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PRE-CONFERENCE COURSES

Thursday, October 4, 2007

8:00 - 5:00
1. ABSL-3 FACILITIES DESIGN TO OPERATIONS FOR SMALL, MEDIUM, AND LARGE ANIMALS
Barbara Fox Nellis, SM, RBP, CBSP, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ; Kelly Flint, National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, Frederick, MD
This course will cover design issues for various types of animal level 3 facilities (small, medium, large, and arthropod); dealing with architects, engineers, and the design team; use of a formal risk assessment in the design justification; blueprint reading 101 for biosafety professionals; and examples of operational day to day problems/solutions. Case studies will complete this course.

8:00 - 5:00
2. BSL-3 OPERATIONS: FROM PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT TO IMPLEMENTATION
Dee Zimmerman, University of Texas, Galveston, TX; J. Paul Jennette, MS, RBP, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
This course is now full.
This full-day course will review the important aspects of the daily operation of a BSL- 3 facility from two points of view: management of the facility and daily operations. This assumes that you already have a facility built and have all required authorizations to work in it. This course will cover all the different aspects you need to consider to operate a BSL-3 facility such as approval of workers, training of workers and maintenance support, occupational health issues, managing waste, maintenance of the HVAC and physical facility, periodic checks on the facility's systems, and emergencies of different types. It will also cover daily operations in a BSL-3 such as understanding when it is safe to enter and when you need to evacuate the facility, what to do when the ventilation fails, practical aspects of entry and exit procedures, practical tips on selection and use of PPE, safety considerations within the experimental SOPs, waste handling, facility's cleaning, and how to have equipment repaired or serviced. The class will be conducted in such a way that allows for interaction and exchange of experiences between participants and instructors. This course will not cover regulatory aspects from specific countries. This course assumes a basic understanding of risk assessment and biosafety principles.

Friday, October 5, 2007

8:00 - 5:00
3. FUNDAMENTALS OF AEROBIOLOGY
Deborah E. Wilson, DrPH, CBSP, NIH, Bethesda, MD; Murray L. Cohen, PhD, CIH, CDIC, Inc., Atlanta, GA
This course is now full.
This full-day course is designed for the biosafety or occupational health and safety professional who may find him/herself involved in the design, conduct or oversight of aerosol studies and/or investigation of indoor air quality complaints of biological origin. The Fundamentals of Aerobiology, part of the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP) curriculum, is a survey course that includes a historical perspective of aerobiology and an overview of the following topics: introduction to bioaerosols; the mechanics of aerosols; generation of experimental aerosols; sampling bioaerosols; generation of experimental aerosols; respiratory deposition of aerosols; experimental aerobiology. The course is taught in a classroom setting where interactions, questions, and dialog are encouraged. This class provides important content for biosafety professionals who are supporting the civilian biodefense initiative. Course materials include course outline and handouts.

8:00 - 5:00
4. ABSL-3 FACILITIES DESIGN TO OPERATIONS FOR SMALL, MEDIUM, AND LARGE ANIMALS
Barbara Fox Nellis, SM, RBP, CBSP, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ; Kelly Flint, National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, Frederick, MD
This course is now full.
This course will cover design issues for various types of animal level 3 facilities (small, medium, large, and arthropod); dealing with architects, engineers, and the design team; use of a formal risk assessment in the design justification; blueprint reading 101 for biosafety professionals; and examples of operational day to day problems/ solutions. Case studies will complete this course.

8:00 - 5:00
5. INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE FOR BIOSAFETY PROFESSIONALS
Matthew Finucane, MS, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Lawrence Gibbs, CIH, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
This course is designed to help inform the Biosafety professional of the basic health hazard recognition, evaluation, and control issues to be considered when working with laboratories that use chemicals. Participants will gain an understanding of the fundamental principles of industrial hygiene—the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of chemical stressors—and the application of these factors in academic and industrial research laboratories. After a brief overview of the principles of industrial hygiene and toxicology, the instructors will present topics that must be considered in establishing the rudiments of a chemical hygiene program in the laboratory. Examples will be used to illustrate the potential hazards associated with chemical use in laboratories. Emerging chemical health and safety issues in laboratory research will also be discussed. Resources available to assist the biosafety professional in risk assessment and evaluation of general laboratory safety and health concerns will also be discussed.

