Institut Pasteur de São Paulo researcher earns international IFBA certification and takes part in an MCTI/OAS program focused on research security and the protection of emerging biotechnologies.
Angélica Cristine de Almeida Campos, leader of SIMBA – the Viral Spillover and One Health Laboratory at Institut Pasteur de São Paulo (IPSP), has earned an international certification in Biorisk Management from the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA), the organization responsible for the world’s only globally recognized technical certification program in biosafety and biosecurity. The certification was obtained following her participation in a training program promoted by Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), in partnership with the Organization of American States (OAS).
The program was part of an initiative aimed at strengthening research security in response to the challenges posed by advanced and emerging biotechnologies. During three sessions held between August and September 2026, experts from different Brazilian institutions discussed topics including biorisk management, dual-use research, protection of scientific assets, governance of emerging technologies, and information security. After completing the sessions, Campos took the IFBA examination and, upon passing, received the certification.
Advances in biotechnology have also brought new challenges related to the protection of scientific knowledge, a topic that was at the center of the program’s discussions.
“Today, we need to think about both aspects. One is working safely, protecting researchers, the population and the environment. The other is considering what happens to the materials, data and knowledge we produce, and how to prevent them from being used for harmful purposes, such as the development of biological weapons or other applications capable of causing harm.”
Security beyond the laboratory
The discussion promoted by the program goes beyond traditional concepts of biosafety. Advances in genetic sequencing, artificial intelligence, laboratory automation and digital data sharing are transforming the way science is conducted and expanding the challenges associated with protecting research.
In this context, the concept of research security is gaining importance. This approach brings together biosafety, biosecurity, information security, institutional governance and One Health, integrating their impacts on people, animals and the environment in order to reduce risks associated with the misuse of scientific materials, data, technologies and knowledge.
“Risk is no longer confined to biological material inside the laboratory. A genetic sequence can become digital information, circulate among institutions and be analyzed by computational systems. That is why we need to think not only about how to protect the sample itself, but also the data and knowledge generated from it.”
A well-established culture of biosafety
The certification reflects a biosafety framework that has been developed over the years at IPSP. The institute operates four Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories, in addition to maintaining rigorous procedures, regular training programs, and activities coordinated by its Internal Biosafety Committee to prevent risks and respond to incidents.
According to Campos, the training provided an opportunity to deepen her understanding of concepts that are becoming increasingly important as scientific research becomes more closely integrated with digital technologies.
“The training introduced a very timely discussion on research security, particularly regarding data protection, information sharing and the risks associated with new technologies. The certification represents recognition of these competencies in an area that is becoming increasingly relevant to research institutions.”
Preparing research for the challenges of the future
For the researcher, the program’s main message is that research protection must keep pace with the speed of technological change. This means preserving scientific openness and collaboration while also developing mechanisms capable of protecting strategic information, technologies and knowledge produced by research institutions.
In a context of increasing integration between biology, artificial intelligence and digital systems, biosafety, biosecurity and biorisk management are taking on an increasingly strategic role. In this context, Campos’s certification reinforces IPSP’s engagement in international discussions on research security.