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Biosafety

All articles tagged with #biosafety

Recovered virus samples spark biosafety questions after Unicamp theft
science1 month ago

Recovered virus samples spark biosafety questions after Unicamp theft

Brazilian police recovered missing virus samples from Unicamp’s high-security BSL-3 lab—including chikungunya and dengue—after a researcher, Soledad Palameta Miller, was arrested and later released on bail; the case has raised questions about access controls at secure facilities as Brazil plans its first BSL-4 lab nearby, while investigators probe motives and security gaps and regulators say the samples did not pose health risks.

via Nature|
#biosafety#brazil#bsl-3
Scientists Explore the Promise and Perils of Mirror Cells in Synthetic Biology
science7 months ago

Scientists Explore the Promise and Perils of Mirror Cells in Synthetic Biology

A researcher at the University of Minnesota and a group of scientists have raised concerns about the potential dangers of creating mirror cells, which are synthetic organisms with reversed biomolecular structures. While such cells could advance scientific understanding and medical research, experts warn they might pose significant ecological and health risks if released, leading to calls for strict regulations and ethical considerations to prevent potential existential threats.

via CNN|
#biosafety#mirror-cell#mirror-life
Debate Over Mirror-Image Biology and Its Potential Risks
science8 months ago

Debate Over Mirror-Image Biology and Its Potential Risks

Experts are debating the risks and benefits of researching mirror-image molecular biology and the potential creation of mirror-image organisms, which could have significant scientific and medical applications but also pose unknown risks. Current scientific challenges make the creation of fully functional mirror-image life forms unlikely in the near future, but ongoing research offers promising benefits in drug development and biotechnology. Caution and responsible regulation are emphasized to balance innovation with safety.

via Nature|
#biosafety#chirality#mirror-image-biology
Scientists Warn of Catastrophic Risks from 'Mirror Bacteria' Research
science1 year ago

Scientists Warn of Catastrophic Risks from 'Mirror Bacteria' Research

Scientists have issued a warning about the potential dangers of lab-created 'mirror bacteria,' synthetic organisms with mirrored molecular structures that could bypass immune defenses and cause widespread ecological harm. Although the creation of such organisms is at least a decade away, rapid advancements in synthetic biology have prompted 38 Nobel laureates and experts to call for a pause in research. They argue that the risks, including potential lethal infections and ecological destabilization, outweigh the benefits.

via Daily Mail|
#biosafety#ecologicalrisk#mirrorbacteria
Scientists Urge Caution on Synthetic 'Mirror Life' Threats
science1 year ago

Scientists Urge Caution on Synthetic 'Mirror Life' Threats

Leading scientists, including Nobel laureates, are urging a halt on research into creating 'mirror life' microbes due to potential unprecedented risks to life on Earth. These synthetic organisms, constructed from mirror images of natural molecules, could evade immune defenses and cause lethal infections in humans, animals, and plants. The call for a moratorium is based on a new risk assessment, highlighting the need for a global debate on the safety and ethical implications of such research.

via The Guardian|
#biosafety#mirrorlife#publichealth
"Colorado Virus Lab Staff Bitten by Covid-Infected Hamsters and Disease-Ridden Bats"
health-research2 years ago

"Colorado Virus Lab Staff Bitten by Covid-Infected Hamsters and Disease-Ridden Bats"

Documents obtained by the White Coat Waste Project reveal at least 50 incidents involving safety control lapses at Colorado State University's taxpayer-funded lab between 2020 and 2023, including workers being bitten by Covid-infected hamsters, splashed with blood from mice with tuberculosis, and scratched by rabies-infected cats. The reports were not disclosed to the public, raising concerns about transparency and public trust in America's public health institutions. The university's plan to construct a new bat lab has sparked safety concerns, as the facility has been fined for violating the Animal Welfare Act and has a history of lab accidents involving infectious agents.

via Daily Mail|
#biosafety#colorado-state-university#health-research
"Risks of Lab Leaks: America's Potential Role in the Next Pandemic"
health-science2 years ago

"Risks of Lab Leaks: America's Potential Role in the Next Pandemic"

