Audio versions of blogs and papers from BlueDot courses. Original text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK614029/ Author(s): Aishani Aatresh, Nicole Lurie, and Richard Hatchett. A podcast by BlueDot Impact.

Audio versions of blogs and papers from BlueDot courses. Original Text: https://press.asimov.com/articles/antivirals Author(s): Brian Wang A podcast by BlueDot Impact.

This introduction to the course underscores its focus on mitigating the risk of catastrophic pandemics, a specific aspect of the complex and multidisciplinary field of biosecurity. It clarifies various interpretations of 'biosecurity', categorises different sources of pandemic risk, and underscores the need for collaboration across numerous disciplines and skill sets to effectively prevent pandemics. We also highlight the core values of the course - a scout mindset, healthy scepticism, active...

This article introduces a range of strategies to reduce pandemic risk whilst drawing parallels to fire-fighting interventions. It argues that pandemic prevention, like fire-fighting, needs a comprehensive approach that includes prevention, early detection, and both passive and active protection. It underscores that proactive pandemic preparedness measures are significantly less costly, both in financial terms and lives lost, compared to reactive responses. It's worth highlighting the need for...

This report covers the current landscape in pathogen early warning and biosurveillance, highlights challenges and identifies opportunities from emerging technologies. You will have the opportunity to dig deeper into some of the new technologies in the pre-class exercise and the optional readings. Original text: https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/toward-a-global-pathogen-early-warning-system/ Author(s): A product of the Janne E. Nolan Center on Strategic Weapons, an institute of the Council ...

This resource provides a brief introduction to some of the most common terms used in infectious disease epidemiology. Original text: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zUcRUXWFjIoRxx3wM35okua2hSLYaDW-lLboJa77tUg/edit#heading=h.rd77fsy9cdni Author(s): Joshua Blake A podcast by BlueDot Impact. Learn more on the AI Safety Fundamentals website.

This paper proposes two categories of AI models that could have impacts on biosecurity in different ways: large language models (LLMs) and biological design tools (BDTs). Overall, the author suggests that LLMs could lower barriers to biological misuse, while BDTs could expand the capabilities of sophisticated actors to create pandemic pathogens worse than anything seen to date. The paper also provides suggestions for mitigating these risks. Original text: https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.13952 Aut...

This Wikipedia article provides an overview of the Biological Weapons Convention, a disarmament treaty that bans the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological weapons. Despite 185 states being party to the treaty, there are substantial challenges including a lack of funding and difficulty verifying compliance. Original text: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_Weapons_Convention Author(s): Wikipedia A podcast by BlueDot Impact. Learn more o...

The document highlights the need for national-level norms for biosafety, given that a laboratory accident with contagious pathogens could have global implications. Despite guidance for local and institutional biosafety practices, there are few international guidelines that standardise biosafety activities and oversight mechanisms from one research-producing nation to another. Original text: https://www.cell.com/trends/microbiology/fulltext/S0966-842X(15)00228-0 Author(s): Gigi Kw...

There is a tension in the life sciences between scientific transparency and the need for secrecy to protect national or global security. This report introduces the term 'dual-use research of concern (DURC)' and covers debates from the last two decades over what information should be published. Original text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK458495/ Author(s): US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine A podcast by BlueDot Impact. Learn more on the AI Safety Fund...

This document introduces the concept of information hazards (often called 'info hazards') and reasoning for why we should be cautious around them. It also provides a list of concrete examples that seem safe to discuss, stressing the importance of maintaining a balance between openness and conscientiousness. It's worth noting that reasonable people disagree about the degree of caution with which to approach info hazards. Original text: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d8269g3b-_GeNAPw...

As synthetic biology techniques develop and the barriers to entry become lower, we are increasingly seeing the development of privately-operated biological labs. These often enforce less stringent safety standards than those in academia, and can fall through the cracks of regulatory oversight. This article focuses on a recent example in California, emphasising the need for a unified regulatory system and increased federal oversight for these labs, especially those working with dangerous patho...

This article proposes four key actions that can be taken to prevent outbreaks from zoonotic spillover: protecting tropical forests, regulating or banning live wildlife markets, improving biosecurity for farmed animals, and improving health and economic security, particularly in hotspots for disease emergence. For those digging deeper into zoonotic spillover for this week's exercise, you will find the original paper in the optional resources section. Original text: https://www.nature.com...

Historically, the complexity and unpredictability of biology has meant most scientific progress in this field has come from slow and expensive trial-and-error experiments. This post explores three areas that are turning biology from trial-and-error into a precise engineering discipline and unlocking dramatic progress; deep learning on biological data, laboratory automation, and precision DNA editing. Original text: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/were-entering-a-golden-age-of-engineering Autho...

This report breaks down the categorisation of LLMs and BDTs into more specific subcategories of AI-enabled biological tools at each stage of the risk chain, from ideation to production of biological weapons. By being more specific about the existing and potential tools at each stage, we can have more precise discussions about the risks. Original text: https://www.longtermresilience.org/post/report-launch-examining-risks-at-the-intersection-of-ai-and-bio Author(s): Cassidy Nelson and So...

DNA synthesis represents the primary interface between the digital and physical worlds when it comes to synthetic biology - the point at which potentially hazardous information could become an actually dangerous piece of biological material. No national government legally mandates the screening of DNA synthesis orders, although members of the International Gene Synthesis Consortium voluntarily screen DNA synthesis orders and customers. This article briefly summarises the problem and recommend...

This page gives a brief overview of the NIH's framework for guiding funding decisions on potentially risky research involving enhanced potential pandemic pathogens (ePPPs). Following the release of a report, 'Proposed Biosecurity Oversight Framework For The Future of Science' in early 2023, the US Government is reviewing the process for the oversight of ePPP research. This report and a response to it can be found in the optional resources section. Original text: https://www.nih.gov/news-event...

This table documents the known human-caused pathogen exposure events from 1975-2016, both accidental and deliberate, from peaceful research and bioweapons programmes. Using this data, we can start to build an idea of the base rate of these events to begin to inform how likely we might expect human-caused pandemics to be in the future. Original text: https://f1000research.com/articles/10-752 Author(s): David Manheim and Gregory Lewis A podcast by BlueDot Impact. Learn more on the...

This paper discusses critical questions for gaining early situational awareness in an outbreak, using COVID-19 as an example. It highlights key queries about the pathogen, transmission modes, population vulnerability, and available medical countermeasures. The paper shows how timely answers to these questions can inform effective public health responses, resource allocation, and policy decisions, ultimately improving outbreak management. Original text: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-...

Despite sharing a land border with China, Vietnam mounted one of the strongest early responses to COVID-19, reporting only 35 deaths by December 31, 2020, compared to 90,000 in the UK. This article highlights Vietnam's swift and proactive actions to detect and contain infections early in the pandemic. Key strategies included immediate border closures, extensive contact tracing, centralised quarantine, and clear, consistent government communication. Original text: https://ourworldindata.org/co...