At the beginning of this year, the ECDC and WHO jointly evaluated, among other things, the Dutch capacities related to ‘Biosafety & Biosecurity’.

On November 6th, the Dutch biosecurity network gathered to gain knowledge, share experiences, and catch up on this fascinating field.

During a routine check, it is noticed that the digital inventory system lists twelve Eppendorf tubes of H5N1 Influenza in the -80°C freezer, while only ten tubes are physically present.

The Biosecurity Office regularly attends international meetings with the aim of sharing knowledge, gaining insights, and networking.

In recent months, several publications have appeared that are relevant to biosecurity.

On Wednesday 14 May 2025, Bureau Biosecurity will be organising the first international biosecurity symposium. Internationally renowned speakers will talk about biosecurity and dual-use.

As in previous years, the Biosecurity Knowledge Day attracted many enthusiastic participants this year. The Knowledge Day focused a lot on Artificial Intelligence.

During the Biosecurity Knowledge Day, the Biosecurity Escaperoom was launched. In the escaperoom, participants take on the challenge of solving a biosecurity scenario.

In the fall, several publications were published that are important for biosecurity. The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI-bio) published a report on the management of risks of biodesign tools.

Minister Kuipers (MoH) provides answers to questions regarding high-risk bio-laboratories and gain-of-function research.