June 30, 2020

HSP Partner Convenes Working Group Of Experts To Develop Standardized Biosecurity Curriculum In Turkey

Today, HSP Partner Dr. Aysen Gargili-Keles, Marmara University, virtually convened a working group of experts to help develop a national standard for biosafety and biosecurity education in the country of Turkey. The group, which included experts from the Ministry of Agriculture Veterinary Institutes, TUBITAK, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), and several Turkish universities, began to draft universal curriculum elements and laboratory procedures during the video teleconference.

The discussion yielded standardized ideas on how to teach topics like preventing laboratory acquired infections (LAI), donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE), proper disinfection for biohazards, laboratory equipment operation, and facility design for safe handling of  biological agents. Members of this working group also pointed out the need for the inclusion of materials on the environmental impacts of biosecurity research, like antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, student interest for biosafety and biosecurity has increased dramatically in Turkey. Thus, making this group’s work vital to both Turkey’s and the world’s Health Security future.