Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense

FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza

The Commission meeting, FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza, was held on Tuesday, October 8th, in Washington, DC. The focus of this meeting is to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: (1) national leadership to defend food and agriculture against influenza; (2) federal operational requirements for preparedness, coordination, and response; (3) biosurveillance, forecasting, and the need for diagnostic tests; and (4) front-line needs and partnerships in the fight against influenza.

Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/fluency-true-expertise-and-effectiveness-in-the-battle-against-influenza-2/

 

Masters of the Air: Overcoming Airborne Pathogens Indoors

In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense will explore: (1) how the federal government currently addresses indoor air quality; (2) new scientific and technological advances for indoor air quality; and (3) how enhancing indoor air quality can help prevent the spread of pathogens.

Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/masters-of-the-air-overcoming-airborne-pathogens-indoors/

 

A Tribute to Senator Lieberman with the Release of the 2024 National Blueprint for Biodefense

We all lost a visionary leader and friend with the unexpected passing of Senator Joe Lieberman, who along with Governor Tom Ridge co-chaired the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense for ten years.

His death came just as the Commission was preparing to release our 2024 National Blueprint for Biodefense: Immediate Action Needed to Defend Against Biological Threats. Senator Lieberman, who worked tirelessly to defend Americans against biological threats, was a driving force behind this report. So, it is only fitting that we host a special tribute to Senator Lieberman as we publicly release the new National Blueprint for Biodefense.

The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (formerly the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense) was established in 2014 to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state of United States biodefense efforts and to issue recommendations that foster change. Subsequently, the Commission has briefed White House Administrations (including then Vice President Biden); testified before Congress; convened numerous meetings with experts; released 12 reports; produced the graphic novel Germ Warfare; and mobilized biodefense conversations and actions in the private and public sectors.

In its  2015 bipartisan report,  A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, the Commission described biological threats to the Nation and made 33 recommendations to optimize US efforts to prevent, deter, prepare for, detect, respond to, attribute, recover from, and mitigate intentionally introduced, accidentally released, and naturally occurring biological events. Many recommendations from this report have been taken up by the government, including the National Biodefense Strategy, a federal biodefense budget crosscut by the Office of Management and Budget, and the recent Biodefense Posture Review by the Department of Defense.

The world continues to experience rising threats from offensive biological weapons programs, lab accidents, and outbreaks affecting our national security. There have been burgeoning biotechnological advances in medical countermeasures (e.g., antibiotics, antivirals, vaccines, diagnostics) yet huge gaps in prevention, deterrence, preparedness, detection, response, attribution, recovery, and mitigation still remain. The federal government must address gaps in the US biodefense enterprise. Nine years after its seminal report, the Commission is releasing the 2024 National Blueprint on Biodefense with specific recommendations for government leaders in Congress and the Administration to strengthen the federal government’s biodefense posture.

 

Learn more here: A Tribute to Senator Lieberman with the Release of the 2024 National Blueprint for Biodefense - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org)

Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health

This meeting was recorded on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. Find more information about this meeting here: Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org)

As the Nation continues to endure the consequences of recent pandemics, and with continued interest in biological weapons by nation states and other enemies, the federal government has an opportunity to address vulnerabilities in the biodefense enterprise. At this meeting, titled Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health, the Commission intends to further explore : (1) biodefense policies and activities at the Department of Defense; (2) federal stockpile evaluation and decision-making for smallpox medical countermeasures; (3) needed authorities of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and (4) biodefense leadership.

