Working with hazardous biological material or providing the necessary support to have people working safely with the hazardous material is our day-to-day job. For that, we are experienced in assessing the risk of contained use activities, to train our coworkers and to watch over a culture of biosafety. And so far, so good … But what if an unexpected, unplanned and unwanted event occurs? Are we prepared for an emergency involving biological agents? As in the event of an emergency, many different aspects come forward and time likely becomes critical. Therefore, we will need, amongst other, a well-designed action plan with clear priorities, good communication, coordination of a variety of stakeholders and collaboration. Without being prepared it will be very hard to respond effectively.

The aim of the symposium is to familiarize the participants with emergency preparedness and response, thereby including all potential stakeholders. By means of a short classroom introduction and multiple hands-on break-out sessions, the participants will obtain insight in how to set up a well-designed plan and how to conduct exercises to evaluate whether its institute is ready to respond rapidly and effectively to an emergency involving biological agents.

The full day symposium allows for in depth coverage of a subject that is key to the responsibilities of all biosafety professionals. It is a unique opportunity to meet biosafety experts and obtain information on recent developments and best practices. The symposium will be held on Tuesday 5 February 2019, at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.