having worked at the Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. He also spent 3 years as the lab manager for microbiology at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. He also worked at the International Centre for Infectious Diseases, in Winnipeg, as program director for biosafety. He also worked for 7 years as the Biosafety Officer for Shared Health and Diagnostic Services Manitoba in Winnipeg.
Advarra, Research Triangle Park, NC
Dan Eisenman is Executive Director of Biosafety Services at Advarra, a large clinical research compliance company. Dan heads a commercial IBC overseeing over 1,600 clinical and basic science research sites. Prior to joining Advarra Dan was the Biosafety Officer at the Medical University of South Carolina and UNC Chapel Hill. Dan holds a PhD in molecular biology and immunology, various biosafety certifications (RBP, SM(NRCM), CBSP) and a Regulatory Affairs Pharmaceuticals certificate from the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS). He is a member of the Editorial Board for Applied Biosafety and frequently speaks at major conferences on topics involving biosafety, gene therapy and clinical trials.
Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
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.
10:15 – 10:45 am | Exhibits, Posters, and Coffee Break
Session 10 | Invited Speaker
10:45 – 11:30 am Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
11:30 – 11:45 am Q&A Session
11:45 – 1:15 pm | Exhibits, Posters, and Lunch
Session 11 | Poster Session
12:15 – 1:15 pm Presenters must be available during the session.
Session 12 | Animal, Vegetable, Min…er Biosafety
1:15 – 1:30 pm Static to Dynamic: A Novel Approach to Vivarium Biosafety Signage
Meagan P. Fitzpatrick, MPH, Princeton, Princeton, NJ
Illuminate creative and low-resource ways to use existing institutional IT platforms to resolve biosafety hazard communication challenges in vivarium facilities.
1:30 – 1:45 pm Who Let the Dogs in? Service Animals in Academic Research Environments
Zoey Yi, MS, University of Missouri—Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
Highlight how clearer, standardized service animal policies can reduce biosafety risk while supporting accessibility and regulatory compliance in academic laboratories.
1:45 – 2:00 pm Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera) as a Continuous Surveillance and Detection System for Fungal Pathogens in the Environment
Victoria Everhart, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK
Sequencing of microorganisms found in honeybee hive debris reveals informative variations in microbial community structure across different environments, demonstrating the use of honey bees as a useful pathogen monitoring system relevant to biosecurity and agricultural health.
2:00 – 2:15 pm Protecting Innovation: Biosafety in Crop Science
Bria Kettle, PhD, RBP(ABSA), Bayer, Chesterfield, MO
By challenging the misconception that plant and crop research poses minimal or no biosafety risk, we can strengthen safe agricultural innovation, support responsible use of biological crop protection tools, and help close corresponding emerging regulatory gaps.
2:15 – 2:45 pm Q&A Session
Princeton, Princeton, NJ
Meagan Fitzpatrick is the assistant director and biosafety officer at Princeton University where she directs the biosafety, animal safety and field research safety programs. Prior to working at Princeton, Meagan was the EHS manager at Covance Laboratories. She has also held previous biosafety roles in other higher education institutions: biosafety officer at Georgia Tech and research safety specialist at Emory University.
University of Missouri—Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
Zoey Yi-Garcia is a Biosafety Officer at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she supports safe, compliant, and responsible biological research across academic laboratories. She holds a Master of Science in Biological Sciences and has a strong foundation in molecular biology, tissue culture, and laboratory best practices. Yi-Garcia brings extensive hands-on research experience to her biosafety role, enabling her to effectively bridge regulatory requirements with practical laboratory operations. She is deeply committed to biosafety education, scientific communication, and fostering a strong culture of safety within research environments. Yi-Garcia remains committed to lifelong learning and the advancement of biosafety practices that support high-quality, impactful research.
University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK
Victoria Everhart is a graduate research student with the Forensic Science Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from Oklahoma State University, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Forensic Science – Molecular Biology from the University of Central Oklahoma. Her graduate research centers around investigating the utilization of honey bees as efficient monitors of environmental fungal pathogens. Her research aims to improve national biosecurity surveillance and pathogen monitoring strategies that impact agriculture and human health.