No Checkered Flag: The Perpetual Race Against Biological Threats

In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense will explore: (1) state and local efforts to strengthen public health and biodefense; (2) special security management of biological threats to mass gatherings; and (3) efforts to understand and mitigate the agricultural impact of biological threats to plants and animals. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/no-checkered-flag-the-perpetual-race-against-biological-threats/

Speakers will include:

Governor Eric J. Holcomb

Virginia A. Caine, MD, Director and Chief Medical Officer, Marion County Public Health Department

Kristina Box, MD, Former Indiana State Health Commissioner

Tory Castor, JD, Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Indiana University Health

Sergeant Robert Brown Jr., Program Manager, Counter-WMD (CBRNE) Unit, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

Special Agent Casey P. Farrell, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator, Indianapolis, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Julia Vaizer, MD, Medical Director, Indianapolis Motor Speedway

John Ball, Vice President, Security and Event Services, Pacers Sports & Entertainment

Darcy E. P. Telenko, PhD, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, Purdue University

Bret D. Marsh, DVM, Indiana State Veterinarian, Indiana State Board of Animal Health

Paul Ebner, PhD, Professor of Animal Sciences, Purdue University

 

Solving the Puzzle: Biological Intelligence and Information Sharing

As the biological threat continues to evolve, biological intelligence gathering, analysis, and dissemination activities must increase to keep pace with the advances of our adversaries. At this upcoming meeting, the Commission intends to further explore the expanding nature of the biological threat, the federal biological intelligence enterprise, and information sharing with non-federal governments.

See here for more information: Solving the Puzzle: Biological Intelligence and Information Sharing - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org)

Speakers include:

The Honorable Kenneth L. Wainstein – Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security

Dr. Paul Friedrichs – Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Global Health Security & Biodefense, National Security Council, The White House; former Joint Staff Surgeon, Department of Defense

Marina Mayo – Section Chief, Countermeasures and Mitigation, Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Dr. William T. “Thom” Burnett – Chief Scientist, National Center for Medical Intelligence, Department of Defense

Dr. Chris Rodriguez – Director, District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency 

Joshua Bushweller – Director, Delaware Information & Analysis Center, Delaware State Police                                

Colin Mulloy – Deputy Director, Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center

Judith Harrison – Assistant Chief, Counterterrorism Division, New York City Police Department

Informing Blueprint 2.0: Know the Enemy

In this upcoming meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense intends to further explore the prevention, deterrence, and attribution of biological threats. The discussion will delve into how these critical elements of biodefense can be improved through technology, policy, and coordination. This meeting will inform the Commission’s refresh of the National Blueprint for Biodefense, which we will issue later this year. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/informing-blueprint-2-0-know-the-enemy/

Informing Blueprint 2.0: Please, Look Up!

Recorded on Tuesday, March 21, 2023

In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense further explores preparedness needs and efforts, new solutions to improve biosurveillance, and data modernization. The discussion delves into how preparedness coordination between federal and state efforts can be better harmonized and how the nation can best ensure having eyes on the ground during the emergence of a biothreat. This meeting will inform the Commission’s refresh of the National Blueprint for Biodefense, which we will issue later this year.

See more information about this meeting here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/informing-blueprint-2-0-please-look-up/

Afterthoughts: Response, Recovery and Mitigation of Biological Events

Seven years after the release of the Commission’s National Blueprint for Biodefense, the Nation remains critically unprepared for future biological events, which threaten to strain resources and impact government efforts to address threats like COVID-19. At this meeting, the Commission intends to further explore challenges for biodefense response, recovery, and mitigation capabilities at all levels of government and the private sector. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/even...

Banding Together: Partnerships for Biodefense

On Thursday, September 22, 2022 the Commission held an in-person meeting - Banding Together: Partnerships for Biodefense. The Commission delved into how to optimize partnerships to defend against biological threats, a critical enabler of success identified in its report released earlier this year, The Athena Agenda: Advancing The Apollo Program for Biodefense. The meeting examined what is needed to incentivize and effectively manage partnerships between the federal government and industry, academia, and nongovernmental organizations to drive technology innovation and improve biological intelligence for current and future threats.

When Borders Don’t Matter Defending the Homeland Against Biological Threats

On Tuesday, May 3, 2022 the Commission convened an in-person meeting to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: (1) biological incidents that affect homeland and national security; (2) roles and responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in addressing biological threats; and (3) opportunities to enhance national biodefense.

