Security & Engineering Biology

Programs & Activities

• Building International Best Practices For Robust Synthetic Nucleic Acid Screening

  Advances in nucleic acid synthesis continue to propel life sciences research forward, enabling innovation across health, agriculture, sustainability, and more. Yet, these advancements also bring biosecurity risks, as synthetic nucleic […]

  More →

• End-to-End Stress Testing (E2EST) of DNA Synthesis Screening

  More →

• Enabling Quality, Measurable Synthetic DNA Sequence Screening

  This project aims to improve DNA synthesis screening by enabling the development of better tools and mechanisms for screening performance evaluation. Synthetic DNA enables life sciences research that can be […]

  More →

• Malice Analysis: Assessing Biotechnology Research for Security Concerns

  EBRC’s Malice Analysis Workshops endeavor to build and support security awareness within the engineering biology community. Workshops train researchers and others associated with engineering biology to evaluate their own work for security concerns. By providing participants with the tools and framework to engage in this type of analysis, EBRC hopes participants will be prepared to consider, discuss, and improve security in engineering biology research throughout their careers. These efforts are funded by the US Department of Homeland Security.

  More →

• BIoSecurity Opportunities Nexus

  BIoSecurity Opportunities Nexus (BISON) compiles student and postdoc-relevant biosecurity opportunities, including graduate and postdoc academic programs, scholarships, fellowships, and internships. BISON includes both international and domestic (US) opportunities.

  More →
• 

  Improving Security Considerations in Engineering Biology Research

  The EBRC Improving Security Considerations program is a broad effort to encourage researchers in engineering biology to consider the security implications of their work. Through workshops and other educational activities, we aim to establish norms and practices for researchers and the research-support community to better incorporate security into the research enterprise.

  More →
• 

  Workshops with the National Security Community

  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.

  More →

Working Group

The Security Working Group is comprised of synthetic biology professionals from academia, industry, and government who keep abreast of new developments in the field and communicate the security implications of these developments to appropriate stakeholders. This group also serves as a resource for external organizations to draw upon for technical expertise from practitioners with an understanding of security implications.

Chair: Kate Adamala
Staff Director: Becky Mackelprang

• Council Member

  
  Kate Adamala
  University of Minnesota
  Assistant Professor
  Full Bio →
• 
  Christopher Anderson
  University of California, Berkeley
  Associate Professor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Nicole Buan
  University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  Associate Professor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Sarah Carter
  Science Policy Consulting LLC
  Principal
  Full Bio →
• 
  Carolyn Chapman
  Brigham and Women's Hospital
  Lead Investigator
  Full Bio →
• 
  Virginia Cornish
  Columbia University
  Helena Rubinstein Professor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  James Diggans
  Twist Bioscience Corporation
  Director, Bioinformatics and Biosecurity
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  John Dileo
  MITRE
  
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Robert Egbert
  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  Staff Scientist
  Full Bio →
• 
  Andrew Ellington
  University of Texas at Austin
  Professor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Sam Weiss Evans
  US National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology
  Senior Policy Advisor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  John Glass
  J. Craig Venter Institute
  Professor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Nathan Hillson
  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  Staff Scientist
  Full Bio →
• 
  Farren Isaacs
  Yale University
  Associate Professor
  Full Bio →
• 
  Gregory Koblentz
  George Mason University
  Associate Professor and Director, Biodefense Graduate Program
  Full Bio →
• 
  Becky Mackelprang
  EBRC
  Director for Security Programs
  Full Bio →
• 
  June Medford
  Colorado State University
  Professor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Tae Seok Moon
  J. Craig Venter Institute
  Professor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Vincent Noireaux
  University of Minnesota
  Professor
  Full Bio →
• 
  Meagan Olsen
  Northwestern University
  Ph.D. Candidate
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Jean Peccoud
  Colorado State University
  Professor, Abell Chair in Synthetic Biology
  Full Bio →
• 
  Elibio Rech
  National Institute of S&T in Synthetic Biology/EMBRAPA
  Dr.
  Full Bio →
• 
  Cameron Roots
  
  
  Full Bio →
• 
  Todd Treangen
  Rice University
  Assistant Professor
  Full Bio →

• Council Member

  
  Laurie Zoloth
  University of Chicago
  Professor
  Full Bio →