8:00 - 5:00
6. BASIC VIROLOGY AND VIRUS-BASED GENE VECTORS
Patrick Condreay, PhD, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC
This course is now full.
The first section of this course will introduce some concepts of gene expression, and then review basic virology with a focus on characteristics of viral families, viral replication strategies, pathogenesis and persistence, and anti-viral intervention. The second section will examine gene expression technology and principles of viral vector use before exploring characteristics of viral systems that are commonly used as gene delivery vectors in biomedical research. The material is targeted for the biosafety professional who does not actively conduct laboratory research, yet wishes to acquire a basic knowledge of virology and recombinant viral vectors.

8:00 - 12:00
7. GASEOUS DECONTAMINATION METHODS: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
Betty Kupskay, MSc, RBP, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB; Steven Theriault, PhD, EMCA, HBSc, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB; Jay Krishnan, MSc, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB
This course is now full.
Currently we are seeing a huge increase in the number of high containment laboratories that are being built in response to world events of the recent past. This coupled with increased threats of bioterrorism has caused space decontamination to become a hot topic. Historically, the “gold standard” method for space decontamination has been the generation of paraformaldehyde gas. Currently, other space decontamination technologies such as vaporous hydrogen peroxide (VHP) and gaseous chorine dioxide (GCD) are being studied and employed. This course will discuss the “pros and cons” of these three methods with respect to room, building, biological safety cabinets and HEPA filter housing decontamination.

8:00 – 12:00
8. MEDIA AND RISK COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICES FOR THE BIOSAFETY PROFESSIONAL
Barbara Reynolds, MA, CDC, Atlanta, GA
This course will introduce participants to principles and tools critical to successful communication to the public through the media. The course will explore the role of media in America in the information age and the role of the agency spokesperson in communicating to the public through the media, both print and electronic. The course emphasizes simple techniques to help achieve communication objectives in the media environment of today and provide simple tips to help avoid miscommunication. This course will also introduce participants to crisis and risk communication principles and tools critical to successful communication during a biosafety emergency. Well planned and executed emergency risk communication, fully integrated into every stage of the crisis response, can give the organization the critical boost necessary to ensure limited resources are efficiently directed where truly needed and not wasted through irrational or misguided demands from stakeholders and the public. Participants will be able to: apply nuts and bolts of crisis and emergency risk communication planning and tools; define the psychology of a public health emergency and what types of risk communication messages the public will need from their public health professionals; understand why organizations must adroitly communicate through the media to the public, partners, and stakeholders; identify opportunities and drawbacks among the various types of media interviews and methods to adapt to the media environment

1:00 - 5:00
9. DETERMINING APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF REDUNDANCY IN THE POWER SYSTEMS FOR BIOCONTAIMENT FACILITIES
Harry Goslow, PE, and Reuben Anderson, Hemisphere Engineering, Atlanta, GA
Provide researchers with tools to determine appropriate levels of redundancy for power systems in biocontainment facilities.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

8:00 - 5:00
10. BIOHAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT
Lynn Harding, MPH, CBSP, Chattanooga, TN; Diane O. Fleming, PhD, RBP, CBSP, Bowie, MD
This course is now full.
This interactive workshop provides an opportunity to continue adding to the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the complex risk assessments required for the safety of employees using hazardous biological agents and materials in this era of rapid technological development. The regulatory components of risk assessment will also be discussed. Using the case study approach, participants will interact to develop and understand the process of risk assessment as it relates to biosafety. This workshop focuses on providing a practical framework for the performance of biohazard risk assessment. Please note that participants are expected to have a basic knowledge of biohazardous materials and agents, biosafety procedures, containment facilities and practices.

8:00 - 5:00
11. EFFECTIVE BIOSAFETY COMMITTEES
Bruce Whitney, PhD, and Kathryn Harris, PhD, RBP, NIH, Bethesda, MD
This is a full-day course on the history, function, and administration of Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs). Delivered by expert staff from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA), along with institutional biosafety professionals and other members of the IBC community, the workshop will provide an opportunity to learn about the NIH OBA, the content of the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (NIH Guidelines) and the history of IBCs, understand the range of responsibilities that IBCs have under the NIH Guidelines, work through case studies designed to clarify federal expectations with regard to biosafety review and surveillance of recombinant DNA and related research, examine the relationship of IBCs to IACUCs in terms of their respective purviews, roles, and responsibilities, and network with colleagues to share ideas about best practices, resources, innovative approaches, and possible collaborations. The target audience for this course includes IBC members and staff, research administrators, biosafety officers, regulatory affairs officers, members and staff of institutional oversight committees, such as IACUCs and others interested in the oversight of recombinant DNA research.

