The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), in collaboration with the Biosafety Association of Central Asia and the Caucasus (BACAC) and the German Biosecurity Programme through GIZ, is co-organizing an international conference entitled “Future Challenges of Biosafety and Biosecurity”, which will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

PARTICIPANTS

The conference will bring together biosafety and biosecurity experts, researchers, and policymakers from Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Eastern Partnership and the international community. Emerging biological risks and global biosecurity challenges will be in the focus of the conference.

CONFERENCE DATES

14 October 2025 – pre-conference workshops & side meetings 15–16 October 2025 – main conference sessions.

JOIN US AT THE CONFERENCE

This conference offers an essential platform for knowledge exchange, expert discussions, regional updates, international perspectives, and collaborative planning aimed at addressing current and future biosafety and biosecurity challenges. Further details regarding the agenda, registration, and participation will be provided soon. Attendees are encouraged to save the date and plan to join in Almaty.

KEY TOPICS

The conference will foster dialogue, collaboration, and sharing of best practices in biosafety and biosecurity. Participants will explore the latest scientific developments and policy responses to biological threats, with an emphasis on innovative approaches for risk mitigation, technology governance, and capacity building.

Key topics include:

- Advances in synthetic biology and gene editing (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9)

- AI in bioengineering and pathogen design

- Mirror biology as a new class of biological threats

- Democratization of biotechnology and access to genetic engineering tools

- Digitalization and security risks of genetic data

- Emerging bioterrorism risks and new threat vectors

- Effects of climate change on disease surveillance and biosecurity

- Ethical, legal, and regulatory challenges in biosafety and biosecurity

For more information and registration details follow our pages in social media.

Contact infromation of the Organising Committee: 
BACAC@istc.int

SAVE THE DATE poster