 

See more information about the event here: When Borders Don’t Matter: Defending the Homeland Against Biological Threats - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense 

The Biological Threat Expanse - Current and Future Challenges to National Biodefense

On Tuesday, March 22, 2022, the Commission convened for an in-person meeting to provide a better understanding of: (1) the expanding landscape of current and future biological threats; (2) the roles and responsibilities of the federal government in assess and preparing for various biological threats; and (3) biological weapons, bioterrorism, and biological arms races. More information on the event is available here: The Biological Threat Expanse: Current and Future Challenges to National Biodefense - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense

The Athena Agenda: Executing the Apollo Program for Biodefense

The Commission’s baseline 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, warned that the United States was inadequately prepared for biological threats. Six years later, the U.S. experience with COVID-19 continues to validate our original findings. The Commission’s January 2021 report, The Apollo Program for Biodefense: Winning the Race Against Biological Threats, details an ambitious goal-directed program to develop and deploy the technologies needed to defend against all biological threats, empower public health, and prevent pandemics within just ten years. Since the release of this report, the pandemic continues to cause devastation throughout the United States and the world. Likewise, the risk of an accidental or deliberate release of even deadlier pathogens continues to rise. The past year has only emboldened the idea that we cannot let a pandemic like the one we are facing, or something worse, ever happen again.

On December 8, 2021, we convened an in-person meeting of the Commission, The Athena Agenda: Executing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, to provide a better understanding of ongoing federal efforts to implement The Apollo Program for Biodefense, the role of the private sector in implementing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, how the public and private sectors can fully implement The Apollo Program for Biodefense within ten years.

Saving Sisyphus: Course Corrections for National Biodetection

In its 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, the Commission addressed inadequacies of BioWatch, the Department of Homeland Security environmental biodetection program. Established in 2003, the federal government intended for BioWatch to provide early warning of biological attacks on major metropolitan areas. However, after nearly two decades of operation, the system is ineffective. There is little evidence that the system effectively detects pathogens of interest, and even if it did, pathogen detection turnaround time is too slow for the government to effectively respond to any actual biological attack. If the federal government continues to spend more taxpayer money on next generation biodetection systems, a reassessment of current efforts is necessary. A new report by the Commission – Saving Sisyphus: Advanced Biodetection for the 21st Century – details specific actions that must be taken by Congress and the Biden Administration before another devastating attack occurs.

On November 2, 2021, the Commission held an in-person meeting, Saving Sisyphus: Course Corrections for National Biodetection, to provide a better understanding of challenges facing federal biodetection programs, public and private advancements in environmental biodetection technology, and mission requirements for 21st Century biodetection capabilities.

Biologia et Machina: Cyberbiosecurity for Today's Hybrid Evolution

NOTE: This event was prerecorded on June 15, 2021.

In its 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, the Commission identified the need to safeguard pathogen and advanced biotechnology information against cyber-attacks and illicit access. Due to the increasing convergence of cyber and biological sciences, in September 2019, the Commission addressed cyberbiosecurity at its public meeting, Cyberbio Convergence: Characterizing the Multiplicative Threat. Building on that earlier work, the Commission believes it is imperative to continually evaluate these threats and vulnerabilities to keep pace with these two domains as their convergence accelerates. On June 15, 2021, the Commission held and recorded Biologia et Machina: Cyberbiosecurity for Today’s Hybrid Evolution, a virtual meeting of the Commission to provide a better understanding of current and future cyberbiosecurity threats and vulnerabilities, opportunities and solutions to address these threats, and the role of the federal government in securing the future.

Please visit the event page for more details, including a list of the speakers: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/biologia-et-machina-cyberbiosecurity-for-todays-hybrid-evolution/

 

Holding the Line on Biodefense: Supporting First Response to Large-Scale Biological Events

On March 23, 2021, we premiered a virtual meeting of the Commission to further explore the of the first responder community and how the federal government can better support non-federal response to future biological incidents.

