This week’s topics include the politicization and weakening of the CDC amid mass firings and a government shutdown, a grim resurgence of bird flu threatening Thanksgiving supplies, and the Democratic Republic of Congo hopefully nearing the end of its Ebola outbreak. Also in focus: the global rollout of WHO’s mRNA tech transfer program, and new alarms about biosecurity gaps as surveillance falters during the shutdown.
FEATURED
The Intentional Damage Done to the CDC is Unprecedented
“You have a CDC that has been basically taken over by ideologues. This has never happened before. You have political appointees running the agency, setting policy on social media, making statements that show that they have very little understanding of or respect for basic scientific method, evidence, and facts.” Vox, New York Times
Bird Flu Roars Back: What It Means for Thanksgiving
Another bird flu season has arrived for North America’s poultry farms, and the early signs do not look promising.Since September 1, an early start for flu season, outbreaks have wiped out 1.2 million turkeys from farms supplying meat for delis and dinner tables. This toll is nearly 20 times more than what occurred during the same time frame in 2024. Likewise, chicken farms producing consumer eggs have lost 5.5 million hens, or twice as many as at the beginning of last year’s severe run of bird flu. Think Global Health
The DRC Could Declare End of Ebola Outbreak by December
On 19 Oct 2025, the last EVD patient was discharged from hospital following recovery, triggering a 42-day countdown (into early Dec) to declaration of the outbreak being over pending no further cases. As of 19 Oct, 64 EVD cases (53 confirmed and 11 probable cases) including 45 deaths (34 confirmed and 11 probable deaths) have been reported in Bulape health zone. A total of 19 patients have recovered and since been discharged from an Ebola treatment centre. UK Health Security Agency, World Health Organization, Doctors Without Borders
POLICY + GOVERNMENT
More Than 420 Anti-Science Bills Introduced This Year Across State Legislatures
An AP investigation found that hundreds of anti-science bills have been introduced across the country, coordinated by people with close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The effort would strip away protections that have been built over a century and are integral to American lives and society. “The march of conspiracy thinking from the margins to the mainstream now guiding public policy should be a wake-up call for all Americans. People are literally going to die from it as a result.” PBS, AP, NPR
Why Implementation Gaps Could Undermine Synthetic Nucleic Acid Oversight
Recent U.S. biosecurity policy has shifted from organism-level controls to sequence-level governance of synthetic nucleic acids in response to de novo genome synthesis risks, artificial intelligence assisted design, and globalized DNA/RNA manufacturing. While intended to strengthen safety and security, this shift risks overburdening under-resourced institutions and providing oversight that looks thorough on paper but delivers little added protection. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
ASM Sends Letter on Biotech to Senate HELP Committee
“To deepen our understanding of the role of microbes, we encourage Congress to avoid overly broad bans on gain-of-function research. In addition to driving fundamental discoveries for disease prevention and treatment, basic research on the function of bacteria and viruses, which could be considered gain-of-function research, leads to innovations in agriculture, aquaculture and environmental health. The recent Executive Order “Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research” has led to the suspension of research long recognized as essential to human health.” American Society for Microbiology
CDC Workers Missing Paychecks Amid Government Shutdown
The CDC has been turned upside-down since February, with job cuts then and again in April, a shooting spree in August and now the government shutdown. Now it’s payday, except there are no checks to cash. WSB-TV Atlanta
The BIOSECURE Act Passes Senate
The legislation would prohibit any U.S. Executive Agency (e.g HHS, DoD, DHS, Veteran Affairs) from procuring or obtaining “biotechnology equipment or services” that are produced or provided by certain Chinese pharmaceutical and biotech companies, amongst other provisions. If passed into law, this will have significant implications for the pharmaceutical manufacturing supply chain. JDSupra
Fact Sheets on Global Health Aid Cuts
Fundamental changes to foreign assistance have upended a number of major programs. These fact sheets examine actions taken by the Trump administration and their impact on global tuberculosis, PEPFAR, the President’s Malaria Initiative, and global health security and pandemic preparedness. KFF
Government Shutdown Means Many CDC Experts are Skipping a Pivotal Meeting on Infectious Disease
The U.S. government shutdown has sidelined most CDC scientists from attending IDWeek, leaving a critical gap in expert collaboration just as measles and whooping cough surge. The agency’s absence—compounded by layoffs, funding cuts, and political restrictions—reflects mounting strain on U.S. public health capacity. AP
