Speakers at Biological Risk Assessment – How safe are we in our labs if we apply the risk based approach according to the new WHO Biosafety Manual?
Biological Risk Assessment – How safe are we in our labs if we apply the risk based approach according to the new WHO Biosafety Manual?
About the speakers
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Heather Sheeley
Heather Sheeley BA(Hons), MSc, FISTR has more than 40 years of experience in laboratory research and health and safety across government, private and academic environments. Working internationally, she has an interest in sustainable and effective safety solutions to protect employees and communities. Her work in complex and high risk environments using various risk assessment methods and safe solutions. She is a recognised trainer and presenter on topics especially related to biosafety and sustainable laboratory design. She has publications in journals and books and contributed to many international laboratory safety manuals, standards and guidance documents. She is a former President of the European Biosafety Association, former Chair of the Institute of Safety in Technology and Research and Elected Fellow. Projects and activities include work with OIE, WHO and ISO. Currently an independent consultant on biorisk related projects.
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Kathrin Summermatter
Curriculum Vitae
Full Name: SUMMERMATTER KATHRIN
Title (Prof., Dr. etc.): Dr.rer.nat.Working address:
Institute for Infectious Diseases
University of Bern
Friedbühlstrasse 51
3001 Bern
Tel: +41 31 632 87 90Email: katharina.summermatter@ifik.unibe.ch
Academic Education and Degrees
PhD in BiologyPresent Professional Position:
Head of Biosafety CenterSpecial Remarks (if you like to make any, e.g.main field(s) of activity)
The Institute for Infectious Diseases of the University of Bern combines diagnostics, teaching and research under one roof and covers the entire spectrum of microbiologi-cal diagnostics.
Kathrin Summermatter is heading the Biosafety Center at the Institute for Infectious Diseases. She has been involved in Biosafety for more than 20 years. From 2002 -2019 she was the head of the biosafety department and the deputy director of the Insti-tute of Virology and Immunology (IVI), the Swiss reference lab for highly infectious ani-mal diseases (Biosafety Level 3Ag Laboratory). In addition, she was the coordinator of BIOSAFETY-Europe. She has been a long-standing member of the European Bi-osafety Association (EBSA) and the American Biosafety Association (ABSA). In 2003/2004 she was the president of EBSA. She is the acting chair of the International Veterinary Biosafety Workgroup and a board member of the Swiss Biosafety Network (SBNet).
Along providing expertise and consultative services to both private companies and government and university institutions on matters of biosafety and biosecurity, contain-ment issues and safe operating procedures, she has given many lectures and taught courses to national and international audiences.