The Commission’s 2018 report, Holding the Line on Biodefense: State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Reinforcements Needed, focused on federal assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments in addressing large-scale biological events. Police, fire, emergency medical services, hazmat and other first responders are the backbone of SLTT efforts to react to the biological threat. First responders must also continue serving their communities while addressing the threat. However, the federal government has left the nation’s first responders ill-equipped and underinformed when addressing events like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. First responders require resources and information so that they can effectively manage the biological threat, keep the citizenry informed, and make decisions about using medical countermeasures themselves.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here. 

The Biological Event Horizon: No Return or Total Resilience

On September 24, 2020, we premiered a virtual meeting of the Commission to address emerging biological threats and innovative science and technology solutions to address them.

The ongoing novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is revealing major gaps in national readiness to prepare for, respond to, and recover from biological threats. Decision makers must consider enhancements to policies and programs to better defend against the next biological threat as the Nation continues to respond to the crisis. COVID-19 will not be the last biological threat we face and it likely will not be the worst as the risk of natural and human-generated threats continues to increase with time. Innovative science and technology solutions exist or are in development that could change the game for biodefense.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

COVID Complexities: Converging Threats, Fractured Resources

On July 21, 2020, the Commission premiered   a virtual meeting to help us better understand the potential for COVID-19’s reemergence, the country’s efforts to track the spread of the disease, and national readiness to address future biological threats.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

COVID-19: Forewarned, But Not Forearmed

On May 8, 2020, we premiered a virtual meeting of the Commission to better understand the ongoing response to novel coronavirus 2019, national readiness to address possible large-scale spread of the disease in the United States and throughout the world, and implications for improving preparedness for the next biological threat.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

Testimony - Are We Prepared? Protecting the U.S. from Global Pandemics

On Wednesday, February 12th, U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a roundtable hearing titled, “Are we Prepared? Protecting the U.S. from Global Pandemics.”

The purpose of this roundtable was to examine the nation’s level of preparedness against current and future pandemic threats, particularly in the context of the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China.

The event featured the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Asha M. George, as a witness.

More information about this event is available here. 

Containing the Coronavirus: Challenges to Thwarting the Outbreak

On Monday, February 10th, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense and Hudson Institute hosted a panel discussion on the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and how the United States can respond to the growing outbreak effectively. 

More information about this meeting is available here.

Too Great a Thing to Leave Undone: Defense of Agriculture

On November 5, 2019, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense convened a meeting to inform its continuing assessment of the biological threat, specific vulnerabilities, and overwhelming consequences to agricultural producers.  Speakers shared their perspectives, experiences, challenges, and recommended solutions with regard to agrodefense, and talked about public and private sector responsibilities to protect U.S. agriculture.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

Cyberbio Convergence: Characterizing the Multiplicative Threat

This meeting was held on September 17, 2019, to inform our continuing assessment of the biological threat, specific vulnerabilities, and overwhelming consequences. Topics discussed at this meeting included: The convergence of cyber- and biological sciences; The vulnerability of pathogen and biomanufacturing data systems; Biological risk mitigation;

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

A Manhattan Project for Biodefense: Taking Biological Threats Off The Table

This meeting was held on July 11, 2019, to discuss A Manhattan Project for Biodefense – a national, public-private research and development undertaking to defend the Nation against biological threats.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

 

Awesome Con Discussion - Max Brooks and Commission Release Graphic Novel on the History of Germ Warfare

Max Brooks, the best-selling author of “World War Z” and non-resident fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point, has partnered with the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense on GERM WARFARE: A Very Graphic History. This highly stylized and engaging graphic novel reminds us never to take public health for granted. It’s all part of an effort by the bipartisan Study Panel to not only work with the federal government to strengthen our national biodefense, but also to educate Americans about the risks, and why a strong biodefense is critical to our individual health and safety.

GERM WARFARE: A Very Graphic History was officially released Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Awesome Con, Washington DC’s Comic Con event.

