First introduced in the 1980s, the principles of biosafety have emerged as steadfast components of global health security discussions. The fundamentals of biosafety—sound microbiological practices, the use of safety equipment, and the implementation of facility safeguards that reduce the risk of exposure to infectious diseases—are concise in theory, but take many routes in their implementation. Jim Welch, executive director of the Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation, kicked off the Global Health Security Seminar Series’ spring semester program, where he discussed the many facets of biosafety and its role in fostering global health security.
This event was part of the Global Health Security Seminar Series, co-sponsored by Georgetown’s Center for Global Health Science and Security and the Global Health Initiative. Over the course of the 2017-2018 academic year, speakers in the series will address critical issues in global health in an effort to promote greater dialogue regarding pandemic preparedness across the university and the wider Washington, D.C., community.
Jim Welch is the executive director of the Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that focuses on biosafety and biosecurity’s role in fostering global health security. Welch is a member of the steering group of the Global Health Security Agenda Consortium, has served as a non-government spokesperson on the Global Health Security Agenda Steering Group, and is a member of the Joint External Evaluation International Alliance.
