A proposed UK National Institute for Biological Security would complement current efforts by providing strategic direction to coordinate such efforts across these institutions. This could include authoring a roadmap for 21st-century biosecurity, scoping out new biodefence applications of horizon technologies, and outlining how opportunities can be brought to technical readiness
The proposed UK National Institute for Biological Security would ensure developing and retaining a robust talent pipeline into the UK biosecurity community. This would help cement the UK as a world leader in science and innovation.
Further, the Institute would take a leading role in coordinating efforts to address the concerns described below, developing new initiatives (e.g. ‘no-undercut’ rules for scientific funding or journal publication), and championing safer biological science internationally.
A proposed UK National Institute for Biological Security would champion the tackling of the risk of biological weapons in government, provide an interface between government, academia and civil society, and serve as a ‘think tank’ for how the pre-existing ‘web of prevention’ can be improved.