8:00 - 5:00
12. BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING
Clark Frederick and John Sammarco, Definitive Business Solutions, Whippany, NJ
This course will help attendees learn about the factors that must be considered in order to develop viable business continuity plan, methodologies for building a business continuity program, techniques for managing sensitive data, and optimizing allocation of resources.

8:00 - 5 00
13. SELECT AGENT COMPLIANCE FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE
Rob Weyant, PhD, CDC, Atlanta, GA; Louise Barden, PhD, CDC, Atlanta, GA; LeeAnn Thomas, USDA, Riverdale, MD; Michael Firko, USDA, Silver Spring, MD
This is a full-day course on how to comply with the requirements of the Select Agent Rules. The target audience for this course includes Responsible Officials (RO), Alternate Responsible Officials (ARO), Principal Investigators (PI), Laboratory Directors, and other stakeholders. The facilitators have developed this course to address the most common deficiencies identified during onsite inspections.

8:00 - 5:00
14. ENGINEERING FOR BIOSAFETY PROFESSIONALS
Theodore J. Traum, PE, World BioHazTec Corporation, Rio Rancho, NM
This course is now full.
This course will provide information for the biosafety professional who is involved in the planning, design, and construction of a biocontainment facility. The objective of the course is to provide the biosafety professional with tools to review documents and formulate technical inquiries for the design professional(s). The information provided by this course will avoid costly errors that need recertification before a facility can be validated and occupied, design document review process, mechanical systems design review, commissioning, and certification specifications.

8:00 - 12:00
15. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 101
James W. Klenner, MSc, MPH, MPA, RBP, CBSP, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, IN
This course is now full.
This course is intended for those professionals that participate in protocol review, facilities planning, and any other risk assessment activities, but lack a basic understanding of molecular biology and techniques. We will cover topics such as the chemistry of nucleic acids, DNA replication, RNA transcription and protein translation, i.e., the Central Dogma of Biology, DNA cloning, transfection of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, restriction enzymes, and recombinant DNA lab methodologies (including PCR, DNA fingerprinting, sequencing, and detection protocols). While this course will not make you a molecular biologist, it will give enough background information to understand the nature and manipulation of genetic material and hopefully unveil the mystery of deoxyribonucleic acid.

8:00 - 12:00
16. PATHOGEN STABILITY IN THE WORK PLACE
Nanda Gudderra, M.Sc., M.S., PhD, International Bio- Consultancy Paradigm, Germantown, MD and George Mason University, Manassas, VA
This course provides a basic overview of pathogen characteristics and environmental factors contributing to pathogen survival in the laboratory workplace. Delving into historical and recent literature on pathogen stability in the environment, this course will examine various environmental factors and how these factors interrelate to transmission route, initial inoculum of the microorganism, and microorganism-specific infectious dose. By enhancing the biosafety professional's knowledge of environmental factors influencing pathogen stability, this course will benefit biosafety professionals from various backgrounds in characterizing the biosafety of pathogenic agents for risk assessments.

1:00 - 5:00
17. FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
James W. Klenner, MSc, MPH, MPA, RBP, CBSP, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, IN
This course is now full.
This course is intended for those professionals that participate in protocol review, facilities planning, and any other risk assessment activities, but are unsure as to the actual nature of the disease risks of microbiological agents. Biological safety and risk assessment will NOT be covered in this course. The proposed topics will cover infectious agents, virulence factors, pathogenicities, host-microbe interactions, susceptibility, modes of transmission, and the changes seen in the microbial world. If you don't know the difference between a TCID50, PFU, or ID50; or why HBV is stable in dried blood and HIV isn't; or why influenza is an inhalation hazard; or why public health officials advocate flu shots each year, then this class is for you.