For more information on this discussion, see here.

Fighting the Next War: Defense Against Biological Weapons

This meeting was held on February 5, 2019, and examined the responsibilities and requirements for federal biodefense efforts that are unique to the U.S. Department of Defense.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

Biodefense Indicators: Progress in Implementing Key Elements of the National Blueprint for Biodefense

This meeting was held on November 14, 2018, and examined how far the Executive Branch has come in implementing the National Blueprint for Biodefense.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

Fits and Starts: Reactionary Biodefense

This meeting was held on October 9, 2018, and reexamined the anthrax events of 2001, as well as subsequent biological events to discuss where we are now and what else we need to do to ensure national biodefense.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

The Cost of Resilience: Impact of Large-Scale Biological Events on Business, Finance, and the Economy

This meeting was held on July 31, 2018, and addressed private sector roles and responsibilities before, during, and after the response to large-scale biological events.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

Transnational Biological Threats and Global Security

This meeting was held on April 25, 2018, and addressed transnational biological threats and the need to elevate global health security as a national and global priority.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

 

SLTT Ability to Respond to Large Scale Biological Events: Challenges and Solutions

This meeting was held on January 17, 2018, and addressed the ability of state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments to respond to large-scale biological events.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

 

National Biodefense Strategy: Implementation and Implications

This meeting was held on November 2, 2017 and addressed implementation of the National Biodefense Strategy and its implications for the Office of Management and Budget, congressional authorization and appropriation, leadership, coordination, collaboration, and innovation.

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

Attribution of Biological Crime, Terrorism, and Warfare: Challenges and Solutions

This meeting was held on October 3, 2017 and addressed the current states of science, investigations, and intelligence for biological attribution and the extent to which they inform strategic, operational, and tactical decisions. Federal government, industry, and academic representatives discussed their perspectives, experiences, challenges, and recommended solutions with regard to biological attribution.

 

More information about this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

 

Budget Reform for Biodefense: Leadership and Coordination

On May 1, 2017, experts in biodefense and budget issues gathered to provide Commission Members with an understanding of and recommendations regarding leadership, interagency coordination, and risk challenges to biodefense budgeting.

More information on this meeting, including a full agenda, is available here.

Discussion - Bioterrorism, Pandemics, and Preparing for the Future

Members of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense discuss the growing pandemic threat and the steps the United States government needs to take in order to keep America safe. Their discussion is moderated by Max Brooks (scholar and author of World War Z).

This discussion took place on May 1, 2017 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. See here for more information.

 

Agrodefense: Challenges and Solutions

This meeting of the Commission took place on January 26, 2017, and covers challenges and solutions for agrodefense. See here for more information on this event.

Congressional Perspective

• The Honorable Roger Marshall, United States Representative, Kansas

Panel One – Prevention and Deterrence

• Stephen Higgs, PhD, Associate Vice President for Research and Director, Biosecurity Research Institute
• Amy Kircher, DrPH, Director, Food Protection and Defense Institute, University of Minnesota
• Gerald W. Parker, Jr., DVM, PhD, Vice President, Public Health Preparedness and Response, and Interim Director, Institute for Animal Infectious Diseases Defense, Texas A&M University
• Steve Parker, MBA, MSCM, Head, North America Veterinary Public Health, Merial

Panel Two – Surveillance and Detection

• Tammy R. Beckham, DVM, PhD, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University
• Ali S. Khan, MD, MPH, Dean, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• Kelly F. Lechtenberg, DVM, PhD, President, Midwest Veterinary Services/Central States Research Center/Veterinary and Biomedical Research Center

Panel Three – Preparedness, Response, Recovery & Mitigation

• Jackie McClaskey, PhD, Secretary, Kansas Department of Agriculture
• D. Charles Hunt, MPH, State Epidemiologist and Director, Bureau of Epidemiology and Public Health Informatics, Kansas Department of Health and Environment
• Curt J. Mann, DVM, Chief Executive, Empryse Group

Testimony - Outbreaks, Attacks, and Accidents: Combatting Biological Threats

Commissioners Donna Shalala and Jim Greenwood give testimony to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce

This hearing took place on February 12, 2016. See here for more information. 

