International Security & Biopolicy Institute

Winter 2010:

• December 14: ISBI held the first workshop in a series entitled, "Challenges to Private Sector Engagement in Global Biopreparedness."  The first topic addressed was, Multilateral Harmonization of the Biodefense Sector's Legal Liability Protections.  ISBI convened top legal, private sector, and government experts and led them in a high-level, substantive discussion.  In partnership with the Heritage Foundation, ISBI will be convening a follow-up event on this same topic.  A background memo on the relevant challenges is available. [Memo]

Fall 2010:

• November 9: ISBI President, Barry Kellman, spoke at a session of the International Criminal Law Network in The Hague entitled The Prohibition of Chemical and Biological Weapons Under International Criminal Law- Challenges and Perspectives: Should the use of chem/bio weapons be a crime against humanity? [Press Release]

Summer 2010:

• August 26: ISBI President, Barry Kellman, presented at a luncheon session of the BWC Meeting of Experts held at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. The session was a highlight of the three-day meeting, attracting nearly 70 attendees. Professor Kellman shared the panel with fellow U.S. experts Bob Kadlec, M.D, and Randy Murch, Ph.D. [ppt]
• July 6: ISBI President, Barry Kellman, gave a presentation at the International Peace Operations and the Law Symposium, held in New York City.  The presentation was on biothreats and a proposed framework for addressing them at the international level.  The presentation was delivered to an audience of approximately 150 military and civilian attorneys specializing in zones of international conflict and reconstruction.  
• June 23: ISBI co-hosted an event with the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University.  The event was entitled "Countering Bioterrorism: Lessons from a 2010 Israeli Exercise, US Perspectives, & International Efforts."  Panelists included Barry Kellman, ISBI President; Dr. Yehuda Danon, former Surgeon General of Israel; and Dr. Eric Rose, CEO of SIGA Technologies and Member of the National Biodefense Science Board.

• June 23: ISBI President, Barry Kellman, was invited to speak along side Dr. Yehuda Danon, former Surgeon General of Israel, at a luncheon hosted by the The American Jewish Congress Commission on Law and Social Action, The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, and The American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.  The event was entitled, “Bioterrorism: Legal Aspects of the Threat & Israeli Expertise.”

Spring 2010:

• May 6: President Barry Kellman presented at the Biosecurity Conference held within the larger Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Conference in Chicago.  Professor Kellman presented at a breakout session entitled "Managing Challenges to Biological Security: Strategies to Prevent Biological Threats."  His remarks focused on the strategy of global biopreparedness as a prevention mechanism and were entitled, "BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR PEACE -- Vitalizing Private Biotechnology's Contributions To Countering Biothreats." [ppt]
• April 29: President Barry Kellman and Secretary Michael Kraft met with Congressional staff members at a briefing for the House of Representatives Anti-Terrorism Caucus. Professor Kellman spoke on Countering BioThreats and provided an overview of international threats and counter measures.  [ppt]
• April 28: President Barry Kellman presented ideas on biopreparedness at a Washington, D.C event hosted by Global Green USA as part of their Security and Sustainability Program.  His presentation was entitled "Thinking Locally, Acting Globally."  [ppt]  The event's other speaker was Kavita Berger, PhD, Project Director Center for Science, Technology, and Security Policy at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  She spoke on "Community Engagement Options for Improving Bioprepardeness."
• April 16: President Barry Kellman was one of several speakers at a briefing for Senate and House staffers on the subject of bioterrorism prevention.  [ppt]
• April 15: President Barry Kellman delivered a presentation at the EastWest Institute in New York City for UN Mission delegates.  The program was entitled, Strengthening Global Security from Biothreats – A Workplan for the 7th BWC RevCon.  [ppt]
• March 18: President Barry Kellman delivered testimony on biopreparedness before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.  [Prepared Testimony]
• March 16: ISBI held an event in Chicago on Urban Biopreparedness in partnership with entities at the DePaul College of Law- the International Weapons Control Center, and the International Human Rights Law Institute.  The event was held at the Union League Club of Chicago as part of its ongoing "Breakfast@65West" event series.  Over 100 people attended the discussion, including crucial members of Chicago's first responder and public health communities.  ISBI expects this event to launch a broader Urban Biopreparedness Project that will distill the Chicago experience to create an Urban Biopreparedness Handbook for worldwide distribution.  Drawing on the expertise of principal American cities (initially Chicago), this project will build a community of cities worldwide that is better able to optimally use multiple capacities to prevent bio-attacks and to mitigate the damage if bio-attacks occur.  [Urban Biopreparedness Project] 

Fall 2009:

• In November, ISBI President Barry Kellman presented a poster at the GHSI Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Workshop in Washington, DC.
• In October, ISBI President Barry Kellman gave the Plenary Address at the World Congress on Military Medicine in Kuala Lumpur, as well as the Keynote Address at the SecureCon Conference in Dubai.