We welcome Dr. Clem Fortman to the EBRC staff at the Director for National Security Engagements!
Congratulations to Kristala Jones-Prather for her election to the 2018 class of AAAS Fellows, Section on Engineering
Karmella Haynes has started a new position as an Associate Professor in the Georgia Tech/ Emory University W. H. Coulter Biomedical Engineering Department
Authors: Mika Tei, Melinda Liu Perkins, Justin Hsia, Murat Arcak, and Adam Paul Arkin. ACS Synthetic Biology
PNNL has developed a new, publicly available, tool for understanding the current state of the U.S. biodefense enterprise. The Biodefense Policy Landscape Analysis Tool (B-PLAT, v2.0) →.
Oxford University Press has issued a call for papers for a Special Issue on Synthetic Biology Education.
Abstract submission for the 2019 Synthetic Biology: Engineering, Evolution, & Design (SEED) Conference (New York City, NY) closes March 1, 2019.
The U.S. FDA has issued a proposed rule on amending the definition of “biological product”. Comments on the proposed rule must be submitted by February 25, 2019. Federal Register.
Synthetic biology aims to make biology easier to engineer. Synthetic biology is the convergence of advances in chemistry, biology, computer science, and engineering that enables us to go from idea to product faster, cheaper, and with greater precision than ever before. It can be thought of as a biology-based “toolkit” that uses abstraction, standardization, and automated construction to change how we build biological systems and expand the range of possible products. A community of experts across many disciplines has come together to create these new foundations for many industries, including medicine, energy and the environment.
Biology is easier than ever to engineer. This reality requires researchers to take proactive steps to consider the security implications of their work. The Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC) is holding an interactive workshop to help you identify potentially malicious applications of your work, mitigation options, and what to do if you identify something and don’t know how to proceed. This four-hour, technically-focused workshop will include plenary presentations and discussion and small group analysis of participant projects. Refreshments will be served culminating with lunch as part of the final debrief. Participants that complete all aspects of the workshop will receive a certificate of completion which can be noted on your CV.
This workshop is supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under Grant Award Number, 2017‐ST‐108‐FRG002.
The rapid advances in bioengineering capabilities have raised concerns with the security community, lawmakers, and the general public. To help ensure biotechnology practitioners consider the security implications of their work, the Engineering Biology Research Consortium is holding an interactive workshop to help you identify potentially malicious applications of your project, mitigation options, and what to do if you identify something and don’t know how to proceed. This technically focused workshop will run for four hours and will included small group projects. Refreshments will be served culminating with lunch as part of the final debrief. Participants that complete the workshop will receive a certificate of completion which can be noted on your CV.
This workshop is supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under Grant Award Number, 2017‐ST‐108‐FRG002.
EBRC holds periodic workshops and other events to bring engineering biology researchers and the national security community together to discuss trends in the field, address potential concerns, and establish long term relationships.
In development – more coming soon.
EBRC’s first council retreat is by invitation only.
UC Irvine
CalIT2 Building
4100 E Peltason Dr,, Irvine, CA 92617
(please do not contact hotel directly regarding confirmations or room arrangements):
You must register to attend the EBRC Fall 2019 Council Retreat.
The agenda will be distributed and posted online here when ready. Please use the timeline below for planning purposes.
Thurs, Nov 14, 2019: Registration and breakfast at 8:00 AM. First session starts at 9:00 AM
Fri, Nov 15, 2019: Retreat ends at 4:00 PM
Travel support will be extended to Academic Council Members consistent with EBRC’s travel policy. Support consists of direct paid air travel, accommodations, and meals during the retreat. For questions or deviations, please contact EBRC.
We are happy to book hotel accommodations for our Industry and Government participants. They will be requested to provide a form of payment for hotel accommodations at check-in. (EBRC rate: $189/night plus taxes/fees.)
IMPORTANT DATES:
Oct 14, 2019 – Last day to request hotel accommodations.
Oct 14, 2019 – Last day for Academic Council Members to request air transportation.
Oct 21, 2019 – Last day to register (for those not requesting accommodations).
The John Wayne Airport (SNA) is approximately 5 miles from the host hotel. The hotel does not have an airport shuttle. Lyft/Uber is the best option for transportation from the airport to the hotel.