Testimony - Outside Views on Biodefense for the Department of Defense

Testimony to House Committee on Armed Services

The subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the House Committee on Armed Services held a hearing entitled, “Outside Views on Biodefense for the Department of Defense” and Commissioner Honorable Kenneth Wainstein and Commission Ex Officio member Dr. Gerald Parker served as witnesses. Their testimony can be read on the Committee’s website.

This hearing took place on February 3, 2016. See here for more information. 

Testimony - Defending Against Bioterrorism: How Vulnerable is America?

Testimony to House Committee on Homeland Security

 

Former Senator Lieberman and Former Governor Ridge, the Commission's Co-Chairs, update Committee Members on the Commission's work and the state of U.S. biosecurity leadership and programs, including recommendations for improving our biodefense posture.

 

This hearing took place on November 3, 2015. See here for more information. 

Response & Recovery

This meeting of the Commission took place on April 1, 2015, and covers response and recovery needs for biodefense. See here for more information on this event.

Objective: Provide panelists with an understanding of the biodefense requirements for effective preparedness, response and recovery from biological and chemical threats that can inflict potentially catastrophic consequences.

Agenda:

Congressional Perspective

• Former Representative Mike J. Rogers, Distinguished Fellow, Hudson Institute

Panel One: Pre-event Activities and Emergency Response

• Ms. Myra Socher, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt University  Chief G. Keith Bryant, Fire Chief, Oklahoma City Fire Department; President and Chairman of the Board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs
• Dr. Matthew Minson, Senior Advisor for Health Affairs, Texas A&M University
• Dr. Carter Mecher, Senior Medical Advisor, Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs; former Director for Medical Preparedness Policy, Homeland Security Council and National Security Staff (President George W. Bush and President Barack H. Obama)

Panel Two: Public Health Response

• Dr. Suzet McKinney, Deputy Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health
• Ms. Melissa Hersh, President and CEO, Hersh Consulting
• Dr. James Terbush, Senior Partner, Martin, Blanck, and Associates; former Command Surgeon, North American Aerospace Defense Command/U.S. Northern Command, Department of Defense

Lunch Keynote

• Dr. Irwin Redlener, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; Director, National Center for Disaster Preparedness

Panel Three: Pharmaceutical Response 

• Dr. Ann DeGroot, CEO, EpiVax
• Mr. Daniel J. Abdun-Nabi, President and CEO, Emergent BioSolutions
• Mr. Mike Chervenic, Managing Director, Stokes Evans
• Mr. Jude Plessas, Executive Manager, Countermeasures Delivery & Distribution, U.S. Postal Service

Panel Four: Recovery and Mitigation

• Dr. Kavita Berger, Scientist, Gryphon Scientific
• Mr. Michael Hopmeier, President, Unconventional Concepts, Inc.
• Dr. Ken Staley, Consultant, McKinsey & Company; former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterproliferation, Department of State; former Director for Biodefense Policy, Homeland Security Council (President George W. Bush)

Panel Five: Leadership

• Dr. Kenneth Bernard, former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush for Biodefense; former Senior Advisor to President William J. Clinton for Security and Health; Rear Admiral (Retired - US Public Health Service)
• Ms. Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty, President, Tier Tech International, Inc.; former Director for Combating Terrorism, National Security Council (President William J. Clinton)
• Dr. Robert Kadlec, Deputy Staff Director, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush for Health and Biodefense; Colonel (Retired - US Air Force)

Surveillance & Detection

This meeting of the Commission took place on March 12, 2015. See here for more information on this event.

Panel One: The Biosurveillance and Detection Landscape Discussion of key elements of effective biosurveillance and detection, and continued challenges in the effectiveness of ongoing efforts.

