Daniel Lowe and Susan Caskey, Sandia National Laboratories, USA
Laboratory biosecurity is a relatively new concept compared to laboratory biosafety yet it has taken on increased importance globally. It has been addressed by a range of international, national, and laboratory-level documents. But, because laboratories with biosecurity risks also have biosafety risks, the World Health Organization (WHO) and others recognize the importance of managing these risks in an integrated framework. Thus, this presentation will focus on the newer concept of laboratory biosecurity since many other conference presentations will address laboratory biosafety. Here, the fundamentals of biosecurity will be discussed; similarities and differences with biosafety risk assessment and risk mitigation approaches will be highlighted. Strategies for managing biosecurity with biosafety to create an integrated biorisk management framework will also be briefly covered to help the audience understand the steps necessary for implementing an effective and efficient biorisk management system.