How to prevent pandemics and avert biorisks from synthetic biology

Today, Asimov Press is launching a mini-issue on pandemic preparedness and biosecurity. Over the next few days, we will publish four articles in total. 

These articles explain how to create better DNA screening algorithms, highlight anti-virals as plausible bridge treatments to slow pandemics on “day zero,” and make the case for putting real-time DNA sequencing devices in airports and stadiums to detect pathogens before they spread. 

We’re kicking off this mini-issue with an article on the uncertainty surrounding the true death toll from the black plague. Written by Saloni Dattani, it argues that statistical institutions are an underrated, but immensely important way to accurately record deaths.

This mini-issue is aimed at readers who are interested in pandemic preparedness, such as computational biology students looking to get involved or policymakers seeking to better understand how these technologies work. 

Thanks, 
Xander