Bayer, Chesterfield, MO
Bria Kettle is a biosafety professional in the life sciences and currently serves as the Biosafety & Crop Science Biologics Stewardship Manager for North America, Australia, and New Zealand within Bayer. She provides strategic direction and operational oversight for a multi-divisional biosafety program supporting pharmaceutical and crop science R&D and manufacturing in addition to stewardship activities for biologically based crop protection products with an emphasis on risk-based decision-making and regulatory compliance. For crop science, the biosafety program encompasses the responsible management of biological agents and biologically derived products across laboratory, greenhouse, and field contexts, including containment and exposure controls, work practices, training, and documentation that support safe handling and transport. Dr. Kettle leads and advises on biosafety risk assessments for biological materials and activities, supports biosafety aspects of facility and program readiness, and develops and maintains procedures and training that enables teams to execute work safely and compliantly throughout the product life cycle. Since 2018, she has served as a regional biosafety expert for Bayer and contributes to global expert panels, providing technical guidance and stakeholder engagement across functions and sites. Dr. Kettle earned her PhD in Microbiology from the University of Kansas, where she studied transcriptional regulation in Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri. She is an active member of ABSA International and holds the Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) credential.
2:45 – 3:45 pm | Coffee Break, Posters, Exhibits, and Raffle
Exhibitor raffle prizes will be awarded – must be present to win
Session 13 | Applied Biosafety
3:45 – 4:00 pm BSC Mythbusters: Can All Holes in a HEPA Filter be Detected?
Kara Brunelle, PhD, Baker, Sanford, ME
The standard HEPA leak-check protocol will detect most holes in the filter medium, but there is a minimum that will not be discovered in the BSC.
4:00 – 4:15 pm No Germs Left Behind: Biological Verification Testing of a Chemical Effluent Decontamination System
Sabena Blakeney, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Pond & Company, Peachtree Corners, GA
Demonstrates that a simple, bench-top biological verification method can provide a practical and accessible validation framework for chemical effluent decontamination systems in high-containment laboratories.
4:15 – 4:30 pm Evaluation of Hybrid Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor for DNA Amplicon Inactivation in Sensitive Molecular Systems
Elizabeth Massoth, CURIS System, Manhattan, KS
Hybrid hydrogen peroxide vapor provides a practical method to control DNA amplicon contamination in sensitive PCR-based environments while enabling reuse of previously contaminated equipment and improving material compatibility compared to more aggressive chemistries.
4:30 – 4:45 pm When Steam Doesn’t Work: How to Choose Alternative Decontamination Methods?
Karen Gjendal, DVM, PhD, Bavarian Nordic A/S, Kvistgaard, Denmark
Challenging traditional ways of decontaminating production vessels used for manufacturing with highly pathogenic agents.
4:45 – 5:15 pm Q&A Session
Baker, Sanford, ME
Kara Brunelle, 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 and containment devices.
Pond & Company, Peachtree Corners, GA
Dr. Sabena Blakeney is the Associate Director of Science & Technology at Pond & Company, where she specializes in biorisk management and biological safety. She holds a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology and brings more than 14 years of biosafety experience, along with over a decade of research experience that includes work with select agents in a federal ABSL-3Ag facility. Dr. Blakeney has expertise in biological agent use registrations, animal study protocol review, laboratory audits, incident investigations, and biosafety training. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program and credentialed as both a Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) and a Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) through ABSA International.
CURIS System, Manhattan, KS
Elizabeth (McQuade) Massoth is the CURIS System Biocontainment Specialist. Massoth came to CURIS from the Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University, a BSL-3, ABSL-3, ABSL-3Ag, and ACL-3 facility. Prior to working in high-containment, she was a Research Assistant/Supervisor at the K-State Rabies Laboratory with ten years of experience in high complexity cell culture-based assays in a GMP/GLP/GCLP laboratory. Massoth has co-authored publications in the Journal of Applied Biosafety; has presented at numerous biosafety, animal research, and pharma conferences; and is working towards her master’s degree in Agribusiness.
