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This 2005 photograph of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Dr. Terrence Tumpey, one of the organization’s staff microbiologists and a member of the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), showed him examining reconstructed 1918 Pandemic Influenza Virus inside a specimen vial containing an orange-colored supernatant culture medium. Influenza A (H1N1) viruses still circulate today after being introduced again into the human population in the 1970s. By James Gathany.

A microscopic picture of Marburg virus virions

This colorized negative stained transmission electron micrograph (TEM), captured by F.A. Murphy in 1968, depicts a number of Marburg virus virions, which had been grown in an environment of tissue culture cells. Marburg hemorrhagic fever is a rare, severe type of hemorrhagic fever which affects both humans and non-human primates.

This 2008 photograph depicted post-doctoral fellow, Neal Van Hoeven, Ph.D. as he was examining a culture flask containing Madin-Darby Canine Kidney epithelial cells (MDCK), and looking for any signs of growth in a stock of influenza virus. Combining animal cell cultures and recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology, has become a common laboratory practice in the creation of viral vaccines, as well as other biomanufactured products, including hormones, enzymes, and anticancer agents. Photo by James Gathany.

A microscopic picture of 1918-infected Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cell cultures

This negative stained transmission electron micrograph (TEM) shows recreated 1918 influenza virions that were collected from supernatants of 1918-infected Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cell cultures 18 hours after infection. The 1918 Spanish flu epidemic was caused by an influenza A (H1N1) virus, killing more than 500,000 people in the United States, and up to 50 million worldwide. Influenza A (H1N1) viruses still circulate today after being introduced again into the human population in the 1970s. By Cynthia Goldsmith..

The National Academies are committed to providing clear, objective, evidence-based advice to the Nation to:

facilitate security and safety in life sciences research,
to mitigate the potential for misuse, and
to facilitate the Nation’s response to the threat of bioterrorism.

On this website, you can find information on National Academies’ reports, ongoing projects, and activities; as well as information on other events related to biosecurity and links to other biosecurity websites.

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Featured Report A Survey of Attitudes and Actions on Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences: A Collaborative Effort of the NRC and the AAAS(2009) Featured Project Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems: BioWatch and the Public Health System More Information Featured Event Opportunities and Challenges in the Emerging Field of Synthetic Biology: A Symposium July 9-10, 2009 Agenda More Information Listen to Symposium Audio / View Symposium Presentations