IDSA: Public Health Firings Will Cost Lives, Leave America Vulnerable
“The unprecedented mass firing of more than 1,100 federal employees, and then rehiring of some, at the Department and Health and Human Services was a completely reckless act that may compromise the health of all Americans. The initial targeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s core functions and scientific leadership will cripple the agency that keeps our country safe by monitoring and preventing disease and saving lives in every community across the country. Uncertainty around which staff have been fired or rehired leaves health professionals and the public in a state of complete confusion about which longstanding public health services they can rely upon.” Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)
Trump Administration Abruptly Replaced Chief of NIH’s Environmental Health Institute with Close Friend of Vice President Vance
Kyle Walsh, a close personal of Vance, became head of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) on 10 October. Walsh’s hiring “did not follow in any way the standard procedure that NIH uses to hire new institute directors.” That process normally involves a national search committee and interviews with multiple candidates. The future vice president officiated at Walsh’s wedding and later lived with the couple briefly in 2015. More recently, Walsh worked for Vance when he was a U.S. senator. Science
MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES
MTEC to Co-Host Platelet & Platelet-like Products State of Technology Meeting
The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC), in collaboration with the BARDA and the Defense Health Agency, will co-host the Platelet and Platelet-like Products State of Technology Meeting on February 17–19, 2026. The event will bring together leaders from government, academia, and industry to explore advancements in platelet and synthetic hemostatic technologies for military and civilian medicine. MTEC
CSL Delays Spin-Off, Cuts Profit Outlook as US Vaccination Rates Slide
Australian biotech CSL has cut its profit outlook and delayed plans to spin off its Seqirus vaccines unit, amid “heightened volatility” in its key U.S. market where vaccination rates are expected to fall by 12% in the northern hemisphere winter season, the company said. Reuters
Establishing the World’s Largest Nipah Virus Vaccine Reserve
CEPI, Serum Institute of India, and the University of Oxford will collaborate to manufacture ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccines for Phase II trials and investigational ready reserve of up to 100,000 doses. Reserve doses could be deployed under emergency use during a future Nipah virus outbreak. Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
JPEO-CBRND RFI Targets Next-Generation Medical Countermeasures Agility
Responses are sought on new approach methods that provide information on specific CBRN threats and MCM development use cases such as: replacement of key pharmacologic and toxicologic tests now conducted in animals, NAM capabilities that inform or enable first-in-human dose projections through pharmacokinetic, artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to accelerate toxicology studies and other in-vivo studies, pharmacodynamic and inter-species projections, and recapitulation of biothreat or nerve agent pathologies or disease states. Response date is 28 Nov. SAM.gov
Domestic Capability Building Activity – Onshoring the Manufacturing of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Vaccine Candidates
At present, there is no domestic manufacturing capability for viral hemorrhagic fever vaccines. The U.S. federal government is initiating an effort to onshore the manufacturing of novel Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) Delta G based vaccine candidates, expressed in Vero cells, for protection against viral hemorrhagic fever viruses such as Marburg and Ebola Sudan. Questions due 12 Nov. BioMap Consortium
Defunding mRNA Vaccine Research Leaves U.S. More Vulnerable to Future Health Emergencies
Operation Warp Speed provided much needed political will and financial resources that enabled advanced development and manufacturing of safe and highly effective Covid-19 vaccines with unprecedented speed. These vaccines prevented millions of deaths worldwide and the novel technology that underpins them offers important new avenues for developing vaccines. Rather than hailing this success, HHS Secretary Kennedy made false assertions about the safety and efficacy of mRNA based Covid-19 vaccines to justify terminating 22 respiratory projects without notice, including efforts that were close to completion. The BMJ
Bavarian Nordic Signs EU Smallpox, Mpox Vaccine Deal for Up to 8 Million Doses
A new contract with the European Commission was announced on Oct. 31, allowing countries across Europe to buy up to eight million doses of its smallpox and mpox vaccine over the next four years. Under the framework replacing a 2022 deal, 1.1 million doses have already been committed, with 750,000 scheduled for delivery in 2026, while provisions are made for donations to low-income countries at adjusted pricing. Reuters
