The School of Public Health’s Pandemic Center has received a $900,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York to launch a program for mid-career professionals in Africa focused on biological threat reduction policy. The three-year initiative, set to begin in summer 2026, will feature a 9–10-week online course and a yearlong fellowship to provide specialized training.
The program builds on the Pandemic Center’s Biosecurity Game Changers Initiative, a pilot launched in 2024, and will enroll up to 30 students with at least five years of post-graduate experience in biological sciences, biotechnology, international security, or public health. Among these participants, at least five early- to mid-career professionals will be selected for fellowships with host organizations such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science, and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit. Fellows will spend a year working with host institutions to design or implement public health policies in practice.
Beth Cameron, co-leader of the initiative, highlighted the program’s goal of empowering African talent to develop and discuss public policy measures tailored to their regions. Wilmot James, also a co-leader, will co-direct the course, bringing his experience as a former South African parliamentarian and Shadow Minister of Health. The course is designed to equip students with the skills to create policy solutions and persuade decision-makers to take action on emerging biological threats.
The initiative aims to address a training gap for early- and mid-career professionals, building a pipeline of African decision-makers who are well-versed in biological threat reduction. By strengthening skills and fostering sustainable, continent-based training, the program seeks to prepare the next generation of biosecurity leaders capable of responding effectively to emerging public health challenges.
