Harvard Yale IBC Symposium (HYS) 2024
Introduction and Overview
The theme of the 2024 HYS symposium is high-risk research, including dual use research of concern, gain of function, transfer of drug resistance that may not be acquired naturally, altering the host range of pathogens, or enhancing a potential pandemic pathogen. The event will kick-off with presentations from leading policy makers who will provide an update on the current landscape in the United States on this topic and provide information on how existing policies must transition to keep up with the rapid advancements in science. We are excited to introduce our keynote speaker, Dr. Megan Palmer, a leading expert in the field, who will discuss the importance of building and utilizing an evidence base and incorporating adaptive risk management in national decision making.
A roundtable on Occupational Health will also review essential elements for medical surveillance for researchers working with biohazards with ample opportunity to interact with the panelists and get guidance on any pressing occupational health program questions. Addressing occupational exposures to high-risk biohazards will be featured and attendees will also be provided with a sample occupational health document for one high-risk pathogen experiment to use as a template for developing their own plans.
A first of its kind interactive Mock IBC session will give all attendees an opportunity to participate in an IBC meeting where only high-risk research protocols will be presented, reviewed and discussed, and then voted upon. Attendees will receive registration documents prior to the event, will then be provided with brief presentations on the proposed research and hear from the assigned primary reviewers, before weighing in on their own opinions regarding potential risks. The protocols have been designed to be controversial and straddle the lines of regulatory boundaries.
The event will close with an updated survey on exactly where we are as individual institutions on how we establish our own guidelines for the review of high-risk research.
We look forward to sharing this unique learning opportunity this year with you.
Rebecca Caruso & Benjamin Fontes