Bavarian Nordic A/S, Kvistgaard, Denmark
Karen Gjendal serves as the Head of Global Biorisk Management at Bavarian Nordic, a leading vaccine manufacturer operating a commercial-scale, high-containment facility in Kvistgaard, Denmark. Bavarian Nordic is recognized for its expertise in the production, analysis, and release of sterile vaccines for human use, strictly adhering to EU cGMP standards. The company’s portfolio includes vaccines for Smallpox, Rabies, Tick-Borne Encephalitis, and Chikungunya, alongside several innovative, life-saving vaccines currently in development. Karen is responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously optimizing a comprehensive Biorisk Management program across all company sites. This includes the development and enforcement of robust protocols to mitigate safety and security risks associated with the handling, storage, and disposal of biological agents and toxins, particularly within high-containment manufacturing environments. Karen ensures that all Biorisk Management processes are fully compliant with GMP and regulatory requirements, thereby safeguarding both product integrity and personnel safety. As Head of Global Biorisk Management, Karen leads cross-functional training initiatives, conducts detailed risk assessments, and provides strategic input for the optimization of facility systems, equipment, and training programs. All with the purpose of fostering a culture of biosafety and biosecurity, supporting the company’s mission to deliver safe and effective vaccines on a global scale.
6:00 – 10:00 pm | Banquet
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Session 14 | Invited Speaker
8:00 – 8:45 am Title: TBD
Neal Woollen, DVM, PhD, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Allied Programs at the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
8:45 – 9:00 am Q&A Session
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Allied Programs at the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
9:00 – 9:15 am | Break
Session 15 | Novel Topics in Containment
9:15 – 9:30 am Automated Cell Culture Systems and Biosafety Risk: Distinguishing Sterility Control From Biocontainment in Academic Laboratories
Ike Jacob, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Correctly matching system design to biological risk is essential to avoid false assumptions of containment and ensure safe implementation of automated cell culture technologies.
9:30 – 9:45 am Cleanroom vs. Containment: When cGMP Meets Biosafety in Modern Biologics Manufacturing
Allison Reeme, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Acacia Safety Consulting, Milwaukee, WI
Identify key differences between cGMP contamination control requirements and biosafety containment practices related to disinfection, HVAC systems, and PPE, and describe strategies for integrating both frameworks in biologics manufacturing environments.
9:45 – 10:00 am Automated Bio-decontamination for BSL Facilities Using Single Pass Air Flow
Matt Hofacre, MBA, STERIS Corporation, Mentor, OH
Integrating VHP into single‑pass airflow systems enables reliable, automated bio‑decontamination of BSL‑3/4 facilities while maintaining containment, airflow and pressure control, and HEPA filter protection.
10:00 – 10:15 am Q&A Session
Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Ike Jacob is an Associate Biosafety Officer at Boston Children’s Hospital, where he supports IBC review, risk assessment, and safe implementation of research involving biological materials. He earned his MSc in Virology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and later completed his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, focusing on innate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2. Ike is passionate about translating biosafety principles into practical solutions for emerging technologies in both laboratory and clinical research settings, with a focus on bridging gaps between science, safety, and real-world applications. Outside of work, he enjoys playing tennis and pickleball, and binge-watching his favorite shows.
Acacia Safety Consulting, Milwaukee, WI
Allison has 10 years of experience in infection prevention and hospital epidemiology 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 8 years of experience serving as a Human Gene Therapy expert (HGT) and Biosafety Expert on Institutional Biosafety Committees, supported CAR-T cell manufacturing facilities and assisted with the training and education of clinical staff supporting HGT clinical trials. Allison has also participated in multiple OSHA and NIH compliance programs in both the clinical and laboratory setting. She is certified through the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, is a Certified Biosafety Professional and Registered Biosafety Professional through ABSA International and has doctoral degrees in Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics and Translational Science.
STERIS Corporation, Mentor, OH
Matt Hofacre is Senior Director of Technical Services for the Life Sciences Equipment and Services group at STERIS Corporation where he currently manages an international team of sterilization, washing and biodecontamination industry experts. He has been with STERIS for over 25 years specializing in multiple sterilization modalities, washing, high purity water, pure steam, and VHP biodecontamination equipment for the life science and medical device industries. He is a presenter and trainer at corporate, industry, and academic conferences in North America, Europe, and Asia including The Parental Drug Association (PDA), International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE), INTERPHEX, and The University of Tennessee Parenteral Medications Course amongst others. Matt served as co-Author for PDA Technical Report 48: Moist Heat Sterilization Systems and has contributed to numerous other articles and book chapters on steam sterilization, vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) biodecontamination and sterilization, pharmaceutical washing, WFI water systems, and pharmaceutical equipment selection. Matt has a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from Cleveland State University.
