Book Review: Biosecurity

Academic Press: Elsevier.com; 270 pages; $79.95.

Carole Baskin and Alan Zelicoff of the Institute of Biosecurity at St. Louis University bring together a distinguished list of contributors to deliver an outstanding overview of biosafety and biosecurity in Ensuring National Biosecurity: Institutional Biosafety Committees. Beginning with a historical perspective, it thoroughly examines the operational and regulatory challenges of biosafety and biosecurity within biomedical research.

Thirteen well-conceived chapters introduce the reader to the complexities of regulatory requirements imposed by the government, the institutional roles and responsibilities for biosafety and biosecurity, and best practices to ensure successful management of an institution’s biomedical research mission.

The content flows easily from the early beginnings of biosecurity to the present day and what lies ahead. Every contributor shares expertise and professional knowledge in an easily understandable manner. For example, Ryan Burnette and Nancy Connell characterize the importance of expanding the expertise of the Institutional Biosafety Committee to embrace biosecurity with the delivery of key bio and physical security training topics.

This book is recommended for everyone working in biosecurity and biosafety positions. It should be in bioresearch libraries, and managers should promote it as required reading. The book is that good. Academic Press; Elsevier.com; 270 pages; $79.95.

Reviewer: Mark A. Hammargren, CPP, is director of security for Texas Biomedical Research Institute. He has worked in the security industry for more than 35 years in both the public and private sectors and currently serves as regional vice president for ASIS Region 3C (Texas).