ABSA International, Author at ABSA International

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So far ABSA International has created 36 blog entries.

COVID-19 Joint Statement from ABSA International and APHL

March 26, 2020 Dear APHL and ABSA International Members and Partners, As leaders of APHL and ABSA International, we deeply appreciate the valuable work of our members and partners during this critical response to coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Both professions, in most cases working together, are fighting to keep our workplaces and communities safe during the pandemic. ABSA International’s resources in biosafety and biosecurity and APHL’s resources in public health and preparedness and response are both important to fighting the epidemic. ABSA International and APHL want to share the following resources with all of you and plan to continue collaboration to [...]

ABSA International2024-01-15T17:52:36-06:00March 26th, 2020|

COVID-19 Joint Statement from ABSA International and AIHA

March 24, 2020 Dear AIHA and ABSA International Members and Friends, As leaders of AIHA and ABSA International, we would like to jointly show our appreciation for our members during this tenuous time and the critical work they do for the global community. Both professions, in most cases working jointly together, are keeping our workplaces and communities safe. ABSA International’s resources in biosafety and biosecurity as well as AIHA’s resources in industrial hygiene are crucial to both professions and the community at large. ABSA International and AIHA want to share our resources with each organization’s members and plan to continue [...]

ABSA International2024-01-15T17:52:36-06:00March 24th, 2020|

ABSA in the News: Q&A: Coronavirus and COVID-19 Basics

Lumpen radio host Jamie Trecker interviews biosafety officer Allen Helm The following is an edited transcript of an interview with bacteriologist Allen Helm, a senior biosafety officer in the Office of Research Safety at the University of Chicago, about the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, conducted by host Jamie Trecker. The interview aired on March 11 on Lumpen Radio, WLPN: 105.5 FM. Reprinted with permission. ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ Jamie Trecker: We wanted to try to talk to someone who deals with bugs [pathogens] in the laboratory and has some insight into biosafety. So I’m really pleased to welcome the [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:35:48-05:00March 20th, 2020|

ABSA in the News: Behind the scenes in the biosafety office

CAREER FEATURE 04 March 2020 Behind the scenes in the biosafety office It’s never a dull day for those tasked with keeping biological research safe for all. David Gillum received a flood of phone calls in January, after his university announced that someone in the campus community had been diagnosed with the COVID-19 coronavirus. Gillum is the director of environmental health and safety at Arizona State University in Tempe, and many of the calls were from biosafety officers around the globe. They were seeking his expertise and guidance in the event that their own institutions were in the same [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:35:35-05:00March 5th, 2020|

ABSA in the News: Coronavirus Travel Advice: How to Minimize Exposure While Traveling, Including at Airports, on Planes and Cruises

ABSA in the News: Coronavirus Travel Advice: How to Minimize Exposure While Traveling, Including at Airports, on Planes and Cruises The executive director of ABSA International (The Association for Biosafety and Biosecurity), Ed Stygar, also told Newsweek: "When traveling, you are always going to be at risk for exposure to a variety of infectious agents, including COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. There is no avoiding the presence of pathogens from fellow travelers, but you can protect yourself by following the CDC recommendations for reducing everyday risks to respiratory viruses, including good handwashing practices, avoiding visibly ill people, avoid touching your face, [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:35:22-05:00February 20th, 2020|

COVID-19 Information

ABSA International COVID-19 Information Page What is the 2019 novel coronavirus? The 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, is a new respiratory virus that was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in China. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is called coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, which presents as a pneumonic syndrome. Many of the earlier patients in China had links to a seafood and animal market, suggesting the virus was spreading from animal-to-people. However, a growing number of patients have reported no exposure to animal markets which indicates that the virus is spreading person-to-person. It is unclear how the virus [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:35:08-05:00February 16th, 2020|

New Affiliates

The Affiliate Relations Committee is proud to welcome two new affiliate members! Northern California Biological Safety Association (Norcal Biosafety) includes members in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho helping to promote the study, evaluation, and control of biohazards in the workplace and in the environment. Swiss Biosafety Network (SBNeT) is open to all biosafety and biosecurity professionals including engineering and maintenance staff. SBNeT was established in 2010 and aims to maintain a high level of biosafety and biosecurity by sustaining and supporting the implementation of applicable and practical solutions. We welcome these new affiliates to ABSA International! Additional information on [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:34:52-05:00February 14th, 2020|

Dr. Michael Pentella Interviews

Michael A. Pentella, Ph.D., M.S., SM(ASCP), CIC, D(ABMM) Clinical Professor at the University of Iowa, College of Public Health Director of the Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory Arnold G. Wedum Memorial Lecture Award speaker at the 62nd Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference Biosafety in Clinical Laboratories Part I Part II

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:34:39-05:00November 24th, 2019|

Dr Robert Emery Interview

Interview with Robert Emery, DrPH, CBSP University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX Invited speaker at the 62nd Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference Making Your Biosafety Message Stick!

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:34:29-05:00November 19th, 2019|

ABSA Council Members Promote Biosecurity Engagement

On May, 2, 2019, ABSA Council Members Rebecca Moritz and Patricia de la Rosa and President-Elect David Gillum attended a meeting at Georgetown University to discuss opportunities for improving biosecurity oversight of research activities, including Dual Use Research and Gain of Function experiments. The half-day meeting was designed to encourage and promote biosecurity collaborations with ABSA International, academia, law enforcement, and the public and private sectors in support of global biosecurity initiatives. The attendees agreed that the current focus on biological threats needs to be expanded beyond list-based pathogens and that scientists and research administrators must be provided guidance [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:34:17-05:00May 20th, 2019|