Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences and National Security

Thursday, January 25, 2007, 1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Central Time

Mississippi Room, Coffman Memorial Union

Event Description

This lecture discussed U.S. efforts to conduct scientifically sound risk-benefit analyses for use in crafting regulation that will prevent the misuse of biological knowledge as a security threat while ensuring ensure that legitimate research is not impeded.

Listen to Professor Relman's interview on Minnesota Public Radio.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE), Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) credits were approved.

Speaker Biography

David Relman, MD, is associate professor of medicine and of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University. He is also chief of the infectious diseases section at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in Palo Alto, California.

His primary research focuses on the characterization of the human indigenous microbial communities of the mouth and gut. He is also working to recognize classes of pathogen and predict clinical outcome at early time points in the disease process, as well as gain further insights into virulence.

Dr. Relman currently serves on the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and on the Board of Directors of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and has been co-chair of the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Advances in Technology and the Prevention of Their Application to Next Generation Biowarfare.

He has been appointed to a four-year term on the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, and advises several U.S. Government Departments and agencies on matters related to microbial pathogen detection and future biological threats. Dr. Relman received his MD, magna cum laude, from Harvard Medical School.