Ginkgo Bioworks, MoH of Botswana enter MoU on biosecurity capabilities

Ginkgo Bioworks and the Ministry of Health, representing the Government of the Republic of Botswana, tannounced that they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the intent of developing and implementing new biosecurity capabilities in Botswana. The planned partnership will support capacity-building and biosecurity throughout Botswana’s public health sector. Ginkgo, through its biosecurity and public health unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, plans to collaborate with the Botswana MoH to equip local public health institutions with biosecurity tools and training, as well as the secure data infrastructure that they need to leverage automation, data analysis, bio-informatics capabilities and other critical genomic sequencing technologies. Concentric and Botswana MoH will also endeavor to address key biosecurity challenges, by implementing innovative pathogen monitoring programs at strategic nodes, such as ports of entry and animal agricultural settings.