[Closes 28 April] SB7.0 biosecurity fellowships announced

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security have announced an exceptional near-term opportunity for emerging leaders who wish to prepare for and contribute to ongoing discussions regarding biosecurity.

From 13-16 June 2017, in conjunction with the Seventh International Meeting on Synthetic Biology taking place in Singapore (www.sb7.info), Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security are offering an expenses-paid program focused on synthetic biology and biosecurity, with support from the BioBricks Foundation, SynBioBeta, & the National University of Singapore.

Background to the programme and information from the organisers

Since 2003 synthetic biologists have, as representative examples, reduced the cost of building genes 100-fold, realized 30 enzymes pathways for brewing medicines in yeast, and demonstrated complete Boolean logic in organisms ranging from microbes to mammals.  The combined trends of understanding evermore about natural organisms while getting systematically better at engineering them seem likely to continue.  However, our individual and collective strategies for securing futures in which living matter is made, from an operational perspective, fully engineerable remain less well developed.  Well-intentioned experts and policy makers alike have difficulty keeping up, let alone developing and deploying non-trivial strategies for securing overwhelmingly beneficial biological futures. The SB#.0 conference series occurs irregularly, only when and where warranted as needed to help reshape and define the field itself. The last meeting took place in 2013. This June in Singapore, global leaders across all synthetic biology will be joining together for the first time in four years to discuss and debate what should happen next.

The Fellowship:

Up to 30 emerging leaders from around the world who are interested in the nexus of biosecurity and synthetic biology will be sponsored to attend SB7.0, to hear from and meet with practicing experts, and to discuss biosecurity as it relates to synthetic biology with both peers and senior government leaders.  Selected fellows will each receive up to US $3,000 in travel support.

Requirements & Expectations:

Selected fellows will be expected to attend the full SB7.0 program and all fellowship side events during the week of the meeting. Fellows will also be required to submit a short written reflection on the meeting and fellowship opportunity after the event is over. These fellow-authored briefings will be archived and shared publicly online, along with other materials from SB7.0.

Eligibility:

We encourage applications from all parts of the world by early to mid-career professionals working in synthetic biology, biosecurity, public health policy, defense or security policy, and related fields. Applications will be reviewed by Center for Health Security and BioBricks Foundation staff.

Applications:

To apply for the fellowship program please submit the following components:

        • A resume or curriculum vitae
        • A short 1-page statement (600-word maximum) addressing:
                • Your background and career focus
                • Your interest in biosecurity as it relates to the field of synthetic biology
                • Why you think being an SB7.0 biosecurity fellow will benefit you and the world

Please submit your application by Friday, April 28th before 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time via the following website:

https://biosecuritycenter.fluidreview.com/

Fellowship Selection:

Fellows will be competitively selected and will be announced by Friday, May 5th.