10:15 – 10:30 am | Break
Session 16 | Assessing Your Biosafety Program
10:30 – 10:45 am Biosafety Program Assessments: Moving Beyond Compliance to Continuous Risk Reduction
Carrie Smith, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Merrick & Company, Greenwood Village, CO
Effective biosafety assessments must shift from checklist compliance to risk‑informed evaluation by integrating diverse perspectives, data trends, and leadership engagement to drive actionable improvements that keep pace with rapidly evolving laboratory technologies.
10:45 – 11:00 am Technology-enabled Validation of Biosafety Standard Operating Procedures and Risk Assessments at Tufts University New England Regional Biocontainment Laboratory
Tim Shukri, MSME, Cornerstone Commissioning, LLC, Boxford, MA
Demonstrate innovative practice using safe nucleic acid based airborne simulant used for SOP validation and risk assessment in a high-containment facility.
11:00 – 11:15 am Evaluating the Effectiveness of Research Safety and Compliance Training Programs at Abigail Wexner Research Institute
Sumit Ghosh, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
Evidence‑based guidance to enhance the effectiveness, relevance, and compliance value of research safety training, ultimately strengthening institutional safety culture and reducing risk across the research enterprise.
11:15 – 11:30 am One Health, One Shield: Digitally Transforming HCAT Oversight to Fortify Egypt’s Health Security Architecture
Wael ElRayes, MD, PhD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Egypt’s digital platform revolutionizes laboratory oversight, enabling real-time monitoring, emergency preparedness, and global health security compliance through innovative, scalable technology.
11:30 – 12:00 pm Q&A Session
Merrick & Company, Greenwood Village, CO
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.
Cornerstone Commissioning, LLC, Boxford, MA
Tim Shukri is the General Manager for Cornerstone Commissioning, LLC where he leads teams in the planning, execution, and commissioning of specialized facilities. He is regularly recognized for his problem-solving abilities and highly focused attention to detail when performing systems installations and performance testing. Tim fosters a collaborative approach in the field working proactively with project team members ranging from owners to the installation contractors. He holds both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
Sumit Ghosh, PhD, serves as the Director of Research Protections and Hazardous Materials Management at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute (AWRI) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio. In this leadership role, he oversees compliance programs that support the daily operations of the Research Safety Team, the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) office, and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) office. His work ensures that research activities adhere to federal, state, and institutional regulations while promoting a robust culture of compliance across the research enterprise. Before joining NCH, Dr. Ghosh served as the Biological Safety Officer at the University of North Dakota (UND), where he managed biosafety, biosecurity, and infectious disease containment programs for the institution. He also held an appointment as Adjunct Faculty, contributing to academic instruction and mentoring in areas aligned with his scientific expertise in immunology and biosafety. These combined research, teaching, and compliance experiences have shaped his comprehensive approach to laboratory safety, regulatory oversight, and risk management. Dr. Ghosh has more than 18 years of experience spanning infectious disease containment, biosafety, biosecurity, RCRA hazardous waste regulations, and research oversight. Over his career, he has developed and implemented safety programs, risk assessments, and training initiatives that enhance laboratory practices and strengthen institutional preparedness. His work emphasizes practical solutions, regulatory alignment, and continuous improvement in research operations. In addition to his institutional responsibilities, Dr. Ghosh is an active contributor to the broader biosafety and research compliance community. He serves on several committees within the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA International) and supports professional standards through national and international service. He is also one of the Associate Editors of Applied Biosafety, where he contributes to advancing scholarly work and best practices within the biosafety field.
