Biosecurity is only as strong as its weakest link, said Professor Lela Bakanidze. By working together to build shared standards and mutual understanding, we can create a safer scientific environment that benefits every region and every researcher.

Professor Lela Bakanidze is a distinguished expert in biosafety, biosecurity, and CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) risk mitigation, with decades of experience advancing regional and international cooperation on biological risk governance. She serves as biosafety/biosecurity coordinator at NCDC Georgia.

Throughout her career, Professor Bakanidze has been a driving force behind efforts to bridge science, education, and policy, leading initiatives that enhance laboratory biosafety, biosecurity awareness, and dual-use research governance. She had worked with the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence (CoE) Regional Secretariat for Central Asia, where she supported countries in strengthening preparedness, capacity-building, and policy alignment on biological safety and security. Her leadership has contributed to building sustainable regional expertise and institutional resilience across the post-Soviet and Central Asian regions.

Within the IBBIS Technical Consortium, Professor Bakanidze brings invaluable insight into regional coordination, training, and governance frameworks, ensuring that international DNA synthesis screening standards reflect both global best practices and regional implementation realities.