I have known Dr. Susan Monarez for many years, and she has always been committed to science, health, following the evidence where it leads, and doing the right thing. She trained in infectious diseases and has had many scientific and leadership jobs across the federal government. 1/x

Trump picks Susan Monarez to run the CDC

Monarez is the CDC's acting director and a longtime biosecurity expert with ties to former President Biden’s flagship health initiative.

statnews.com

At the just concluded Munich Sec Conference #MSC2025 @munsecconf.bsky.social, @foreignpolicy.com held an Emerging Threats Forum, and it was good to be part of the Forum’s session on Biosecurity in the Age of Transformational Tech. 1/x

Protecting the World from Pathogens: Biosecurity in the Age of Transformational Tech

This is "Protecting the World from Pathogens: Biosecurity in the Age of Transformational Tech" by Foreign Policy on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos…

vimeo.com

Trump Cuts Target Next Generation of Scientists and Public Health Leaders. Story by @sherylnyt.bsky.social Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/u...

Trump Cuts Target Next Generation of Scientists and Public Health Leaders (Gift Article)

A core group of so-called disease detectives, who track outbreaks, was apparently spared. But other young researchers are out of jobs.

nytimes.com

Mass firings of HHS employees across HHS, without even knowing what those employees contributed in the mission of their offices is likely to lead to loss of HHS functions that are important to the country. 1/x

Here’s Where Trump’s Government Layoffs Are—As Firings At FAA Begin

The Trump administration has laid off thousands amid cost-cutting efforts.

forbes.com

Firing the whole new cadre of Epidemic Intelligence Service Officers is a serious mistake. Its considered the best disease detective training program in the world. 1/ x

Valuable, constructive dialogue on health security at MSC @munsecconf.bsky.social w/ governments leaders, international orgs, foundations, think tanks, private sector, et al. where we @centerforhealthsecurity.org had event called New Defenses against Bioweapons #MSC2025 MSC/Photographer 1/x

We're co-hosting an official side event of the Paris AI action Summit with Pour Demain: "Realizing the Transformative Power of AI in the Life Sciences: Priorities for Safety & Security." #AIActionSummit. Full program and speaker list: www.ai-inthecity.ens.psl.eu/fr/programme...

Great to be part of superb @Fathom.org mtg on #AIgovernance that brought together leaders - from tech, research, policy, civil society et al - to look at AI in fields of endeavor where AI will have momentous impact #theashbyworkshops fathom.org 1/x

Fathom

Fathom is a 501(c)(3) convening voices of society for the AI transition.

fathom.org

Yes as this fatal case and @helenbranswell.bsky.social reminds us all here, H5N1 has not become harmless. In past human experience with this disease, disease fatality has been high. This latest additional US investment in flu preparedness is important www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/u...

Eyeing Potential Bird Flu Outbreak, Biden Administration Ramps Up Preparedness

The administration is committing an additional $306 million toward battling the virus, and will distribute the money before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office.

nytimes.com

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦@helenbranswell.bsky.social · 2y ago

The lack of severe infections among US #H5N1 #birdflu cases up till now may have created the notion among some people that the virus has become harmless. The death of a person in Louisiana is a reminder that that is not a safe bet. www.statnews.com/2025/01/06/b...

Congratulations Steve Santos and the Testing and Diagnostics Working Group (TDWG) of the U.S. Dept of HHS. This new paper shows it's extraordinary contributions to the pandemic response - 1.4M lives saved, 7M hospitalizations prevented. 1/x www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The SARS-CoV-2 test scale-up in the USA: an analysis of the number of tests produced and used over time and their modelled impact on the COVID-19 pandemic

Rapid, accessible, and accurate testing was paramount to an effective US COVID-19 response. Federal partners supported SARS-CoV-2 testing scale-up thr…

sciencedirect.com

The extraordinary value of childhood vaccination to children and to society is hard to overstate. Hugely concerning to hear US leaders and others in position to influence these programs now questioning the effectiveness & safety of childhood vaccines.1/x www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes....

Health and Economic Benefits of Routine Childhood...

This report describes health and economic benefits from routine childhood vaccines among children born during 1994–2023.

cdc.gov

The US has been doing valuable work to build Global Health Security around the world. This work has benefited many countries, and it has been important to the US. 1/x www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...

Sadly, it’s a good time to once again share this amazing infographic that we ran at @science.org more than 7 years ago 🧪 #IDsky www.science.org/content/arti...

