2026 Agricultural Biosecurity Seminar Held in Shanghai, Focusing on Zoonosis Prevention

Against the backdrop of complex animal and plant epidemics and the spread of invasive species, scientific risk assessment, precise prevention and control of agricultural biosecurity, as well as the construction of high-level biosafety laboratories, have become key measures to consolidate national biosecurity. On April 15th, coinciding with the 5th anniversary of the implementation of the Biosecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China and the 2026 National Security Education Day, the 2026 Agricultural Biosecurity Academic Seminar was held in Shanghai.

Hosted by the Center for Biosecurity Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, the seminar themed "Zoonosis Prevention and Public Health Security" focused on national agricultural biosecurity strategic needs, with academic exchanges centered on zoonosis prevention and control and risk management of high-level biosafety laboratories. The seminar was presided over by Researcher Han Xuesong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Chen Hualan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduced the latest research results on cutting-edge technological directions such as precise prevention and control of H5 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza, and the infection mechanism and risk prevention of the newly emerged H5N1 virus in U.S. dairy cows. Her team has developed the world’s first H5 subtype influenza vaccine technology for cattle, which can not only support the prevention and control of livestock and poultry epidemics in China, but also provide a reference model for European and American countries.

Researcher Zhang Lisheng from the Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute reported on the achievements of China’s agricultural biosecurity technological innovation, including research results in risk assessment, monitoring and early warning of major animal and plant epidemics, development of prevention and control technologies and products, emergency support and decision support. Researcher Li Zejun introduced the progress in promoting the construction of high-level biosafety laboratories, the layout of supporting platforms and the technological innovation chain.

Experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fudan University, China Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center and Shanghai Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center exchanged views on strengthening the construction and risk prevention of high-level biosafety laboratories. According to Xinhua Net, agricultural biosecurity is an important part of national biosecurity, which is related to food security, people’s health and ecological security.

Researcher Ma Zhiyong, Director of the Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, emphasized that agricultural biosecurity is crucial to food security and people’s health. "Faced with severe challenges such as frequent zoonoses and increasing pressure from invasive species, we need to strengthen research on public policies and common technologies, and accelerate the construction of a full-chain prevention and control technology system," he said.

Zhang Yu, Deputy Director of the Major Task Bureau of CAAS, stated that the bureau will optimize the layout of biosecurity disciplines, integrate innovative forces, tackle core technologies, and solve "bottleneck" problems to build a national biosecurity barrier through scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement.

Concurrent with the seminar, national security training and emergency drills were carried out, including biosafety skills training, tabletop emergency drills, and education and training on counter-terrorism, publicity, confidentiality and cybersecurity, to improve the safety prevention and emergency response capabilities of participants. Leaders and experts from agricultural research institutes, universities and Shanghai animal epidemic prevention-related units across the country attended the event.