Biosafety Experts Establish International Organization to Address Biotechnology Risks

A group of biosafety experts recently established the International Initiative for Biocontainment and Biosafety Science (IBBIS), a new international non-profit organization aimed at mitigating the risks associated with modern biotechnology.

According to a report in Science, the primary objective of IBBIS is to develop technological and policy barriers to minimize the accidental or intentional misuse of biotech tools used for DNA synthesis and editing, thereby reducing the potential harm caused by the creation of deadly toxins and pathogens.

While the scientific community has long advocated for an open culture of sharing reagents, tools, and open-access publications, recent research has demonstrated that these resources can be utilized to create dangerous viruses and other microorganisms from scratch.

Furthermore, numerous companies worldwide are engaged in printing DNA sequences to meet the needs of biological experiments, which has facilitated the synthesis of pathogens. This technological advancement, coupled with the emergence of gene-editing tools like CRISPR and the accessibility of artificial intelligence, has raised concerns regarding the potential misuse of these tools by bioterrorists or the accidental creation of infectious pathogens by legitimate scientists.

Ernest Moniz, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy and CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), emphasized the significant global security risk posed by biological threats. NTI has secured funding from donors to launch IBBIS.

Many countries, including the United States, have regulations in place for laboratories working with "select agents," which are microorganisms posing threats to humans, animals, plants, and natural toxins. However, malicious actors may exploit DNA printing tools, gene editing, and splicing protocols to circumvent these regulations and create dangerous pathogens with harmful genetic sequences.

IBBIS's initial project involves the distribution of free software tools to assist DNA synthesis companies in screening DNA orders and identifying potential malicious actors. If the software detects a suspicious sequence or an illegal customer, the company can choose not to fulfill the order. In rare cases, law enforcement in the customer's jurisdiction may also be notified.

Piers Millett, the executive director of IBBIS, highlighted that apart from DNA screening, the organization is actively working on developing free software packages to aid funding agencies, researchers, and publishers in screening written reports and scientific manuscripts. This screening process aims to prevent the disclosure of methods for manufacturing pathogens and toxins.

Additionally, IBBIS aims to address concerns about the potential of AI systems providing detailed instructions for producing bioterrorism agents as one of its long-term goals, according to Millett.