1:00 - 5:00
18. EXPORT CONTROL (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE), INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC ARMS REGULATIONS/OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
Deborah Howard, CBSP, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
This course will cover the following: export control laws; why we should be concerned with export control laws; what are export controls laws; deemed exports; commerce control list; applying for an EAR PID/Password; Shippers Export Declaration; Schedule B numbers; AES System; and file retention.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

8:00 - 5:00
19. BSL-3 OPERATIONS: FROM PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT TO IMPLEMENTATION
Dee Zimmerman, University of Texas, Galveston, TX; J. Paul Jennette, MS, RBP, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
This course is now full.
This full-day course will review the important aspects of the daily operation of a BSL- 3 facility from two points of view: management of the facility and daily operations. This assumes that you already have a facility built and have all required authorizations to work in it. This course will cover all the different aspects you need to consider to operate a BSL-3 facility such as approval of workers, training of workers and maintenance support, occupational health issues, managing waste, maintenance of the HVAC and physical facility, periodic checks on the facility's systems, and emergencies of different types. It will also cover daily operations in a BSL-3 such as understanding when it is safe to enter and when you need to evacuate the facility, what to do when the ventilation fails, practical aspects of entry and exit procedures, practical tips on selection and use of PPE, safety considerations within the experimental SOPs, waste handling, facility's cleaning, and how to have equipment repaired or serviced. The class will be conducted in such a way that allows for interaction and exchange of experiences between participants and instructors. This course will not cover regulatory aspects from specific countries. This course assumes a basic understanding of risk assessment and biosafety principles.

8:00 - 5:00
20. FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOSAFETY
Janice Flesher, MS, CBSP, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ; Raymond W. Hackney, Jr., DrPH, CIH, CBSP, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
This course is now full.
This course will teach the basic principles of biosafety and biotechnology. Although specific biohazards will be discussed, emphasis will be directed toward the development of risk assessment skills whereby the student develops the ability to recognize, evaluate, and control occupational biohazards. Relevant regulatory requirements are addressed to the extent that the student is introduced to new and existing mandates. An in-depth discussion of methods used to control biohazard exposure will be presented including work practices and engineering controls. Handling of biohazardous materials will be discussed including disinfection, waste management, spill cleanup, and shipping transportation. A basic introduction to biotechnology with emphasis on molecular biology, recombinant DNA, and viral vectors will also be provided.

8:00 – 5:00
21. THE TRANSPORT OF DIAGNOSTIC & INFECTIOUS SAMPLES- CERTIFICATION COURSE
Eric Cook, MPH, Dartmouth University, Hanover, NH
A thorough review of new DOT and IATA regulations that govern the shipment of biohazardous specimens. Topics to be addressed: Classification, identification, packaging, marking, labeling, and documentation. The session will not only cover all of the information necessary for an attendee to renew or certify as a shipper of Class 6.2 - Infectious Substances and Class 9 (Dry ice) in accordance with IATA /ICAO and 49 CFR 172 Subpart H, but the instructor will also provide information and guidance on how to set up an in-house hazmat shipping certification and training compliance program. Using actual UN specification packaging and training materials donated from Saf-T-Pak, each participant will take part in a hands-on exercise to correctly pack, mark, label and document a "shipment", with assessment and critique from the trainer. At the end of the course, each participant will be tested and receives a Certificate of Training, documenting their successful completion of the course. The certificate and manual are provided as a record of training as per IATA/DOT certification guidelines.

8:00 - 12:00
22. MANAGING A LABORATORY BIOSECURITY PROGRAM
Jennifer Gaudioso, PhD, Paula Austin, MS, and Reynolds M. Salerno, PhD, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
This course is now full.
This course will focus on effective management of a laboratory biosecurity program. Topics that will be addressed include using a risk assessment as a basis for design of the program, stakeholders, writing a laboratory biosecurity plan, training, performance testing and emergency response exercises, and program evaluation. Particular attention will be paid to ensure that biosafety and laboratory biosecurity are well integrated and coordinated programs, and that all operational conflicts with between biosafety and biosecurity are resolved. This course will include case studies and exercises. It is assumed that participants have previously taken the “Overview to Laboratory Biosecurity” or have familiarity with the basic concepts of laboratory biosecurity. This course will not focus on compliance with the U.S. Select Agent regulations, but will discuss general program management strategies.

