The International BioThreat Reduction Symposium (IBTRS) evolved from the Ukrainian Scientific Writing and Mentorship Program (SWMP), which is dedicated to supporting the professional development of infectious disease researchers in Ukraine. This year’s symposium included representation from more than 120 different institutions, including research institutions, oblast laboratory centers, medical universities, veterinary universities, agrarian universities, and healthcare institutions. Researchers and presenters from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Poland, and Ethiopia also attended. The main goal of the symposium is to provide a platform for infectious disease researchers to present their research and learn about current issues in biological threat reduction, biorisk management, and especially dangerous pathogens.
Because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the IBTRS was held virtually from 29 June to 2 July 2021. The program included opening and closing ceremonies with distinguished speakers, pre-recorded talks, virtual live panels, and virtual poster sessions. Over the course of the symposium, 32 researchers delivered talks and nearly 160 posters were presented. In addition, 49 additional abstracts were published to provide participants with a broader view of ongoing research throughout Ukraine. This timely and cutting-edge body of work is captured herein.
The organizing committee would like to express its gratitude to the scientific committee, the abstract reviewers, and virtual conference team who helped make the symposium a success. The organizers would also like to thank the speakers, presenters, and those who took the time to submit an abstract for the symposium. In this challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is noteworthy that you remain committed to writing summaries of your work to give others a chance to learn from your experience. Finally, the organizers would like to thank the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for its continued support and vision. Without DTRA’s support, this symposium would not be possible.
Download 2021 IBTRS Program HERE
Download 2021 IBTRS Abstract Book HERE