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Dr. Wael ElRayes is a global health professional with more than 25 years of experience in clinical practice, health systems administration, public health, project management, and international collaboration. Dr. ElRayes currently serves as a faculty member with the Dept of Health Services Research and Administration, the Co-Director for the Center for Global Health and Development, and as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the MENA Health Security Association. Dr. ElRayes has directed and evaluated multimillion-dollar national and international projects advancing biosafety, biosecurity, and health security capacities across the MENA region, South Asia, and the United States. His extensive project management experience includes major federally funded initiatives such as the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) and the Training, Simulation & Quarantine Center, establishing the first U.S. National Quarantine Unit. Globally, Dr. ElRayes has worked with partners including the U.S. Department of State, Africa CDC, World Bank, EU, and multiple ministries of health to strengthen preparedness, emergency response, and governance frameworks. His leadership emphasizes evidence-based policy, cross-sectoral coordination, and capacity-building strategies that bridge academia, government, and humanitarian sectors. A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), Dr. ElRayes combines advanced training in project management, emergency preparedness, and health services administration with a deep commitment to advancing global health security through sustainable partnerships and systems innovation. Dr. ElRayes holds multiple advanced degrees in Medicine and Surgery, Healthcare Management, Human Resources Management, Health Services Administration and Policy, and Emergency Preparedness from renowned institutions, including Kasr Aini Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, the American University in Cairo (AUC), Cairo, Lyon University, France, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and the American College of Healthcare Executives in the USA.
12:00 – 1:30 pm | Honor Awards and Special Recognition Luncheon
Presenter: Anne-Sophie Brocard, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), CHMM, CSP, The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX
Session 17 | Richard Knudsen Award
1:30 – 1:50 pm Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
1:50 – 2:00 pm Q&A Session
Session 18 | High Risk, Crucial Mitigation
2:00 – 2:15 pm Strengthening Institutional Dual-use Research Oversight Through a Hybrid Capacity Building Model in Egypt
Ali Asy, PhD, Animal Health Research Institute, Benha, Egypt
DURC capacity building can yield measurable knowledge gains, expose governance gaps, and drive institutional progress and by blending national reach with practical outputs, it offers a scalable path for responsible research stewardship in Egypt and beyond.
2:15 – 2:30 pm Implementing Safe and Effective H5N1 Poultry Research in BSL‑3 Facilities
Debra Howeth, MPH, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Establish a risk‑based framework for safely conducting HPAI research with chickens in BSL‑3 facilities, using comprehensive risk assessment, adapted containment, and tailored workflows to enhance biosafety readiness and strengthen avian influenza research capacity.
2:30 – 2:45 pm From Expansion to Governance Addressing Standardization Gaps in High-containment Laboratories in Brazil
Marco Horta, PhD, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation – Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rapid expansion of high-containment laboratories without harmonized governance and quality systems can compromise biosafety, biosecurity, and data reliability, underscoring the urgent need for national frameworks to ensure safe and standardized, and auditable operations.
2:45 – 3:00 pm Q&A Session
Animal Health Research Institute, Benha, Egypt
Dr. Ali Asy is a globally recognized expert in biosafety, biosecurity, and global health security with over 20 years of experience spanning veterinary pharmacology, biorisk management, and international health policy. He currently serves as Professor of Pharmacology at the Animal Health Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center in Egypt, and as Adjunct Professor in the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA. Dr. Asy is a Fellow of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), where he authors policy analyses in support of the Biological Weapons Convention. He serves as Vice Chair of the Examination and Certification Committee at Africa CDC, overseeing biosafety credentialing across all 55 African Union member states, and as Co-Chair of the Emerging Biological Risks Working Group under the Global Health Security Agenda. At the international level, Dr. Asy advises the WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Responsible Use of the Life Sciences and Dual-Use Research, contributed to the WHO’s 2025-2030 global laboratory biorisk management strategy, and co-authored expert reports for the International Science Council on Biological Weapons Convention compliance and verification. He is also a Global Mentor with the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA) and a certified IFBA Re-Certified Professional in Biorisk Management and Biosecurity. Dr. Asy has contributed to numerous U.S. Department of State-funded consultancy projects in Egypt and across the MENA region, including the establishment of Egypt’s national Biosafety & Biosecurity Regulatory Entity and its first national high-consequence pathogen laboratory database. He is the co-founder of the MENA Health Security Association and a long-standing member of ABSA International.
University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
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 has 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.