Here's the visual proof of why vaccines do more good than harm

See year by year how vaccines beat back nine dangerous infectious diseases

science.org

Great to celebrate tradition of L’Escalade in Geneva — a holiday represents Genevese coming together to defeat surprise attack by enemies in 1602, including dropping of cauldron on invaders trying to scale the city wall – hence the below traditional holiday smashing of the chocolate cauldron! 1/2

Will be critical in the months ahead to get broad input from scientists on the risks posed by mirror life and how to prevent them, while not slowing beneficial science in related fields

Eric Topol@erictopol.bsky.social · 2y ago

Gearing up vs the potential of building "mirror life" A looming danger of bioengineered reversed-chirality bacteria and microbes. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... @science.org

Frequent Q is how mirror bacterium could persist in nature. Marine Prochlorococcus good example. Little downside in terms of competitiveness + resistant to protists and phages. Net positive growth allows invasion. See Chapter 8 of technical report here: purl.stanford.edu/cv716pj4036

I’m proud to join more than 30 colleagues today in sharing our analysis of potential risks from “mirror life”. We summarize our findings in a @science.org article, and in greater detail in a 300pg technical report: Article: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... Report: purl.stanford.edu/cv716pj4036

At mtg of BWC in Geneva, I was very glad to be part of event focused on how the Interpol Biosecurity program and the @who.int Biosecurity program and it's Health Security Interface are working to strengthen prevention and preparedness for deliberate events in member states around the world. 1/x

www.theguardian.com/world/2024/d...

Syrian leader offers reward for details of Assad officials involved in war crimes

Ahmed al-Sharaa promises torturers will be held accountable bringing hopes of justice for atrocities committed under brutal regime

theguardian.com

👇READ THIS👇 A vital new article about the dangers of mirror life, authored by a diverse, credible, and international group of scientists around the world who are dedicated to the peaceful benefits of biology. THREAD. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Confronting risks of mirror life

Broad discussion is needed to chart a path forward.

science.org

Over 30 prominent scientists call for a ban on the creation of a "mirror cell"--a microbe made of molecules that are mirror images of their natural forms. It could cause a mind-boggling global disaster. Here's my story [gift link] 🧪https://nyti.ms/3OUCXp6

A ‘Second Tree of Life’ Could Wreak Havoc, Scientists Warn (Gift Article)

Research on so-called mirror cells, which defy fundamental properties of living organisms, should be prohibited as too dangerous, biologists said.

nyti.ms

Sharing here a new commentary in Science Policy Forum that provides new analysis on risks related to the potential future creation of mirror bacteria — synthetic organisms in which all molecules have reversed chirality (i.e. are ‘mirrored’). 1/x www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Confronting risks of mirror life

Broad discussion is needed to chart a path forward.

science.org

🚨🚨 Breaking: Health officials investigate raw milk as potential source in presumptive Marin Co. H5N1 case. www.latimes.com/environment/...

Authorities probe whether Marin County bird flu victim drank recalled raw milk

More than a week after Marin County reported a presumptive bird flu case in a child, details are still murky.

latimes.com

This is the kind of competition and prize that can find innovations from new places and make it more likely that future biological threats can be traced well to their sources. Thanks to Simon Weller and his UK colleagues for excellent work around this www.gov.uk/government/n...

Enhancing UK Biosecurity: DASA Launches Microbial Forensics Competition

DASA and UKMFC seek novel technology options to enhance the UK’s Microbial Forensic capability

gov.uk

Our team working to help strengthen Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) implementation efforts this week in Geneva!

Great to be part of an event convened by Johns Hopkins University and partner orgs on the promise of mRNA at the JHU Bloomberg Center in DC. The event featured the incredible Nobel-prize winning Katalin Kariko and range of other experts 1/x

More video! Here's my conversation with Nobel-prize winner Katalin Kariko, who pioneered mRNA vaccines. youtu.be/5_9ccDmX3hs?...

City of Science: Katalin Karikó in Conversation with Carl Zimmer

YouTube video by CUNY Graduate Center

youtu.be

Terrific, moving award ceremony for 2024 Global Health Technology Council's Innovating for Impact Awards. Honored to be on committee that selected the incredible awardees this year: @houlahan.house.gov @corybooker.bsky.social @senatorcollins.bsky.social as well as ....1/x

Valuable to know extent of this disease in California herds, but as has been the case since herds started getting infected, we don't have clear national picture of where testing happening, numerators/denominators, reliable trendlines

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦@helenbranswell.bsky.social · 2y ago

#USDA confirmed 12 more #H5N1 #birdflu dairy herds in California today, bringing the state's total to 493 & the cumulative national total to 707 in 15 states. About that "it'll burn itself out" strategy.... www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

Very good to be on @forbes.com Healthcare Summit panel: Preparing for the Next Pandemic w/ Stéphane Bancel of Moderna MarianaMatus of Biobot and @thealexknapp.bsky.social #ForbesHealthcareSummit @nyulangonepccsm.bsky.social Few take-aways from our discussion are below… 1/x @bsph-chs.bsky.social