Ian Ramshaw completed his PhD at the Australian National University (ANU) in 1973 and developed a research career in immunology. He has worked on the development of vaccines for infectious diseases such as HIV and Dengue Fever, and has taken two vaccines through to clinical trials. He is currently Director of the National Centre for Biosecurity. The Centre is a joint venture between the ANU and The University of Sydney, and was established to facilitate greater academic engagement with biosecurity challenges facing Australia, Asia, and the world.
International concern about biological weapons has increased significantly, particularly since the anthrax attacks of 2001 in the US. Biotechnology research has great potential to benefit health and agriculture, but questions arise as to whether it might aid the deliberate spread of disease. Traditional concerns about laboratory biosafety are being increasingly complemented by growing attention to biosecurity practices within and outside of laboratories. In Australia, this is reflected in the Security-Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBA) scheme introduced in 2009. Beyond legal regulations, ethical questions remain including what novel threats might stem from life science research, whether and how scientists should contribute to national defence, and whether some lines of investigation are too contentious to pursue.
Topics discussed in the presentation will include the ‘dual use dilemma’, communication of research results, oversight of experiments, the funding of research, the responsibilities of scientists and other biosecurity stakeholders, and examples of various national and international measures being implemented or considered.
Event Manager: Mitchell Piercey
Phone: (02) 6201 9462
Ian Ramshaw completed his PhD at the Australian National University (ANU) in 1973 and developed a research career in immunology. He has worked on the development of vaccines for infectious diseases such as HIV and Dengue Fever, and has taken two vaccines through to clinical trials. He is currently Director of the . The Centre is a joint venture between the ANU and The University of Sydney, and was established to facilitate greater academic engagement with biosecurity challenges facing Australia, Asia, and the world.
International concern about biological weapons has increased significantly, particularly since the anthrax attacks of 2001 in the US. Biotechnology research has great potential to benefit health and agriculture, but questions arise as to whether it might aid the deliberate spread of disease. Traditional concerns about laboratory biosafety are being increasingly complemented by growing attention to biosecurity practices within and outside of laboratories. In Australia, this is reflected in the Security-Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBA) scheme introduced in 2009. Beyond legal regulations, ethical questions remain including what novel threats might stem from life science research, whether and how scientists should contribute to national defence, and whether some lines of investigation are too contentious to pursue.
Topics discussed in the presentation will include the ‘dual use dilemma’, communication of research results, oversight of experiments, the funding of research, the responsibilities of scientists and other biosecurity stakeholders, and examples of various national and international measures being implemented or considered.
Shine Dome,9 Gordon Street Australian Capital Territory false DD/MM/YYYYEvent Manager: Mitchell Piercey
Phone: (02) 6201 9462
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