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation – Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Marco Horta holds a PhD in Public Health and Environment from the National School of Public Health of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). He is a public health researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in the Hantavirus and Rickettsial Diseases Laboratory (LHR) and the Coordinator of the Biosafety Level 3 Platform at Fiocruz, the reference laboratory for high consequence pathogens in Brazil. He works in the areas of epidemiology and epidemiological surveillance of emerging and re-emerging diseases, global health, and the effect of climate change on population health. He worked as a technical consultant for the Ministry of Health on vaccine-preventable diseases and was coordinator in the General Coordination of Climate Change and Health Equity of the Ministry of Health in 2024. Marco was an advisor to the president of Fiocruz between 2013 and 2017 for the epidemiological surveillance network and coordinator of the Reference Laboratories. He coordinated the actions for laboratory surveillance for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He coordinated the COVID-19 Analytical Center of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in the detection of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Marco was Vice-Director of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute for Reference Laboratories, Outpatient Clinics and Biological Collections and Deputy Coordinator of the Postgraduate Program in Tropical Medicine at Fiocruz where he works as a professor in the subjects of epidemiology and statistics applied to health and supervises several master’s and doctoral students.
3:00 – 3:15 pm | Break
Session 19 | Approaches to Biorisk Management
3:15 – 3:35 pm Robert I. Gross Student Award
Dynamic Risk Assessments: A Mitigation Strategy for Biosafety and Biosecurity Risks
Bobbi Barr, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Measures will position DRA as a scalable and adaptive framework to strengthen biosafety and biosecurity in increasingly complex laboratory environments.
3:35 – 3:50 pm Demystifying ISO 35001: The Business Case for Biorisk Management
Michael Marsico, MS, Association of Public Health Laboratories, Bethesda, MD
Outline how to achieve leadership support towards ISO 35001 implementation, presenting a business case for why it’s valuable along with effective approaches in achieving implementation.
3:50 – 4:05 pm Operationalizing AI Biorisk Governance Using NIST AI RMF With PDCA Cycle
Judith Chukwuebinim Okolo, PhD, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria
Integrate the NIST AI RMF with the PDCA cycle to provide a practical, scalable approach for managing AI-driven biological risks, strengthening biosafety systems, enabling continuous improvement, and supporting responsible innovation.
4:05 – 4:20 pm ISO 35001-based Regional Biorisk Management For Agricultural Research
Kenneth Shenge, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD
First demonstration of ISO 35001 implementation for regional agricultural research provides a replicable framework for complex biosafety system development and continuous improvement.
4:20 – 4:45 pm Q&A Session
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Bobbi Barr is a biosecurity scientist with over eight years of experience in molecular biology, infectious disease research, and biodefense, including four years dedicated to biodetection and biosurveillance of CBRN agents in support of U.S. federal programs. Her work spans high containment laboratory environments (BSL 3 & 4), assay development, pathogen detection, immune profiling, and laboratory operations, with a strong focus on biosecurity, biosafety, and regulatory compliance. She has contributed to biodefense and biosurveillance missions at organizations including NIH/NIAID, FDA/CBER, MRIGlobal, and George Washington University, and has supported vaccine development and clinical research for emerging and high containment pathogens. Bobbi is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences at Georgetown University, specializing in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infectious Diseases, where she continues to advance her expertise in biological threat preparedness, biosafety, and national security related research.
Association of Public Health Laboratories, Bethesda, MD
Michael serves as the Program Manager in Biosafety and Biosecurity under the Public Health Preparedness and Response Program at APHL. He’s responsible for serving as subject matter expert to assist PHLs with strengthening biorisk management; this encompasses developing tools and providing guidance including training to PHLs and developing a community of practice for biosafety professionals. Michael received his Bachelor of Science from the University of New Haven and a Master of Science at Georgetown University.
