The International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS) works collaboratively with global partners to strengthen biosecurity norms and develop innovative tools to uphold them. We undertake this work to safeguard science and reduce the risk of catastrophic events that could result from deliberate abuse or accidental misuse of bioscience and biotechnology.

Tessa Alexanian is the Technical Lead for the Common Mechanism, an international baseline for nucleic acid synthesis screening. Her previous work has focused on modular lab automation, assessing dual-use risks in synthetic biology projects, bioweapons convention compliance, and creating cultures of responsibility. Tessa wrangled robots to do bioengineering for four years at Zymergen, served for two years at the iGEM Competition’s Safety and Security officer, and has collaborated with organizations including Open Philanthropy (Coefficient Giving), RAND, and the Council on Strategic Risks. She holds a 2023 Council on Strategic Risks Fellowship for Ending Bioweapons, and was a 2022 ELBI fellow, 2020 Foresight Fellow, and 2017 iGEM BWC delegate.

Mayra Ameneiros is a Senior Fellow at the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science. She holds a BSc and MSc in Biochemistry, with a specialization in Biotechnology. She is a certified professional in biorisk management and biosecurity accredited by the International Federation of Biosafety Associations, where she has also acted as a Mentor of the IFBA Global Mentorship Program. Ameneiros is a member of the WHO Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG), providing independent advice to WHO on strategic priorities and plans of action related to the health-security interface, including preparedness and response to deliberate events and to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats; she is also part of the WHO Roster of Experts for the Joint External Evaluations (JEEs).

Rassin Lababidi is a Technical Lead at IBBIS, supporting the Sequence Biosecurity Risk Consortium and the development of technical tools and resources for nucleic acid screeners and experts to enhance nucleic acid screening uptake and standards. Rassin has worked internationally on various areas in biosecurity and pandemic preparedness including projects on dual-use risks and governance, medical countermeasures, biological weapons convention compliance, AI and biosecurity, early warning surveillance, and epidemiological analysis for emerging pathogens. Rassin holds a PhD and MSc. from the University of Oxford and a BSc. from McGill University.

Sophie Peresson is the Policy Lead for the International Screening Standards initiative, which seeks to support the harmonization and standardization of screening approaches around the world. She is a member of the International Gene Synthesis Consortium (IGSC), the OECD Synthetic Biology Working Party, Pandemic Action Network (PAN), several other international policy fora and the former French representative at ISO TC 276: Biotechnology working group. Previously, Sophie played a critical role in the revision of the ASPR/HHS Screening Framework Guidance for providers and users of synthetic nucleic acids, namely by providing expert input on the specific challenges faced by benchtop device manufacturers, and the solutions developed by them. At the EU level, Sophie actively contributes to discussions around the EU Biotech Act and the Bioeconomy, working collaboratively with key stakeholders across the synthetic biology ecosystem. She regularly speaks at international conferences including SynBioBeta, SynbiCITE, and the OECD.

We’re interested in working with CBAI fellows in the following projects:

Know Your Customer (KYC)

Focus is on developing minimal, scalable KYC standards for synthetic DNA and Select Agent–related orders, drawing on NIST 800-63 and collaboration with NIST experts. Outputs would directly support validation and adoption of KYC tools across the ecosystem.

Fellow focus: Conduct stress testing of KYC processes across diverse regulatory environments, develop realistic customer test datasets that reflect global synthesis ecosystem, create guidance for automated identity verification tools that can be implemented by synthesis providers, and create a database mapping examples of national biosafety and biosecurity approval documentation for verifying legitimacy.

Desired skills: 

• Knowledge of identity verification, KYC frameworks, or customer due diligence processes in life sciences, finance, or other regulated sectors

• Knowledge of cybersecurity or digital identity management

Sequence Biosecurity Standards

The Sequence Biosecurity Risk Consortium (SBRC) maintains a standard definition of “sequences of concern” based on a scientific assessment of biosecurity risk from synthetic nucleic acids. Currently, the SBRC includes around 80 expert individuals and organisations. 

Fellow focus: Advance screening methodologies and AI system resilience, facilitate alignment between technical standards and regulatory requirements through stakeholder engagement, and develop accessible implementation toolkits that enable synthesis providers and government agencies to operationalize sequence screening protocols. 

Desired skills: 

• Bioinformatics, computational biology, or virology background 

• Experience bridging technical and regulatory communities

• Familiarity with stakeholder engagement

Commec Software

Focus is on developing the commec: a free, open-source, globally-accessible software tool for identifying sequences of concern in nucleic acid synthesis orders.

Fellow focus: Develop frontend interfaces and web APIs enabling integration of the commec package into provider workflows. Deliverables would include a web tool that reaches privacy parity with the BLAST web interface and a locally-run GUI for the Commec CLI. The fellow should have some frontend software development experience, preferably including containerized and/or bioinformatics workflows.

Desired skills: 

• Bioinformatics, computational biology, or virology background 

• Frontend software development experience, and/or bioinformatics tools

• Familiarity with open-source development practices and community-facing software tools

International Screening Standards

Work focuses on the DNA Sequence Screening Consortium (DSSC) global policy and implementation agenda, including a high-priority China workstream, emerging engagement in Africa, MENA, and ASEAN, and EU-facing work linked to the EU Biotech Act. 

Fellow focus: Support policy engagement with key governments and international organizations, support awareness raising, capacity building, and coordinate efforts with the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and jurisdictions across the world who are leading on development of relevant policies and frameworks to ensure global interoperability of screening systems. 

Desired skills: 

• Policy and legal analysis skills, particularly in biosecurity standards, dual-use research frameworks

• Experience engaging with international organizations, standards bodies (e.g., ISO, WHO), or multilateral policy processes

• Comfortably engaging regulators and policymakers

Global DNA Synthesis Map

The Global DNA Synthesis Map provides a clear, public, global picture of where DNA synthesis capabilities exist, if synthesis providers screen orders and/or customers, and what national oversight frameworks govern these activities. By linking technical capacity, with policy and governance, it highlights gaps in oversight and supports evidence-based biosecurity decision-making. The map is designed to strengthen transparency and help reduce risks associated with the global expansion of DNA-synthesis technologies.

Fellow focus: Explore and develop approaches to automate the identification and tracking of DNA synthesis companies globally, and assess opportunities to enhance the map with new features (including automated analysis of company practices and policy indicators), leveraging internal datasets to improve scalability, accuracy, and real-time insights.

Desired skills: 

• Experience with automated data collection, web scraping, or data pipeline development

• Familiarity with geospatial or public-facing data visualization tools

• Strong research and analytical skills

See each project above on mentor topics for the skills we’re looking for regarding these projects.