The biological risk landscape is becoming more complicated and more challenging. There is an increasing number of maximum biocontainment labs as well as growth in high-risk research. New risks are also emerging from technological convergence. Sophisticated legal and illegal tools are being used to tap into innovation ecosystems, and dual-use is becoming an increasingly acute concern. Disinformation campaigns are becoming more pronounced, and any future unusual disease outbreak or deliberate biological attack is likely to be accompanied by disinformation, undermining the credibility of public health institutions and affecting public behaviour. Technical capabilities for developing biological weapons are also expanding, should the intent to do so be there. Yet, design and deployment of research, technologies and weapons require moral and political choices. This talk will emphasize how the arms control community has the power to influence and shape these choices, and will showcase a series of ‘wins’ for the community in recent years.

About Speaker

Dr Lentzos originally trained in human sciences, then switched to sociology for her doctoral work, and spent the first ten years of her career at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In 2012, Dr Lentzos joined King’s College London as part of the team establishing the Department of Global Health & Social Medicine. In 2017, she became cross-appointed to King’s Department of War Studies.

Dr Lentzos is committed to rigorous and responsible research that contributes to addressing significant social, political and security challenges of developments in the life and health sciences. Responding to these challenges rarely involve simple or reductive answers, and her research embraces multidisciplinary perspectives and collaborative research.

STS Research Seminar Series: Dr Filippa Lentzos