Biosecurity policy

Biosecurity policy resources

This list is an introduction to the field. While we couldn’t include many great resources here, we encourage you to do your own research on particular topics of interest.

Biosecurity federal agency profiles

The US executive branch shapes and implements biosecurity policy and programs through its many departments and agencies, each leveraging its specific capabilities to address biological threats across prevention, detection, response, and recovery.

Their responsibilities include administering programs, allocating funds, and establishing policies for areas like developing and stockpiling medical countermeasures, monitoring and identifying emerging threats, and quickly deploying resources during outbreaks. Given the government’s complexity, it’s essential to understand the activities of specific agencies and offices involved in biosecurity and their roles in the broader ecosystem.

The following profiles outline federal agencies engaged in biosecurity-related policy and programs, including lists of major policy developments and relevant offices. To understand their differences, you might find it helpful to consider where each office or program falls along the following spectrums and their specific technology focus (e.g. medical countermeasures, health surveillance, PPE, or critical infrastructure):

• Policy development vs. program execution
• Domestic vs. international focus
• Civilian vs. defense orientation
• Independent operations vs. interagency collaboration
• Fundamental research support vs. deployment of ready-to-use technology
• Crisis response vs. long-term prevention

For further context, see also the Biodefense Budget Breakdown from the Council on Strategic Risks and the interactive tool B-SPAN from the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, which maps US executive branch biodefense activities and in Congress.

Biosecurity-relevant policy fellowships

The following fellowship programs are especially relevant for biosecurity policy work (see also our full fellowship database for 50+ opportunities):

1. Horizon Fellowship (Horizon Institute for Public Service) – a 6-24 month full-time US emerging technology policy fellowship facilitating job placements in the US executive branch, Congress, and think tanks for early- and mid-career individuals. (The Horizon Fellowship and this website are both projects of the Horizon Institute.)
2. AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships (American Association for the Advancement of Science) – a 12-month fellowship in DC with four separate tracks, that places fellows within the executive branch, judicial branch, legislative branch, or in a nonprofit. The fellowship is for individuals with a doctoral-level degree.
3. Presidential Management Fellowship – a prestigious 2-year full-time executive branch fellowship for graduate degree holders. It’s widely considered one of the best pathways into policy.
4. Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity (ELBI) Fellowship (Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security) – a 10-month part-time program allowing talented graduate students and professionals to deepen their expertise, expand their network, and build their leadership skills through workshops and other events.
5. Fellowship for Ending Bioweapons (Council on Strategic Risks) – a 12-month part-time program for early-career fellows to work with leading experts from CSR’s team and network to generate ideas for ending the threat of state biological weapons programs.
6. Mid-Career Biodefense Bootcamp (Council on Strategic Risks) – a 2-month part-time hybrid fellowship involving a virtual course, a 3-day in-person workshop in DC, and a vibrant network for mid-career citizens of NATO countries and certain other US allies (i.e. typically 10+ years of professional and/or academic experience).
7. Epidemic Intelligence Service (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – a “2-year post-graduate fellowship in applied epidemiology…EIS officers help public health officials investigate and control infectious disease outbreaks”
8. Health Policy Fellowship (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) – a 1-year full-time executive branch job placement program focused on health and biosecurity policy for mid-career professionals.
9. Biosecurity Game Changers Fellowship (Brown University Pandemic Center) – a 1-year half-time (~50%) fellowship for mid-career African and US American health security experts (i.e. at least 5 years of experience) with leading biosecurity and global health organizations (CEPI, GAVI, IBBIS, BWC ISU, etc.)
10. Scoville Peace Fellowship – a 6-9 month full-time security policy fellowship with DC-based NGOs (including some working on biosecurity, like NTI) for early-career bachelor’s or master’s graduates.
11. NobleReach Scholars (NobleReach Foundation) – a 1-2 year full-time technology policy fellowship in government or mission-driven private companies for early-career technologists focusing on AI, biotech, computing & cybersecurity, or other areas.
12. Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) – a 12-week full-time science and technology policy training and networking program in Washington DC for graduate degree holders and current graduate students.
13. Biotechnology Innovation & International Security Fellowship (Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University) – an academic research fellowship for predoctoral and postdoctoral students, and junior faculty, for applicants from the US and abroad.
14. Science Policy Fellowship (Research!America) – a 1-year paid fellowship for individuals with a PhD or other terminal degree who seek science policy experience in the areas of biomedical research, health services research and other health research disciplines
15. Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship (United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs) – a 3-month part-time learning and networking program involving online workshops and a Geneva visit for advanced degree holders under the age of 40 who are citizens in a low- or middle-income Biological Weapons Convention State Party
16. Arms Control Negotiation Academy – a part-time “12-month, high-level professional development program for a competitively selected cohort of [16] rising international security experts and practitioners” involving three week-long workshops

Think tanks working on biosecurity policy

This list isn’t comprehensive, but we hope it’s a useful starting point if you’re interested in think tank work on biosecurity or pandemic preparedness policy.

• Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (CHS)
• Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (BCB)
• Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI): Biological
• Council on Strategic Risks (CSR): Nolan Center on Strategic Weapons
• RAND Corporation: Meselson Center, Bioterrorism
• Institute for Progress (IFP): Biosecurity
• Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET): Bio-Risk
• Brown University Pandemic Center
• Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science and Security (CGHSS)
• Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC): Biosecurity and Global Health Initiative
• Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (CACNP): Biological and Chemical Weapons
• Federation for American Scientists (FAS)
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Technology and International Affairs – Biotechnology
• Atlantic Council: Geotech Center Biosecurity and Health Program
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Global Health Policy Center
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)
• Center for a New American Security (CNAS)
• James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS): Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program
• Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): Public Health Threats and Pandemics
• Blueprint Biosecurity

Congressional committees relevant to bio policy

Since biotech and biosecurity policy span an incredibly wide set of topics, many congressional committees are involved in governing the technology.

For a list of committees most involved in bio policy, see this section in Part 3 of our Congress guide. (See also this tool mapping congressional biodefense activities).