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Disseminating In Silico and Computational Biological Research: Navigating Benefits and Risks: Proceedings of a Workshop (2025)

Chapter: Appendix B: Workshop Agenda

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Previous Chapter: Appendix A: Statement of Task

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Suggested Citation: "Appendix B: Workshop Agenda." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Disseminating In Silico and Computational Biological Research: Navigating Benefits and Risks: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29174.

Appendix B
Workshop Agenda

NAVIGATING THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF PUBLISHING STUDIES OF IN SILICO MODELING AND COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES OF BIOLOGICAL AGENTS AND ORGANISMS: A WORKSHOP

The Keck Center
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

APRIL 3, 2025

12:00	Welcome and Meeting Overview Alex John London, Carnegie Mellon University Valda Vinson, Science Audrey Thévenon, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
12:20	Session 1: Setting the Stage – Context and Scope
	Goal: Frame and define the scope of the workshop, focusing on the research’s benefits, potential for innovation, and dual-use research concerns/biosecurity risks in the context of disseminating research and resources using computational modeling, foundation models, and generative AI.
	Moderator: Alex John London, Carnegie Mellon University
	Invited Speakers: Gigi Gronvall, Johns Hopkins University Lynda Stuart, Fund for Science and Technology Sara Del Valle, Los Alamos National Laboratory Feilim Mac Gabhann, Johns Hopkins University and PLOS Computational Biology Valda Vinson, Science

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1:30	Session 2: Benefits and Risks of Disseminating Studies, Models, and Tools Involving Computational Approaches: What’s Hype, and What’s Reality?
	Goal: Illustrate theoretical discussions through real-world examples, highlighting the complexity of biological systems, particularly when involving computational approaches, and the broad range of dissemination options.
	Moderator: Jaspreet Pannu, Stanford University
	Case Studies Speakers: James Diggans, Twist Bioscience Anthony Gitter, University of Wisconsin–Madison Nick Sofroniew, EvolutionaryScale Jamie Yassif, Nuclear Threat Initiative
2:30	Introduction Session 3: Challenges and Needs to Effectively Safeguard the Benefits and Mitigate the Risks of Disseminating Studies, Models, and Tools Involving Computational Approaches – Thematic Breakout Rooms
	Goal: To collaboratively identify known issues when disseminating studies, models, and tools involving in silico modeling and computational approaches in life sciences research, explore potential future challenges, and begin identifying what might be needed to effectively safeguard research benefits while mitigating the dual-use risks associated with disseminating these studies, models, and tools.
	Moderator: Simone Bianco, Altos Labs Institute of Computation
2:40	Break – Move to breakout rooms
2:55	Session 3: Thematic Breakout Rooms – Challenges and Needs to Effectively Safeguard the Benefits and Promote Advances
	During the breakout room discussion, the groups will aim to address challenges and needs to effectively safeguard the benefits and mitigate the risks of disseminating studies, models, and tools involving computational approaches through the following overarching research themes:
	Molecules and Proteins – Padlet Board Room 1 Systems Biology and Genetic/Cellular Engineering – Padlet Board Room 2 Epidemiological Modeling and Biosecurity – Padlet Board Room 3
	General Guidance for the Breakout Room Discussion:
	The group will first review the relevant outputs for in silico research, their dissemination outlets, and stakeholders associated with each output and outlet. The group will then answer a series of questions: What criteria should be used to assess and evaluate the research benefits and biosecurity risks? This discussion will review the existing policies, guidance, and safeguards for physical research. What additional criteria (if any) should be used to assess the biosecurity risk of in silico research in biological systems for each dissemination outlet?

