Debra L' Hunt, DrPH, CBSP

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The National Biosafety and Biocontainment
Training ProgramCulturing a New Generation of
Biosafety Professionals

• Debra L. Hunt, DrPH, CBSP
• Director, Biological Safety, Duke University
• NBBTP Scientific Advisory Board
• July, 2009

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2003The Needs

• Funding for numerous BSL3/BSL4 labs for
  biodefense work across the country
• Limited number of biosafety professionals with
  high containment experience
• Limited graduate programs in any type of safety
  program
• Training programs 1 week programs or specific
  topics
• Rare mentorship/internship opportunities

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2004
Driven by the vision of Drs. Deborah Wilson and
Murray Cohen, the NBBTP program was established
to prepare well-rounded biosafety professionals
to meet the increasing challenges of
biocontainment research

• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
•  
• FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM TO MEET DEMANDS OF BIOSAFETY
•  
• Bethesda, Maryland September 24, 2004 The
  Healthcare Workerssm Safety Foundation announces
  the commencement of the National Biosafety and
  Biocontainment Training Program (NBBTP). The
  NBBTP was conceived as a partnership between the
  Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS)
  and the National Institute of Allergy and
  Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National
  Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. The
  NBBTP offers two-year post baccalaureate and
  post-doctoral fellowships at the NIH Bethesda
  Campus providing a rare opportunity to receive
  professional training in biosafety and
  biocontainment at the foremost biomedical
  research center in the world. The NBBTP
  Fellowship provides an extraordinary learning
  environment and rigorous program including
  academic training, experiential learning,
  mentorship, developmental assignments, and
  applied occupational safety and health research
  opportunities.

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2004

• In October, 2004, the first official NBBTP
  Advisory Board met in Bethesda to establish
• The mission of the program,
• Admission standards, and
• To review the curriculum
• The first NBBTP Board meeting
• Deborah Wilson Michael Blayney
• NIH Dartmouth U
• Murray Cohen Debra Hunt
• Frontline Foundation Duke
  U
• Jim Welch Ted Traum
• Elizabeth R Griffin Foundation NIH
• Emmett Barkley Sue Gargas
• Proven Practices, LLC
  NIAID
• Herb Jacobi, NIH Neil Goldman
• NIH NIAID

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What is the NBBTP Program?

• Partnership between the Division of Occupational
  Health and Safety and the National Institute of
  Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the NIH
  (Bethesda)
• A two-year fellowship program at NIH providing
  individualized training through
• coursework
• on-site training
• mentorship
• off-site conferences / seminars
• experiential assignments
• research projects
• interactions with biosafety professionals
  throughout the country

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What do NBBTP Fellows Study?

• Applied Biosafety and Biocontainment
• Public Health
• Emerging Diseases
• Risk Assessment
• Biosecurity
• Current Research Methods in Biological Sciences
• Laboratory Design / Engineering
• Media Relations
• Hazard Communications

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NBBTP Mentoring

• Safety Specialists from the Division of
  Occupational Health and Safety as mentors
• Extensive exposure to the inner workings of the
  health and safety programs at a world class
  research institution (NIH)
• Biological and chemical safety, industrial
  hygiene
• Developmental assignments
• IRF Frederick, NIH Rocky Mountain Labs, Colorado
  State University, Duke University, U of Maryland,
  USDA-Athens, GA, etc.

• Hands-On

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What do NBBTP Fellows Do?

• Shadow Safety Specialists
• Attend Institutional Committees
• IBC
• RAC
• IACUC
• 27 NIH institutes with a broad spectrum of
  research
• Work with lab designers/engineers
• Read blueprints / lab design review
• HVAC
• Electrical systems
• Plumbing
• Greening of buildings

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What do NBBTP Fellows Do?

• Work in Facilities
• BSL1 through BSL4
• Small animal, plants, agricultural
• Interact with leaders setting current Biosecurity
  standards
• National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity
• i.e., Dual-Use, Personnel Reliability,
  International BioRisk Issues
• Gain an understanding of
• Management
• Public Relations
• Negotiations

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What do NBBTP Fellows Do?

• Networking opportunities
• Are members of ABSA and local affiliates
• Graduates become CBSPs (4/4 Graduates)
• Active members of specialty scientific societies

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Fellows in Action
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Success of the Program By the Numbers

• 15 Fellows have entered the Fellowship program
  since 1/2005
• 4 have completed all requirements, graduated,
  and are working in Biosafety in BSL3/4 Lab
  Facilities
• 3 have completed most of the program and are
  working in Biosafety / Biocontainment
• 4 are currently Seniors (class of 2010)
• 3 are in the class of 2011

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Current Scientific Advisory Board

• Dr. Bob Ellis, Colorado State U
• Dr. Joe Kanabrocki, U of Chicago
• Janet Peterson, U of Maryland
• Patricia Olinger, Emory U
• Dr. Michael Blayney, Dartmouth U
• Dr. Debra Hunt, Duke U
• Ex Officio
• Dr. Emmett Barkley , Proven Practices. LLC
• Dr. Neil Goldman, NIAID
• Dr. Peter Jahrling, NIAID
• Jim Welch, Elizabeth R. Griffin Foundation
• Herb Jacobi, NIH
• Dr. Deborah Wilson, NIH
• Dr. Murray Cohen, Frontline Foundation

• 2009

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1st two graduating fellows, Thomas Arminio,
CBSP, and Angela Ragan, CBSP, with the NBBTP
Scientific Advisory Board, January, 2008
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• Note from Sherry Bohn, Fellow, Class of 2009

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Other NBBTP Opportunities

• Certificate Programs
• Two Tracks
• Biosafety Practitioner
• Operations and Maintenance
• Course work, practicum, project
• Professional Development Courses
• Two tracks
• Biosafety and Biocontainment
• Operations and Maintenance

• Not everybody can move to Bethesda!

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Other NBBTP Opportunities

• New Continuing Education Review Board
• Parallel Board to Scientific Advisory Board
• Oversight of professional development courses to
  ensure NBBTP standards in off-site training
• Designated Training Facilities
• Kansas State Biosecurity Research Institute
• Two additional sites, Summer, 2009

• Not everybody can move to Bethesda!

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Recent Activities

• Objectives
• Develop a national strategy to enable and ensure
  the appropriate training and technical competence
  of all individuals who work in, oversee, support,
  or manage high or maximum containment research
  laboratories.
• Develop and support a national research agenda
  for applied biosafety and biocontainment to
  improve the management of biohazard risks.

• US Government
• Trans-Federal Task Force on Optimizing Biosafety
  and Biocontainment Oversight, October, 2008

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Recent Activities

• Topic Area Key Concepts
• Training and Competency
• National training standards for all personnel
  working in BSL 3 / 4 facilities
• Increase number of scientists and professionals
  trained in biosafety
• Professional credentialing of biosafety
  professionals is supported
• Biosafety/Biocontainment Standards and
  Guidelines
• Accreditation can promote consistency of training
  and work practices, reliability of facilities and
  operations, and the acceptance by the general
  public

• US Government
• Trans-Federal Task Force on Optimizing Biosafety
  and Biocontainment Oversight, Public
  Consultation, December, 2008

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How to Find Out MORE
www.nbbtp.org