2019 Global Forum

2^nd Annual:
Global Forum on Scientific Advances Important to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention

December 2, 2019
Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

Held in Conjunction with the 2019 Meeting of State Parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention

2nd Annual Global Forum

The Global Forum will facilitate engagement between leading scientists and States Parties delegations to raise awareness about emerging biological capabilities, expand the community dedicated to bolstering nonproliferation norms, and explore solutions for biological weapons challenges.

The event will feature several expert panels related to advanced biology and biotechnology in the context of the BWC as well as a keynote address.

Contact

Those who have questions or need more information may email Dr. Gigi Gronvall, senior scholar at the Center, at ggronvall@jhu.edu.

Presentations

View presentations from the 2019 Global Forum On Scientific Advances Important To The Biological And Toxin Weapons Convention.

Agenda

Monday, December 2, 2019

Palais des Nations, Room XXIII

0900	Registration & Breakfast
0930	Welcome & Introduction Gigi GRONVALL, PhD, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, United States of America Anja KASPERSEN, Director, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs His Excellency Ambassador Yann HWANG, Permanent Representative of France to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and Chair of the 2019 Meeting of the States Parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
0945	Session #1: Gene Drives and Engineered Ecology: What can we expect from these advancing capabilities and what are their implications for the BWC? Moderator: Michael MONTAGUE, PhD, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, United States of America Panelists: Chloe HAWKINGS, PhD, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University, United States of America Alexander KAGANSKY, PhD, Head, Center for Genomic and Regenerative Medicine of the School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, Russia Philipp MESSER, PhD, Assistant Professor, Cornell University, United States of America Michael SANTOS, PhD, Associate Vice President of Science, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, United States of America
1115	Coffee/Tea Break
1130	Session #2: Advancing Agriculture and Animal Science: What is the current state of capabilities, and what are the impacts on the BWC? Moderator: Gigi GRONVALL, PhD, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, United States of America Panelists: Faisal KHAN, DPhil, Director and Assistant Professor, Institute of Integrative Biosciences, CECOS University, Pakistan George OBIERO, PhD, Director, Centre of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, University of Nairobi, Kenya Luis Alberto OCHOA CARRERA, MSc, Head, Epidemiological Surveillance & Research Laboratory Network, Mexican Institute for Social Security, Mexico Christine UHLENHAUT, PhD, Chargée de Mission for Biological Threat Reduction, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), France
1300	Lunch
1400	Keynote Address: Alessandro MARCELLO, PhD, Group Leader, Molecular Virology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
1445	Coffee/Tea Break
1500	Session #3: Barriers and Opportunities: What policies for cutting-edge biology could strengthen the BWC? Moderator: Nancy CONNELL, PhD, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, United States of America Panelists: Daniel FEAKES, MA, Chief, BWC Implementation Support Unit, Switzerland Jonathan FORMAN, PhD, Science Policy Advisor, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, The Netherlands Gigi GRONVALL, PhD, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, United States of America Katherine LITTLER, Co-Lead, Global Health Ethics, World Health Organization, Switzerland J. Milkah Muthoni MWANGI, MSc, Senior Research Scientist, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kenya
1630	Closing Remarks Gigi GRONVALL, PhD, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, United States of America
1645	Closing Reception, Location: Area 26 (adjacent to Room XXVI)
1745	Adjourn