Pre conference course A - Practical Implementation of Biosecurity - Instructors
EBSA course
Pre conference course A - Practical Implementation of Biosecurity
About the speakers
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Jane Shallcross
Dr Jane Shallcross is the Senior Biosafety and Biosecurity Oversight Lead at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), based in London. At CEPI, Jane is leading on writing the CEPI Biosecurity Policy to support vaccine development against emerging infectious diseases. Jane leads the development and implementation of risk management frameworks for high-consequence pathogen research, advising international partners and CEPI-funded laboratories on best practices for safe and secure operations.Prior to joining CEPI, Jane held senior leadership roles at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA, formerly Public Health England), where they directed the Novel and Dangerous Pathogens Training Team. In this capacity, Jane designed and delivered biosafety training programmes for UK and international audiences, including hands-on courses, elearning and hybrid courses. Jane was instrumental in the UK’s Ebola response, establishing training for outbreak laboratories, contributing to PPE protocols, and leading the training over 400 scientists for deployment to West Africa. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jane contributed to the rapid establishment of national RT-PCR testing services and led the first schools’ trial of lateral flow testing in the UK.Jane has collaborated extensively with the World Health Organization, serving as lead author for the “Laboratory Biosafety Manual, 4th Edition: Outbreak Preparedness and Resilience Monograph,” and delivering biosafety workshops across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Jane is also an active member of the European Biosafety Association and has contributed to numerous international initiatives to strengthen laboratory capacity and emergency response.Through these efforts, Jane has become a recognised leader in global biosafety and biosecurity, advancing responsible science and reinforcing preparedness for biological threats worldwide. -
Rik Bleijs
Dr. Rik Bleijs is head of the Biosecurity Office at the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in the Netherlands. In 2006 he joined the RIVM and started at the department of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Office where he was involved in the biosafety aspects and the environmental risk assessment of medical and veterinary gene therapy studies. Since 2009 he is involved in the political and scientific implementation of a coordinated biosecurity policy in the Netherlands and the installment of a Biosecurity Office (2013). As head of the Biosecurity Office his main tasks are to advise the different ministries on biosecurity issues, to act as a bridge between the scientific biosafety and biosecurity professionals and the government, and to increase biosecurity and dual-use awareness among students, scientist and laboratory professionals. As a biosecurity expert he is also involved in various international biosecurity projects and initiatives (EU CBRN action plan, Global Health Security Agenda, Global Biosecurity Dialogue, G7, European Biosecurity Regulators Forum, Biological Weapons Convention), thereby supporting the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2021 he is co-chair of the International Experts Groups of Biosafety and Biosecurity Regulators (IEGBBR) representing the Netherlands and EU region. In the recent years he organized several capacity building workshops and meetings in Europe, Asia and Africa in the context of international projects to strengthen biosecurity and dual-use assessment global.