by Tammy Beckham, DVM, PhD, Director, Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases
As you are aware, the Department of Homeland Security is currently working to build the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), a new state-of-the-art biosafety level (BSL) 3 & 4 facility in Manhattan, Kansas. This facility will bring to the nation new and enhanced capabilities to address animal and zoonotic pathogens of high consequence to our livestock and public health sectors.
Construction of the NBAF is a major step towards ensuring resiliency in our livestock sectors and preparing our nation for future animal and public health disease events. However, in addition to facilities, a robust program, complete with industry, academia, federal, state, and global partnerships, that works to define capabilities and address gaps in these capabilities will be needed to ensure success of this facility. At this moment, the agricultural community/enterprise and our public health partners have the opportunity to come together with our federal, state and global partners to define the path forward for this facility and to create a new and unique ecosystem comprised of novel partnerships and collaborations that will define the way that research is prioritized, conducted and subsequently transitioned into use to protect our livestock and public health communities.
To this end, the Department of Homeland Security is currently hosting a National Conversation on Homeland Security Technology. This conversation is a series of online and in-person discussions designed to get people talking about how to innovate solutions for the Nation’s homeland security challenges. It is intended to foster exchange between responders/operational users and innovators to generate sustainable homeland security solutions that will keep our communities safe and resilient.
CLICK HERE to read the full article
To learn more about the conversation please visit:http://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/join-conversation
In order to participate you will need to register through the website at:http://scitech.ideascale.com/a/home/
You can access the NBAF Bio/Agro Security Innovation dialogue at:http://scitech.ideascale.com/a/pages/bioagro.
Source: Bovine + Veterinarian