WHO and MPP Launch Next Phase of mRNA Technology Transfer Programme
Phase 2.0 of the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme will operationalize vaccine manufacturing across at least 10 low- and middle-income countries, with the collective ambition to deliver up to 1.9 billion pandemic-ready doses. Centered at the mRNA hub in Cape Town, South Africa, the initiative supports technology transfer, process optimization, and regulatory alignment. It establishes regional training centers, develops skilled workforces, and enables clinical trials for locally produced vaccines—aiming to create sustainable, geographically diverse mRNA capacity to boost global health security and equity. Medicines Patent Pool
BIOSECURITY + BIOPREPAREDNESS
As Respiratory Virus Season Begins, Federal Shutdown Leaves Critical Gap in Surveillance
The federal government shutdown has brought respiratory virus surveillance to a halt at the national level, leaving local governments, health systems and the general public with critical blind spots as the season starts to ramp up. Key federal reports on flu, Covid-19 and RSV haven’t been updated in nearly a month, even as virus activity picks up. These viruses kill tens of thousands of people in the US each year and hospitalize hundreds of thousands more. CNN
RAND Report Calls for New Safeguards To Protect Biotechnology From Misuse
A new RAND study warns that growing access to advanced biotechnology and synthetic biology tools—amplified by AI and DIY bio movements—raises the risk of nonstate actors developing biological weapons. Researchers identified vulnerabilities across the biological supply network and recommended multi-layered interventions, including enhanced “know-your-customer” screening, behavioral threat detection, and a centralized biosecurity authority. RAND
Is a Biological Weapons Arms Race on the Horizon?
Advances in biotechnology and AI have renewed concern over a biological weapons arms race, the authors conclude that such a race remains unlikely. Strategic value, political intent, and international norms still outweigh technological potential. Despite dual-use risks, most states see little military advantage and high diplomatic cost in pursuing biological arms. Future threats are more likely to arise from covert or small-scale uses than from open bioweapons competition. Frontiers in Political Science
Survey Findings Revealing Heightened Concerns About Biological Threats and U.S. Preparedness
A new survey of approximately 250 U.S. policy opinion leaders showing that nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents agree the likelihood of a biological attack on U.S. soil is rising, yet almost half (45%) believe the U.S. is unprepared for a biological attack. Emerging threats posed by non-traditional agents, particularly central nervous system (CNS)-acting chemicals and biotoxins, present ongoing challenges to international security. Emergent Biosolutions
WHO Launches New Country Guidance for Health Emergency Coordination
The WHO has released a comprehensive guide, the National Health Emergency Alert and Response Framework, to help countries strengthen their preparedness and response to health emergencies. The guidance builds on the 7-1-7 evaluation framework, which sets performance targets of 7 days to detect an outbreak, 1 day to notify public health authorities, and 7 days to complete early response actions. World Health Organization
WOAH Hosts Biothreat Conference This Week
The Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction will take place on 28-30 October 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. Bringing together experts from a variety of fields, the event will offer a platform to discuss rising security risks and strategies to bridge the biological threat reduction gap. World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)
SELECT AGENTS + PRIORITY PATHOGENS
MERS-CoV Virus Isolate Added to WHO Biohub System
Through the BioHub, countries can voluntarily share and request biological materials with epidemic or pandemic potential. This initiative directly supports pathogen characterization and research, surveillance and risk assessments, and in the future will contribute to the development of medical countermeasures. World Health Organization
Typing of Yersinia pestis in Challenging Forensic Samples
These findings demonstrate that a targeted enrichment strategy for MLVA loci can overcome common obstacles in microbial forensics, particularly when working with trace or degraded samples where conventional whole-genome sequencing proves challenging. Microorganisms
Comparing Drug-Resistant and Pan-Susceptible Isolates of Burkholderia Pseudomallei Reveals Novel Biomarkers for Drug Resistance
