Dr. Filippa Lentzos, Senior Lecturer in Science and International Security at King's College London, joins us to discuss the most pressing issues in biosecurity, big data in biology and life sciences, and governance in biological risk.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

- The most pressing issue in biosecurity

- Stories from when biosafety labs failed to contain dangerous pathogens

- The lethality of pathogens being worked on at biolaboratories

- Lessons from COVID-19

You can find the page for the podcast here:

https://futureoflife.org/2021/10/01/filippa-lentzos-on-emerging-threats-in-biosecurity/

Watch the video version of this episode here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6M34oQ4v4w

Have any feedback about the podcast? You can share your thoughts here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DRBFZCT

Timestamps: 

0:00 Intro

2:35 What are the least understood aspects of biological risk?

8:32 Which groups are interested biotechnologies that could be used for harm?

16:30 Why countries may pursue the development of dangerous pathogens

18:45 Dr. Lentzos' strands of research

25:41 Stories from when biosafety labs failed to contain dangerous pathogens

28:34 The most pressing issue in biosecurity

31:06 What is gain of function research? What are the risks?

34:57 Examples of gain of function research

36:14 What are the benefits of gain of function research?

37:54 The lethality of pathogens being worked on at biolaboratorie

40:25 Benefits and risks of big data in biology and the life sciences

45:03 Creating a bioweather map or using big data for biodefense

48:35 Lessons from COVID-19

53:46 How does governance fit in to biological risk?

55:59 Key takeaways from Dr. Lentzos

This podcast is possible because of the support of listeners like you. If you found this conversation to be meaningful or valuable, consider supporting it directly by donating at futureoflife.org/donate. Contributions like yours make these conversations possible.