National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria
Judith Chukwuebinim Okolo (PhD) is an Assistant Director (Research) at the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency, Nigeria. She is an Africa Regional Subject Matter Expert (Af -RSME) in Biorisk management with African CDC, a fellow of the Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity (ELBI) with John Hopkins Centre for Health Security and a Registered Biological Safety Officer (RBSO) of the Canadian Association for Biological Safety (CABS). Dr Judith is a certified professional of the International Federation of Biological Safety Associations (IFBA) in Biorisk management, Biological Risk Assessment, Biological waste management and cyber-biosecurity. She is a mentor under the IFBA mentorship program and serves on various biosafety and biosecurity committees at national, regional and global levels. She provides independent technical expertise to the Health-Security Interphase Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG) at the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Judith provides programmatic support for national and international organizations to conduct workshops in biorisk management in Nigeria. She has mentored interns, students and medical practitioners. She has also authored and co-authored various publications including a handbook on biosafety and biosecurity for students in Nigeria. Dr. Judith is an alumnus of the Youth for Biosecurity by United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and has been trained as one of the African Women Leaders (AWL) in the frontiers of biosecurity & biosafety to prevent the next pandemics. She currently serves as the Country Coordinator – Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA), Nigerian Chapter, and a council member of the World Animal Biosecurity Association (WABA). Dr. Judith is the convener of BioSafe Advocacy Network – a youth-led initiative dedicated to strengthening biosafety and biosecurity awareness, education, and leadership among young Africans.
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MDDr. Kenneth Shenge is a Biosafety Officer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, overseeing biosafety and regulatory compliance across the 11-state Northeast Area. His career in biosafety and biosecurity began in 2018 as a postdoctoral fellow in the NIH National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP), where he received intensive training in biosafety, biocontainment, biosecurity, and occupational health. Following the NBBTP, he served as Deputy Biosecurity Manager and Acting Chief of the Select Agent Management Branch at USAMRIID from 2020 to 2022. Prior to USDA-ARS, he served as Safety and Occupational Health Manager in the BioRisk Management Branch, Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) at NIH from 2022 to 2024, managing NIAID’s Safety and Occupational Health Program, the NIH High Containment Training Program, and the NIH Polio Eradication Program. He also served as Alternate Responsible Official for the NIH Select Agent Program, Alternate Safety Manager for NIH BSL-3 and ABSL-3 facilities, and Alternate Member of NIAID’s Animal Care and Use Committee. His performance earned three 2023 NIH awards: the Director’s Honor Award, the ORS Director’s Award for Rising Star, and the ORS Recognition Award for the Permissible Toxin Survey Team. Dr. Shenge holds a PhD in Plant Pathology from Sokoine University of Agriculture (DAAD scholarship) and an MPH in Applied Epidemiology from the University of Arizona. He holds the CBSP and RBP credentials of ABSA International. His earlier career included an Associate Professorship at Ahmadu Bello University and research roles at The Ohio State University and the USDA-ARS Aflatoxin Reduction Laboratory.
4:45 pm | Close of Conference
Betsy Matos, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Betsy Matos (CBSP) has served as the Iowa State University (ISU) Biosafety Officer since September 2006. Her diverse roles include serving as the Biosafety Program Manager and Responsible Official for the Select Agent and Toxins Program. She oversees four Biosafety Specialists with the mission to prevent illness and injury, protect the environment and connect the ISU to the message of safety and preparedness. She provides biosafety expertise to more than 30,000 faculty, staff and students. Additionally, she is an Associate Professor of Teaching in two ISU Colleges: the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Betsy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Crop Protection from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. She moved to Ames, Iowa, to pursue a Master of Science degree in Entomology and later, a PhD in Entomology and Horticulture. After working several years in Environmental Health and Safety, she wanted to formalize her educational background in public health, and in 2018, she earned an MPH degree from Des Moines University. She is an active member in several ABSA committees, including Training Tools/Resources, Exam Development, Scientific Program (chair 2016-2018), and Preconference Course. She is also a member of the Midwest Area Biosafety Network (MABioN). Betsy has participated in the Sandia National Laboratories Twinning Program nine times, which allowed her to learn from and share her knowledge of biosafety and biosecurity with international biosafety professionals. Her passion to improve the lives of others extends to her immediate community, where she volunteers as a committee member of the Story County Board of Health and a driver for Meals on Wheels. When she’s not busy being a functioning adult, she’s buried in books nobody asked about, perfecting her signature ‘I-don’t-care’ dance moves, and eating like calories don’t exist.