Drug-resistant melioidosis is not common, and identifying associated genetic markers is challenging. This research identified seven significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in resistance-associated genes along with their underlying mechanisms. Additionally, they reported 21 novel variants in known resistance genes. These SNPs have the potential to serve as reliable predictors of drug resistance. Infection, Genetics and Evolution
CHEMICAL + RADIOLOGICAL THREATS
National Nuclear Security Administration Issues Its First-Ever Shutdown Furloughs
The NNSA has furloughed 1,400 employees due to the ongoing government shutdown. About 400 NNSA employees will continue working without pay. The furloughs included about 150 employees from the NNSA field offices for Los Alamos and Sandia national labs, with seven employees continuing to work at each site, Source New Mexico reported. Several Democrats sent a letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright and NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams demanding they rescind furlough notices, noting that NNSA has not furloughed employees during any previous shutdown. “It begs the question why this step was necessary now and why more NNSA employees were not deemed essential, given the gravity of their duties,” the letter states. American Institute of Physics
Impact of Antidote Quantity, Timing and Prehospital Strategies in Nerve Agent Mass Casualty Events
The results highlight the importance of rapid hospital transport, swift antidote availability and administration during urban chemical mass casualty events. Advanced medical stabilization (AMS) team arrival time emerged as the strongest predictor of preventable mortality. Antidote supply showed a dose-dependent effect, but the impact diminishes with delayed administration, underscoring the need for timely delivery over sheer volume. Frontiers in Public Health
How the US and Europe Can Deter and Respond to Russia’s Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Threats
Report warns that Russia is likely to continue limited chemical weapons use in Europe over the next decade to sow fear and fracture NATO unity, though large-scale biological or nuclear attacks remain unlikely. The study calls for renewed investment in CBRN defense, stronger NATO coordination between military and civilian sectors, and deeper intelligence sharing. It also recommends tightening export controls on dual-use technologies to prevent misuse, aiming to strengthen deterrence and resilience against escalating Russian hybrid aggression. Atlantic Council
AVIAN INFLUENZA
Resurgence of Zoonotic Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Cambodia
After a decade of no reported human cases, Cambodia faces a resurgence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus infections, with an overall mortality of 38%. Cases have occurred primarily in children and adolescents who were exposed to infected poultry. Genomic analysis in some cases revealed enhanced polymerase activity, virulence, and replication capacity in birds and mammals. This novel reassortment underscores the dynamic and unpredictable nature of HPAI A(H5N1) virus evolution, particularly in regions with dense poultry–human interfaces. New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), CIDRAP
H9N2: This ‘Minor’ Bird Flu Strain Has Potential to Spark Human Pandemic
A bird flu virus that has often been ignored because it mostly causes minor disease in birds has the potential to cause a human pandemic, says a team that has tracked how the H9N2 virus has become better adapted to infect people. The team found that H9N2 underwent genetic changes, beginning around 2015, that have made the virus more infectious. Nature
Unexpected Detection of H5N1 Virus in Bovine Semen
A new preprint reports the first detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 RNA in bovine semen, identified during a 2024 outbreak in California. Although infectious virus was not isolated, the finding suggests potential—but unconfirmed—risks of semen-associated transmission in dairy operations. The viral RNA matched a human H5N1 strain from the same period, underscoring interspecies exposure. BioRxiv pre-print
Rapid Early Spread of Bird Flu in Europe Raises Fears of Fresh Crisis
Bird flu is spreading rapidly in Europe, with the highest number of countries in at least a decade reporting early outbreaks, raising concerns about a repeat of past crises that led to the culling of tens of million birds and higher food prices. The disease caused 56 outbreaks in 10 EU countries and Britain from August to mid-October, mostly in Poland — the top EU poultry producer — Spain and Germany, France’s animal health surveillance body ESA said. Reuters
SURVEILLANCE + DETECTION
Portable Biosensors Boost Rapid Anthrax Detection
This work presents a new electrochemical method for detecting and quantifying B. anthracis in spore form using a selective immune reaction. The method is based on the thiol-modified electrodes. The detection time from sample application to the generation of an electrochemical signal is less than 15 min. Sensors
True Diagnostics Secures $11M BARDA Award to Advance Ebola–Marburg Rapid Test
