Diversion of biological materials for nefarious purposes continues to be a worldwide concerns. To prevent a biological threat, the United States government has funded a grant to develop a network of biosafety professionals from around the world. The goal of the network is to share technical expertise, promote good biosafety and biosecurity practices, and build relationships with scientists around the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
A strong reputation of biological safety at Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) garnered a request for participation in a Twinning Project. Dr. Betsy Matos, ISU Biosafety Officer, was paired with an Egyptian counterpart (Dr. Emad Rizkalla). Together they worked on compiling monthly progress reports and completing the project. Upon completion, the outcomes of their project will be presented at a biological safety conference.
The expertise provided by EH&S has had a worldwide impact. Participation in this program unifies partners with different perspectives and backgrounds for shared goals of decreasing terrorist acquisition of deadly pathogens, increasing safety for laboratory workers, and helping prevent unintended biological agent release.