Official data reveals a high number of lab leak incidents at top virus labs in the US, with over 600 releases of controlled pathogens recorded in the eight years leading up to 2022. Concerns are raised about the potential for deadly pathogens to escape from labs and spark a new pandemic, as safety lapses continue to pose a serious threat to human, animal, and plant health. Calls for stricter oversight and regulation of high-containment laboratories are made to prevent further accidents that could lead to another public health crisis.

via Daily Mail|
#biosafety#health-science#lab-leaks
"White House Monitors China's Risky COVID Research After Mutant Strain Kills 'Humanized' Mice"
health-and-science2 years ago

"White House Monitors China's Risky COVID Research After Mutant Strain Kills 'Humanized' Mice"

The White House is expressing concern over risky scientific research in China following a study that found a coronavirus variant killed 100% of "humanized" mice, emphasizing the potential for mishandled viruses to harm Americans. The study, which has sparked controversy and raised safety concerns, suggests a risk of the virus spilling over into humans. The Biden administration's vigilance comes amid ongoing questions about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility of a lab leak, with attention focused on the Wuhan Institute of Virology and its involvement in US-funded "gain of function" research.

via New York Post |
#biosafety#china#covid-19
Misleading American Scientists and the Wuhan Institute of Virology
science-and-technology2 years ago

Misleading American Scientists and the Wuhan Institute of Virology

American scientists involved in a 2018 research proposal called DEFUSE, which aimed to engineer high-risk coronaviruses, concealed their intention to conduct the research in Wuhan under lax safety standards from the Pentagon. The proposal involved synthesizing spike proteins with furin cleavage sites, the same feature found in SARS-CoV-2. Documents obtained by U.S. Right to Know reveal that the experiments were proposed to occur in Wuhan with fewer safety precautions than required in the U.S. to save on costs. The documents raise questions about the credibility of the scientists' assurances that the pandemic could not have originated from their collaboration with the Wuhan lab. The gain-of-function research was not funded by DARPA, but it remains unclear if it was subsequently completed without funding.

via U.S. Right to Know|
#biosafety#darpa#gain-of-function-research
"Controversy Surrounds US Government-Funded Bat Research Labs"
science-and-research2 years ago

"Controversy Surrounds US Government-Funded Bat Research Labs"

A new taxpayer-funded lab is being built in Colorado that will import bats from around the world and experiment on dangerous diseases, including Ebola, Nipah virus, and Covid-19. The collaboration between the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Colorado State University (CSU), and EcoHealth Alliance (EHA) has raised concerns among Republican Senators who fear the facility could start a pandemic on US soil. The lab, due to open in 2025, has faced opposition from Fort Collins residents who worry about the potential spread of diseases. The project has been criticized for its controversial collaboration with EHA, which has been linked to the Covid lab leak theory.

via Daily Mail|
#bat-research#biosafety#controversial-collaboration
Redefining Gain-of-Function Research: A Fresh Perspective
science-and-technology2 years ago

Redefining Gain-of-Function Research: A Fresh Perspective

Gain-of-function research in the field of life sciences involves conferring new or additional traits to organisms, and it encompasses a wide range of work with potential benefits for society. While concerns about the modification of pathogens to increase their infectivity or severity are valid, focusing solely on the risks hinders progress and overlooks the potential benefits of gain-of-function research. It is crucial to strike a balance between innovation and safety, communicate effectively to address misinformation, enhance science literacy, and foster collaboration between scientists, biosecurity and biosafety communities, and policymakers to ensure that research is conducted safely and securely.

via STAT|
#biosafety#biosecurity#gain-of-function-research
"CSU Scientists Establish Unique Bat Research Facility in Fort Collins to Combat Misinformation"
science-and-technology2 years ago

"CSU Scientists Establish Unique Bat Research Facility in Fort Collins to Combat Misinformation"

Colorado State University (CSU) is set to establish a unique bat research facility with the aim of studying how bats respond to viruses and its implications for human health. The National Institutes of Health has granted CSU $6.7 million for the 14,000-square-foot facility, which will be completed in 2025. However, the plans have faced controversy, with conservative pundits and politicians spreading misinformation and drawing parallels to the Wuhan virology lab. CSU researchers are working to educate the public about the importance of the facility and the safety measures in place. The facility will not conduct gain-of-function research or work with high-risk viruses.

via The Denver Post|
#bat-research#biosafety#csu