The company has received an $11 million, 36-month Project Award through the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle (RRPV)—funded by BARDA under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—to develop the VeriClear EbV MARV Rapid Antigen Test. The point-of-care test aims to quickly detect and distinguish Ebola and Marburg viruses from a simple fingerstick blood sample, bolstering diagnostic speed during outbreak responses. True Diagnostics
New Johns Hopkins Model Bridges Health and Economic Realities in Pandemics
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a “feedback-informed epidemiological model” that blends economics and disease science to better forecast pandemic outcomes. By factoring in individual decisions—like whether to work in person or stay home—the model captures real-world tradeoffs between infection control and economic stability. Early findings show that targeted policies, such as universal workplace testing, can reduce disease spread while keeping more people employed. Johns Hopkins University
ENVIRONMENTAL FLUX
Why Yellow Fever Demands a Seat at COP30’s Climate Negotiations
In November, leaders will gather in the heart of the Amazon, a living symbol for climate-driven epidemics. Yellow fever is surging across the Amazon basin. From January to August 2025, health officials from Central and South America confirmed 270 human cases and 108 deaths—a 65-fold increase over the same period in 2024. COP30 offers a pivotal opportunity for leaders to address the intersection of climate change and health, nowhere more urgently than in the fight against yellow fever and other climate-sensitive diseases. Think Global Health
CONFLICT ZONES
Superbugs on the Frontlines: Ukraine’s Hidden Health Crisis
Ukraine’s war has unleashed a parallel battle against multidrug-resistant bacteria spreading through hospitals and into the community. Strains like Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Klebsiella—some now pandrug-resistant—are infecting wounded soldiers and civilians, with Lviv reporting some of Europe’s highest resistance rates. Limited antibiotic supplies, disrupted infection control, and overuse of weak drugs have accelerated the crisis, which now threatens neighboring nations. Amid the chaos, Ukrainian scientists and clinicians are testing new combination therapies and developing rapid genetic diagnostics to outpace these evolving pathogens and prevent a continent-wide health catastrophe. Knowable
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Vaccine-Preventable Disease: A Global Tracker
Updating weekly, the map will trace outbreaks of nine diseases featured in the CDC’s routine immunization schedule: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, respiratory syncytial virus, and varicella (chickenpox). The team selected these diseases for their severity, transmissibility, and overall ability to harm the health of people and communities. Think Global Health
Canada, U.S. Poised to Lose Measles Elimination Status
Canada is expected to lose its measles elimination status this month after 27 years of achieving and maintaining it. The U.S. and Mexico may lose their elimination status soon after, as measles outbreaks continue to surge across North America. Because measles is so infectious, vaccination rates of 95% or more are recommended to prevent measles spread within communities. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are estimated to be 97 percent effective at preventing measles. Medscape, Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease
Measles Outbreak in SC Sends 150 Unvaccinated Kids Into 21-Day Quarantine
Across those two schools, at least 153 unvaccinated children were exposed to the virus and are in the middle of a 21-day quarantine now, during which they are barred from attending school. The Johns Hopkins’ U.S. Measles Tracker has current case total for 2025 at 1,621 as of 24 Oct. ARS Technica
Sneaky Viruses Can Hide in Your Body and Bounce Back Even if You’re Cured
The human body holds several effective hiding spots that some of the world’s nastiest viruses have discovered — like the eyes and the testes — that are beyond the reach of the immune system. It’s here that submicroscopic viral RNA can safely linger. Which viruses have mastered this technique? A number of notorious ones from Zika to measles to highly deadly viruses like Ebola, Nipah, Marburg and Lassa fever. NPR
Amid a Whooping Cough Outbreak, Louisiana Officials Waited to Warn the Public
“This was Louisiana’s largest pertussis outbreak in 35 years. The majority of people hospitalized for it were children under the age of 1, and about 75% of the hospitalized patients weren’t up to date on their whooping cough vaccine. Infants can get the vaccine when they’re 2 months old. In February, after the two infants died, Louisiana’s surgeon general, Dr. Ralph Abraham, banned the health department from holding any vaccine events and recommending vaccines generally. In May, Abraham held the first press conference that specifically addressed the pertussis outbreak.” NPR
EMERGING THREATS
New World Screwworm Reported Within 70 Miles Of Texas Border
