What to know
The ECHO Biosafety Program addresses challenges in clinical and public health laboratories through the development of a community of practice (CoP).
Background
This project is an adaptation of the clinician-based ECHO Model™, developed by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. The ECHO Model™ invites peers to engage in a virtual environment on a frequent, regular basis where they share support, guidance, and feedback. The goal of this project is to use the ECHO Model to improve biosafety in clinical and public health laboratories by increasing the knowledge and skills of the biosafety CoP members to address previously identified biosafety gaps. The objectives of this project are to:
- Discuss biosafety challenges among clinical and public health laboratory professionals
- Foster collaborations and sharing of laboratory biosafety expertise
- Promote the application of best biosafety practices and advance the culture and practice of laboratory safety
The ECHO Biosafety sessions are 60-90 minutes each and occur every month. The CoP members convening at the sessions will share best practices, tools, and resources to address biosafety gaps in clinical and public health laboratories.
For questions, contact [email protected].
Connect virtually by Zoom to attend the ECHO Biosafety sessions: https://cdc.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdO6uqTgpHCSf2XEJ28Y829jQtvKgWj4
2024 ECHO Biosafety Sessions
Month
Area of Discussion
Speakers
January 30
Laboratory Biorisk Management: What It Is and How to Improve It
Kalpana Rengarajan, PhD, MPH, JM, RBP (ABSA)
Emory University
February 27
A Stepwise Process to Improve Biorisk Management Systems
Eric Cook, MPH, CBSP
Sandia National Laboratories
March 26
Leadership: Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities
Joseph P. Kozlovac, MS, RBP, CBSP, SM(NRCM)
United States Department of Agriculture
April 30
Planning: Developing and Achieving Biorisk Management Objectives
Michael Stevenson, PhD
New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories
May 30
William Pinard, MS, BRM/BSEC (IFBA)
Allison Treloar, MS, CMDA(ASQ), MB(ASCP), BRM(IFBA)
Sandia National Laboratories
June 25
Support: Communication and Documented Information
Marian Downing RBP, CBSP, SM(NRCM)
Domenica Zimmerman
Independent Biosafety Consultants
August 27
Operations: Planning and Maintaining
Esmeralda Meyer, MD, JM, RBP (ABSA), CBSP (ABSA), BRM (IFBA), CPIA (PRIMR)
Emory University
September 24
Operations: Emergency Response and Contingency Plans
Benjamin Fontes, MPH, CBSP
Yale University
October 22
The Importance of Biosecurity in Biorisk Program Management
Cristine C. Lawson, Ph.D., RBP, CBSP
BSAT Biorisk Program Office, Department of Defense
November 19
Biorisk Management Performance Evaluation
Michael Pentella, PhD, D(ABMM)
State Hygienic Laboratory, University of Iowa
December 17
Biorisk Management: Continuous Improvement
Patricia Olinger, JM
Varro Life SciencesBEAMS, LLC