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	Do the different dissemination outlets present different risks? What do you see as current challenges and gaps in assessing and evaluating the benefits and the DURC and PEPP potential of disseminating in silico research in biological systems?
	The group will use an online platform to collect these answers. If time allows, the group can brainstorm what could be implemented (now, near-term, long-term) to fill these gaps and overcome current barriers to implementing effective voluntary guidelines.
4:15	Reflection and Ah-ha Moments
4:25	Wrap Up and Adjourn

APRIL 4, 2025

12:00	Welcome and Overview
12:00	Alex John London, Carnegie Mellon University Valda Vinson, Science
12:10	Session 6: Challenges and Opportunities in Safeguarding Benefits - Lessons Learned from Past Biotechnology Governance
	Goal: Highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing scientific openness with biosecurity concerns in biotechnology, illustrated by historical and current efforts by scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to navigate risks and opportunities in data sharing, model accessibility, and governance, and explore how safeguards can be effectively leveraged to promote responsible innovation without unnecessarily hindering scientific progress.
	Moderator: Amina Ann Qutub, The University of Texas at San Antonio
	Speakers: Diane DiEuliis, National Defense University Kenneth Oye, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
12:40	*Session 7: In Silico* Modeling and AI Safety and Security – Lessons from Other Domains**
	Goal: Explore how in silico modeling, foundation models, and principles and practices for generative AI safety have evolved to inform security and biosecurity efforts in other domains. The session will draw upon insights from various scientific domains and that guidelines, policies, norms, and best practices have been established to facilitate the dissemination of such information beyond DURC and PEPP.
	Moderator: Richard Sever, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
	Speakers: Steinn Sigurðsson, Pennsylvania State University and arXiv Sean Ekins, Collaborations Pharmaceutical Nandi Leslie, RTX Corporation

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1:25	Session 8: Policy Options and Norms for Responsible Dissemination – Interactive Cross-Sectoral and Transdisciplinary Solution-Building Panel Discussions with Public Participation
	Goal: During this cross-sectoral panel discussion, we aim to discuss strategies, best practices, policy options, and norms for safeguarding the benefits and advances of research while reducing the risks posed by funding and disseminating research information and resources involving dual-use research or research involving pathogens of pandemic potential. This session will build on Day 1.
	After brief opening remarks from the panelists, the facilitators from the breakout rooms on Day 1 will briefly present a set of discussed complex barriers or challenges and their associated initial strategies with the panel. The panel will have 10-15 minutes to debate and explore innovative, coordinated, and integrated strategies that align with the needs and capacity of all sectors represented.
	In parallel, the audience can submit their ideas for strategies (not comments or challenges, nor questions) through an online platform if they are inspired while listening to the panel discussion. Other attendees are invited to upvote strategies they found particularly innovative and cross-cutting.
	Moderator: Sarah Carter, Science Policy Consulting LLC
	Panelists: Jim Brase, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Jennifer Gibson, Dryad Michael Imperiale, University of Michigan Girish Patangay, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Richard Sever, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
2:45	Introduction Session 9: Promising Implementation Opportunities or Pitfalls of the Policies/Norms/Guidance/Strategies/Best Practices Proposed
	Goal: In breakout groups, discuss and refine collaboratively policy options, norms, guidance, strategies, and/or best practices for safeguarding the benefits and advances while reducing the risks posed by disseminating research information and resources.
	Moderator: Héctor García Martín, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
2:55	Break – Move to breakout rooms
3:10	Session 9: Breakout Rooms – Promising Implementation Opportunities or Pitfalls of the Policies/Norms/Guidance/Strategies/Best Practices Proposed
	During the breakout discussion, the groups will consider the landscape of dissemination outlets and the types of research outputs or resources disseminated (paper, code, dataset, weights, etc.).
	Main Question: What approaches or strategies should be used to promote high-quality science, scientific progress, and the openness of science, while mitigating the biosecurity risks associated with disseminating in silico research in biological systems?

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	The groups will aim to: Highlight priority areas for guidance and policy development. Propose next steps for implementation and collaboration. Identify key stakeholders for follow-up actions or engagement.
3:50	Report Out from Each Group
4:15	Closing Remarks and Adjourn