A parasitic fly capable of devastating livestock and wildlife, was detected in late September within 70 miles of the Texas border. The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) is providing surveillance data and resources to help veterinarians and producers monitor potential spread. Originating from Central and South America, this re-emergence near the U.S. border raises significant concerns for animal health and biosecurity. Enhanced cross-border surveillance and rapid reporting are being emphasized to prevent establishment of this pest, which poses major risks to animal welfare, agriculture, and regional trade. American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV)
ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE CRISIS
One in 6 Common Bacterial Infections are Resistant to Antibiotics, WHO Warns
The WHO analyzed 23 million laboratory-confirmed infections and assessed 93 pathogen-antibiotic combinations over the course of 2023 Urinary tract and bloodstream infections were most likely to be antibiotic-resistant: about 1 in 3 and 1 in 6 of them were, respectively. The report noted that the threat of gram-negative bacteria continues to grow. A substantial proportion of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria are now resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, the first-line treatment, whereas resistance to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones is also becoming more prevalent in Acinetobacter species, E coli, K pneumoniae, and Salmonella species. JAMA
SPECIAL INTEREST
Bacteriologist Builds Global Bridge to Tackle Antibiotic Resistance
University of Florida professor Anthony Maurelli, Ph.D., brought his four decades of bacteriology expertise to the Institut Pasteur de Guinée as a Fulbright Specialist, strengthening research and training on antibiotic resistance under the One Health framework. During a three-week visit, he trained lab technicians from across Guinea in diagnostic and stewardship practices crucial to combating rising antimicrobial resistance. Maurelli’s collaboration with local scientists fosters sustainable capacity-building and underscores that responsible antibiotic use requires engagement not only from clinicians but from entire communities. UF College of Public Health & Health Professions
CSR Names 2025 Mid-Career Biodefense Fellows
The Council on Strategic Risks announced 12 new fellows for its 2025 Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp, bringing together professionals from government, academia, and industry to strengthen biosecurity leadership. Fellows include experts from ARPA-H, BARDA, Google DeepMind, ASPR, and the Hoover Institution, among others. The program combines virtual and in-person training to explore biological risk reduction and innovation in threat mitigation. CSR also announced its Inaugural Cohort of International Mid-Career Biosecurity Fellows this past week. Council on Strategic Risks
UCT to Co-Lead Global Hub for Pandemic Preparedness
The University of Cape Town will co-lead the newly launched Institute for the Preparedness and Prevention of Pandemics (IP3), an international initiative aimed at advancing global capacity to prevent and respond to future outbreaks. IP3 will focus on early disease detection, rapid vaccine development, and equitable response mechanisms. UCT’s role will help strengthen Africa’s scientific and institutional capabilities in pandemic preparedness. UCT
APHA Announces 2025 Awards for Excellence in Public Health
Every year, the American Public Health Association honors excellence in public health leadership and innovation, from state and local health officials to those speaking up for public health from the halls of Congress. Read about the honorees at the link. American Public Health Association
OPPORTUNITIES
USDA-ARS Fellowship in Vector Biology
A paid research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agriculture Research Service (ARS), within the Foreign Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit (FABADRU). This opportunity will be located at the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility (NBAF) and Kansas State University campus in Manhattan, Kansas. Application deadline 13 Nov 2025. ORISE
National Bio and Agro-Defense (NBAF) Laboratorian Training Program
The Texas Tech Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources is now accepting applications for up to ten undergraduate fellowship positions for the NBAF high-containment laboratory training program. This program — sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) — is designed to build technical skills related to animal handling and animal health. Applications due by 28 Nov 2025. Texas Tech University
DARPA BTO Innovation Pitch Day Event
DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office (BTO), under the Ag x BTO program, aims to catalyze efforts to defend agriculture against both naturally occurring and manmade threats. A “pitch day” will be held on 13 Nov 2025, in Arlington, VA. DARPA
2026 Gold Medal and Rising Star Award Nominations are Open
If you know a colleague, mentor, or innovator whose work has advanced vaccines and immunization, this is your moment to recognize their contributions. Nominations due Nov. 30, 2025. Sabin Vaccine Institute