8:00 - 12:00
23. INTRODUCTION TO OSHA FOR BIOSAFETY PROFESSIONALS
Melody Sands, Dionne Williams, and Karen Heckman, OSHA Washington, DC
This course will provide the participants with a basic understanding of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and its inspection procedures. The application of OSHA's standards that would be applicable to biosafety labs and worksites, including extensive guidance on OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens, Hazard Communication, and Laboratory Standard. Also, OSHA's General Duty Clause [Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act] and its application to biological hazards in the workplace will be explained. Current OSHA policy regarding indoor air quality will also be presented.

8:00 - 12:00
24. MICROBIOLOGY AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Jyl Burgener, MS, RBP, CBSP, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN
The purpose of this course is to examine the characteristics of microbial contaminants that can be found in indoor environments, review conditions necessary for the growth and amplification, known toxicology and sampling and remediation strategies.

8:00 – 12:00
25 INTERNATIONAL EFFECTIVE BIOSAFETY COMMITTEES
Bruce Whitney, PhD, and Kathryn Harris, PhD, RBP, NIH, Bethesda, MD
This half day course will center on the function and administration of Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) with a focus on the requirements for international institutions subject to the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules. Delivered by expert staff from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA) the workshop will provide an opportunity to: learn about the NIH OBA and the content of the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (NIH Guidelines); understand the roles and responsibilities that IBCs have under the NIH Guidelines; examine the specific requirements for international institutions subject to the NIH Guidelines; network with colleagues to share ideas about best practices, resources and innovative approaches

1:00 - 5:00
26. PHYSICAL SECURITY FOR BIOSCIENCE LABORATORIES
Jennifer Gaudioso, PhD, Paula Austin, MS, and Reynolds M. Salerno, PhD, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
This course is now full.
This course will focus on implementing physical security as an aspect of a laboratory biosecurity program. It is designed to introduce biosafety officers, responsible officials, and laboratorians to physical security concepts. At the end of the class, students should have basic knowledge and vocabulary to enable them to communicate more effectively with physical security specialists. Topics that will be addressed include protection strategies, access controls, intrusion detection, alarm communication and assessment, and alarm response. This course will include case studies and exercises. It is assumed that participants have previously taken the “Overview to Laboratory Biosecurity” or have familiarity with the basic concepts of laboratory biosecurity. This course will not focus on compliance with the U.S. Select Agent regulations but will discuss general physical protection strategies.

1:00 - 5:00
27. SAFE TECHNIQUES ADVANCE RESEARCH SCIENCE (S.T.A.R.S.) THE NIH BIOSAFETY PROGRAM FOR VISITING UNVERSITY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Polly McCarty, MS, CSP, CIH, and Karyn Johnstone, MPH, NIH, Bethesda, MD
From this course, biosafety professionals will learn how the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS), Office of Research Services at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) teaches and promotes health and safety to high school and university students working in research laboratories at the NIH. Each year, hundreds of young, novice researchers come to the NIH to study science and learn biomedical research techniques. These young scientists have minimal working knowledge of the health and safety concerns that are unique to the biomedical research laboratory. In 2006, the DOHS designed a biosafety training program entitled S.T.A.R.S. (Safe Techniques Advance Research Science). The NIH-S.T.A.R.S. biosafety educational approach is unique, engaging, and fun. It is a learn-by-doing curriculum that fosters critical thinking skills, whereby students actively problem solve and discuss potential hazard recognition and accident prevention. This course provides an excellent resource in how to teach and promote laboratory health and safety to the novice biomedical, laboratory researcher.

1:00 - 5:00
28. MOVING PARTICIPANTS FROM KNOWING TO DOING: EFFECTIVE TRAINING STRATEGIES FOR TODAY'S BIOSAFETY OFFICER
Sean Kaufman, MPH, CHES, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Biosafety officers have many tasks and are typically asked to provide training for individuals working in the laboratory. Unfortunately, many professionals utilize traditional training methods, providing a gap between what professionals know they should be doing and what they are actually doing. This course will address issues surrounding the preferences of adult learners, the use and integration of technology and remote-based learning strategies, strategies which increase the likelihood of sustain behavior (good laboratory practices) and utilization of evaluation for both training program and outcome effectiveness. After completing this training, participants will be able to: list the preferences of adult learners; discuss the use of electronic learning modules for biosafety training; develop strategies which increase the likelihood of sustained behavior in laboratories; develop effective program and outcome evaluation programs aimed at measuring the effectiveness of biosafety programs.