• Dr. Julie Gerberding, Executive Vice President for Strategic Communications, Global Public Policy and Population Health, Merck; former Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Dr. Julie Fischer, Associate Research Professor, Department of Health Policy, George Washington University
• Dr. Norm Kahn, Consultant, Counter-­BIO LLC; former Director, Intelligence Community Counter-­Biological Weapons Program

Panel Two: Environmental Surveillance and Detection Discussion of the technological and policy challenges to early and reliable detection of environmentally dispersed biological and chemical agents.

• Dr. Jeffrey Runge, President, Biologue, Inc.; former Chief Medical Officer and Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, Department of Homeland Security
• Dr. Denise Pettit, Assistant Director, State Laboratory of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
• Dr. Eric Van Geison, Senior Director, Diagnostics and Biosurveillance, Innovation, Global Health, and Security Operations, MRI Global; former Division Chief for Diagnostics and Disease Surveillance, Defense Threat Reduction Agency

Lunch Keynote: The Human-­Animal Interface

• Dr. William B. Karesh, Executive Vice President for Health and Policy, EcoHealth Alliance

Panel Three: Clinical Surveillance and Detection Discussion of key elements of an effective clinical surveillance and detection architecture, and impediments to and opportunities in increasing situational awareness for early and accurate disease detection and clinical diagnosis.

• Dr. Dan Didier, Director of Public Health, Thermo Fischer Scientific • Mr. Dan Desmond, President, The SIMI Group
• Ms. Deborah Rosenblum, Executive Vice President, Nuclear Threat Initiative
• Mr. Robert VanDine, Founder, Rapid Pathogen Screening

Panel Four: Law Enforcement, Attribution, and the Lone Wolf Discussion of law enforcement activities, attribution of deliberate acts, and the problem of the lone wolf.

• Dr. Randall Murch, Professor in Practice, School of Public and International Affairs and Research Leader, Office of the Vice President, National Capital Region, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
• Dr. Yonah Alexander, Director, Inter-­‐University Center for Terrorism Studies
• Supervisory Special Agent Edward You, Federal Bureau of Investigations Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate

Panel Five: Read-­outs from Study Panel Satellite Meetings Representatives from satellite meetings held in support of the Study Panel will present their findings and recommendations, providing a preview into response and recovery issues to be addressed at Meeting 4.

• Dr. Elizabeth Posillico, Co-­‐Chair, Alliance for Biosecurity
• Dr. Gerald W. Parker, Vice President, Public Health Preparedness and Response, Texas A&M Health Sciences Center
• Ms. Beth Maldin Morgenthau, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Policy, Community Resilience and Response, Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
• Mr. Tim Stephens, CEO, MESH Coalition

Prevention & Protection

This meeting of the Commission took place on January 14, 2015. See here for more information on this event.

Panel One: Biological Arms Control, Cooperative Threat Reduction, Global Health Security Agenda, and Quarantine

• Dr. David R. Franz (via internet video)
• Dr. Dan Gerstein
• Dr. Beth Cameron
• Dr. Mike Stoto

Working Lunch: First Responder Protection

•  Dr. William Raub

Panel Two: Biosecurity, the Select Agent Program, and Synthetic Biology

• Dr. Timothy Lu
• Dr. Tom Ksiazek

Panel Three: Resilience, Biodeterrence, First Responder Vaccination, and Agricultural Defense

• Dr. Jeff Levi
• Mr. Bruce Miller
• Mr. Mark Landahl
• Dr. Curt Mann

Panel Four: Insights on Ebola and Pandemic Influenza Response

• Dr. Robin Robinson
• Dr. Monique Mansoura
• Dr. Daniel Lucey

 

Germ Warfare: A Very Graphic History

Max Brooks partnered with the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense to produce GERM WARFARE: A Very Graphic History which traces the long, brutal story of biological weapons. 

Download the graphic novel here: https://biodefensecommission.org/germ-warfare/