Roundtable: Addressing the Globalization of Biorisk Management

In this On-Demand Roundtable Webinar, “Addressing the Globalization of Biorisk Management,” Sitero’s Biosafety Advisory Board members answer questions from the audience and discuss strategies to optimize biosafety delivery around the world, with a focus on under-resourced areas.

Biosafety practices must be adapted to fit the resources and needs of specific geographic locations. Even with today’s virtual technologies and access to global travel, barriers still exist to delivering the right training and guidance to under-resourced areas.

At the end of this roundtable, attendees should have a better understanding of:

• Strategies to help deliver biosafety globally
• Biosafety needs of under-resourced areas
• Approaches to make Biosafety knowledge accessible

About the presenters

Sarah Ziegler, Ph.D.
Vice President of Biosafety and IBC Services

Sarah Ziegler, Ph.D., is responsible for leading the Biosafety and IBC services at Sitero. Dr. Ziegler is an ABSA certified biosafety professional and is passionate about ensuring the safety of workers and the community during biomedical research. She has previously served as an IBC chair, Biosafety Officer and Responsible Official for multiple research institutions. She has also consulted on projects as an SME for Select Agents, Biorisk Management, facility design and Laboratory Operations. Dr. Ziegler was previously the Deputy Director of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) with the USDA where she supervised laboratory operations and Biorisk management. Dr. Ziegler received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Biomedical Science and was a Post-doctoral Fellow in the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP).

Robert Ellis, Ph.D.
Emeritus Biosafety Director, and Emeritus Professor, Microbiology Immunology and Pathology at Colorado State University

Robert Ellis, Ph.D., is a Sitero biosafety consultant and a past president of ABSA. Dr. Ellis is a Certified Biosafety Professional (ABSA) and an Honorary Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists. Dr. Ellis was the Director of Biosafety at Colorado State University for more than 25 years and was the Responsible Official for the CSU Select Agent program from 2002-2020. Dr. Ellis has experience conducting facility audits ranging from individual laboratories for private and public entities to comprehensive biosecurity and biosafety audits of research and clinic academic operations and veterinary medical colleges. Recently he assisted with stand-up activities of the NBAF Biorisk and Select Agent Program.

Paul Meechan, Ph.D.
Sitero Biosafety Consultant

Paul Meechan. Ph.D., has expertise in biosafety risk assessments, regulatory requirements, laboratory operations, design reviews of new facilities, and biosafety training management. Before retiring from the CDC, he was the Associate Director for Laboratory Science in the Office of Laboratory Science and Safety. He also served as the CDC editor for the 6th edition of the NIH/CDC manual Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories. He previously worked as the Director of the CDC’s Environment, Safety, and Health Compliance Office and the Corporate Biosafety Officer at Merck and Co. Dr. Meechan holds RBP and CBSP certifications from ABSA International and has served as President and Secretary of the ABSA Council.

Antony Schwartz, Ph.D.
Institutional Biosafety Officer, Responsible Official – Select Agent Program, Director, Biological Safety Division and Assistant Director, Occupational and Environmental Safety Office at Duke University

Antony Schwartz, Ph.D., is an ABSA International Certified Biological Safety Professional and a microbiologist with extensive experience in biological risk assessment, clinical biosafety, and laboratory biosecurity solutions. Dr. Schwartz has held roles as the Institutional Biosafety Officer and Select Agent Program Responsible Official with the U.S. federal government and academic institutions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he developed biosafety policies and procedures for clinical trials and research laboratories working with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and patient samples, as well as recommendations for personnel protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare staff. He led a team that implemented a large-scale N95 decontamination and reuse process for a healthcare facility. Dr. Schwartz is an active member of ABSA International currently serving as a Councilor.