Abstract: Nucleic acid synthesis is a dual-use technology that can benefit fields such as biology, medicine, and information storage. However, synthetic nucleic acids could also potentially be used negligently and ultimately cause harm, or be used with malicious intent to cause harm. Thus, this technology needs to be appropriately safeguarded.... MORE

Abstract: Screening synthetic nucleic acid orders for sequences of concern is a necessary part of a healthy biosecurity regime, but it exacts costs for nucleic acid providers. Taxonomy is and will remain a critical part of the decision-making process for screening, especially for viral sequences. But, moving forward, the function... MORE

Abstract:Methods for reviewing epidemiological signals are necessary to building and maintaining data-driven public health capabilities. We have developed a novel approach for assessing the plausibility of infectious disease forecasts and surveillance data. The PLANES (PLausibility ANalysis of Epidemiological Signals) methodology is designed to be multi-dimensional and flexible, yielding an overall score based on... MORE