A critical voice on biosafety
Marc Lipsitch, professor of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health and director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, has become a leading critic of experiments creating dangerous flu strains that are transmissible between mammals. Earlier this…
Experiments with potential pandemic flu strains pose deadly risk
In the wake of the recent accidental exposure of at least 75 workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to anthrax, Harvard School of Public Health’s (HSPH) [[Marc Lipsitch]] argues that experiments aimed at creating deadly…
Influenza forecasting system wins prize from CDC
A new system for predicting seasonal peaks of influenza in cities across the U.S., developed by a team of scientists including Marc Lipsitch of Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), has won first place out of 11 teams…
Bird flu experiments pose risk of accidental release
Research in mammals that aims to prevent future influenza pandemics raises ethical, public health concerns For immediate release: May 20, 2014 Boston, MA — Experiments creating dangerous flu strains that are transmissible between mammals pose too great a risk…
Flu virus experiments could be risky
Virus mutants : les furets de la discorde; coverage in Le Monde, March 13, 2014, featuring HSPH’s Marc Lipsitch, professor of epidemiology
Chasing epidemics in real time
[Fall 2013 Centennial issue] As the AIDS epidemic tragically demonstrated, public health has usually been a step behind infections on the run. But today, with sophisticated molecular and communications tools, practitioners can virtually keep up stride for stride…
Genome sequencing provides unprecedented insight into causes of pneumococcal disease
Technology will allow better surveillance of bacterial populations, understanding of vaccine effectiveness For immediate release: Sunday, May 5, 2013 Boston, MA — A new study led by researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the Wellcome…
Feds set new rules for controversial bird flu research
Coverage on NPR, February 22, 2013, featuring HSPH's Marc Lipsitch
As work on lethal bird flu research resumes, debate continues
Last week, an international group of scientists announced their intention to resume research on the potentially deadly H5N1 bird flu virus after a year’s hiatus, even as debate over the safety of the research continued. Researchers from the…
Rethinking Research Biosafety for Potential Pandemic Pathogens
October 2012 -- Laboratory-modified, highly virulent strains of the H5N1 virus were recently developed in such a way that they can be passed from one mammal to another (ferrets), suggesting that the new and potentially dangerous strain might…
