We analyze trends to help government and society harness biotechnology’s potential to promote health and new industries, as well as understand the potential for its misuse. It includes examination of the biotechnology workforce, infrastructure and funding that supports biotechnology research. Research topics include biological safety infrastructure and regulations, global biosecurity policies, genome editing techniques and the use of AI in biological discovery.

Analysis

China and Medical AI

Caroline Schuerger, Vikram Venkatram, and Katherine Quinn

| May 2024

Medical artificial intelligence, which depends on large repositories of biological data, can improve public health and contribute to the growing global bioeconomy. Countries that strategically prioritize medical AI could benefit from a competitive advantage and set global norms. This report examines China’s stated goals for medical AI, finding that the...

Analysis

China, Biotechnology, and BGI

Anna Puglisi and Chryssa Rask

| May 2024

As the U.S. government considers banning genomics companies from China, it opens a broader question about how the United States and other market economies should deal with China’s “national champions.” This paper provides an overview of one such company—BGI—and how China’s industrial policy impacts technology development in China and around...

Other

AI and Biorisk: An Explainer

Steph Batalis

| December 2023

Recent government directives, international conferences, and media headlines reflect growing concern that artificial intelligence could exacerbate biological threats. When it comes to biorisk, AI tools are cited as enablers that lower information barriers, enhance novel biothreat design, or otherwise increase a malicious actor’s capabilities. In this explainer, CSET Biorisk Research...

Assessing the Next Frontier in Medical Research: Artificial Intelligence and Computational Biology

Charliste Hampton

| September 12, 2024

Artificial intelligence is becoming more integrated into the sciences. One of the scientific fields experiencing this is computational biology, which uses computer modeling to understand biological mechanisms and systems. This blog post provides an understanding of important research trends in these subject areas, and how advancements in AI can improve...

180 Days After the Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence: What Comes Next for Biotech?

Steph Batalis and Vikram Venkatram

| July 11, 2024

Now that the first set of milestones has passed for the Biden administration’s October 2023 executive order on artificial intelligence, where do things stand for biotech? This blog post gives an overview of the most recent action items, with a recap of expert commentary from CSET’s June 2024 Webinar...

China’s Hybrid Economy: What to Do about BGI?

Anna Puglisi

| February 2, 2024

As the U.S. government considers banning genomics companies from China in the Biosecure Act, it opens a broader question of how the U.S. and other market economies should deal with China’s national champions. This blog post provides an overview of BGI and how China’s industrial policy impacts technology development.

Katherine Quinn

Data Scientist

Steph Batalis

Research Fellow

Vikram Venkatram

Research Analyst

In a Washington Post article that delves into China's extensive efforts to collect genetic data from around the world, using innovative technology, CSET's Anna Puglisi provided her expert insights.

CSET's Anna Puglisi was featured in a Nature article along with a report she co-authored. The article discusses the challenges faced by US policymakers in regulating research involving potentially harmful pathogens. The focal point of the discussion is the CSET report titled “Understanding the Global Gain-of-Function Research Landscape.”

CSET Director of Biotechnology Programs and Senior Fellow Anna Puglisi provided insights into China's illicit efforts to acquire genetic data from the United States in Politico's Morning Cybersecurity. She pointed out that such data will serve a wide variety of interests, from health care to agriculture. “It’s enablers like sequencing and other tools of discovery that are going to drive the bioeconomy, that are going to drive precision medicine,” she said. “The more data you have, the more you can start to understand what genes do.”