Dr. Filippa Lentzos, Senior Lecturer in Science and International Security at King's College London, joins us to discuss the most pressing issues in biosecurity, big data in biology and life sciences, and governance in biological risk.
Topics discussed in this episode include:
- The most pressing issue in biosecurity
- Stories from when biosafety labs failed to contain dangerous pathogens
- The lethality of pathogens being worked on at biolaboratories
- Lessons from COVID-19
You can find the page for the podcast here:
https://futureoflife.org/2021/10/01/filippa-lentzos-on-emerging-threats-in-biosecurity/
Watch the video version of this episode here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6M34oQ4v4w
Have any feedback about the podcast? You can share your thoughts here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DRBFZCT
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:35 What are the least understood aspects of biological risk?
8:32 Which groups are interested biotechnologies that could be used for harm?
16:30 Why countries may pursue the development of dangerous pathogens
18:45 Dr. Lentzos' strands of research
25:41 Stories from when biosafety labs failed to contain dangerous pathogens
28:34 The most pressing issue in biosecurity
31:06 What is gain of function research? What are the risks?
34:57 Examples of gain of function research
36:14 What are the benefits of gain of function research?
37:54 The lethality of pathogens being worked on at biolaboratorie
40:25 Benefits and risks of big data in biology and the life sciences
45:03 Creating a bioweather map or using big data for biodefense
48:35 Lessons from COVID-19
53:46 How does governance fit in to biological risk?
55:59 Key takeaways from Dr. Lentzos
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