Participants from The Department of medical Sciences and The Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Laboratory, Thailand, National Public Health Laboratory, Malaysia, Australian Center for Disease Preparedness, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS) Australia in collaboration with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and Sandia National Laboratory gather at the Regional Public Health Laboratory Network (RPHL Network) 2024 Biorisk Advisor Twinning Program to initiate a 6-month mentorship program to strengthen Southeast Asia’s public and animal health capacity.

Under the regional leadership of the RPHL Network, the event welcomed 36 participants representing national laboratories and international partners across the Asia Pacific region. Laboratory representatives were matched into pairs or “twins,” and developed project plans to address critical Biorisk management (BRM) needs at their institutions, strengthening RPHL’s network of human and animal health partner laboratories. The RPHL Network led program facilitates capacity building by assembling regional laboratory experts, sharing technical expertise and experiences, and improving BRM and quality management practices—all of which fosters a more resilient laboratory and diagnostic systems for improved health outcomes in the Asia Pacific.