On November 6th, the Dutch biosecurity network gathered to gain knowledge, share experiences, and catch up on this fascinating field. According to the evaluation, the highlights of the day were the presentation on Mirror Life and the Biosecurity Escape Room.

After a welcome by our moderator and an update on current biosecurity developments, our guest speaker, Jolien Sweere, took the stage. Jolien is the program leader at the Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund (MBDF), a US-based non-profit organization that raises awareness about the risks of Mirror Life and engages in international dialogue on the topic. She was able to clearly explain the complex subject matter, which was new to many participants. This provided a good overview of what is possible with Mirror Life and what the associated risks are. If you missed the presentation or would like to review the slides, the PDF is available online.

The morning program concluded with a panel discussion featuring the BVF Platform and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). This format was appreciated and is a great way to facilitate discussions on complex issues with a variety of stakeholders. The evaluation also mentioned organizations we could invite for a future panel discussion.

In the afternoon, participants split up to take part in various sessions. In addition to knowledge sharing, these sessions focused on learning from one another. In the session “Knowledge Security in Practice,” this was done using dilemmas; in the tabletop exercise, through a scenario; and in the session on Mirror Life and Safe & Sustainable-by-Design, by discussing safety and (bio)security. Once again, there was an opportunity to experience biosecurity in an interactive session, and participants worked together to escape from the Biosecurity Escape Room. As is tradition, the day concluded with a networking reception.

Save the Date – November 5, 2026
The date for the Biosecurity Knowledge Day in 2026 has already been set, so mark November 5 in your calendar. The evaluation showed there is interest in topics such as information security, collaboration with response organizations, and a look towards the future. We will certainly take this input into account. We also want to keep space for new developments and would love to hear about participants’ needs and interests. If you have suggestions for next year’s program or would like to contribute in any way, please let us know.! biosecurity@rivm.nl.