ABSA
ABSA International is a nonprofit professional membership organization dedicated to serving the needs of biosafety and biosecurity professionals worldwide. It promotes biosafety and biosecurity expertise through conferences, training, mentorship, credentialing, and professional development, fostering a global community committed to safety, integrity, and high standards in the field. ABSA offers a range of services including credentialing programs, biosafety resources, webinars, and advanced training modules. It actively engages in developing biosafety standards, guidelines, and risk assessment practices, and collaborates with international biosafety associations. The organization recognizes achievements through awards and maintains a strong online presence with updated resources, events, and publications.
Industries
Nr. of Employees
small (1-50)
Products
Peer-reviewed biosafety journal
A regularly published peer-reviewed journal that disseminates scientific and operational articles related to laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.
Emerging infectious disease resource toolboxes
Organized, curated collections of resources and references for specific pathogens and disease categories to support planning, surveillance, and outbreak response.
Agent risk-group classification database
A reference database that classifies biological agents by risk group to support consistent institutional risk assessment and containment decisions.
Laboratory-acquired infection (LAI) incident registry
A repository documenting laboratory-acquired infection incidents to inform prevention strategies, training content, and trend analysis.
Animal biosafety instructional video series
Video modules demonstrating safe practices for animal handling and containment at ABSL/BSL levels, including procedures for donning/doffing, decontamination, and transport relevant to animal facilities.
Ventilation performance-verification standard and guidance
Published standard and guidance describing methods for performance verification and testing of ventilation and exhaust controls in high-containment laboratories.
Peer-reviewed biosafety journal
A regularly published peer-reviewed journal that disseminates scientific and operational articles related to laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.
Emerging infectious disease resource toolboxes
Organized, curated collections of resources and references for specific pathogens and disease categories to support planning, surveillance, and outbreak response.
Agent risk-group classification database
A reference database that classifies biological agents by risk group to support consistent institutional risk assessment and containment decisions.
Laboratory-acquired infection (LAI) incident registry
A repository documenting laboratory-acquired infection incidents to inform prevention strategies, training content, and trend analysis.
Animal biosafety instructional video series
Video modules demonstrating safe practices for animal handling and containment at ABSL/BSL levels, including procedures for donning/doffing, decontamination, and transport relevant to animal facilities.
Ventilation performance-verification standard and guidance
Published standard and guidance describing methods for performance verification and testing of ventilation and exhaust controls in high-containment laboratories.
Services
Comprehensive training offerings including multi-day foundational courses, specialty short courses, webinars, on-demand modules, and an advanced modular review series targeted to prepare professionals for certification exams and ongoing professional development.
Application intake and review, exam administration, credential issuance, recertification processing, credential-maintenance approval, audit guidance, and accommodation/extension procedures for credential holders.
Organization and delivery of large and specialty meetings, abstract management, program development, affiliate event listing, and coordination for continuing education credit recognition.
Preparation of side-by-side comparisons, summaries of authoritative guidance, position statements, and technical guidance documents to support institutional policy updates and standards interpretation.
Comprehensive training offerings including multi-day foundational courses, specialty short courses, webinars, on-demand modules, and an advanced modular review series targeted to prepare professionals for certification exams and ongoing professional development.
Application intake and review, exam administration, credential issuance, recertification processing, credential-maintenance approval, audit guidance, and accommodation/extension procedures for credential holders.
Organization and delivery of large and specialty meetings, abstract management, program development, affiliate event listing, and coordination for continuing education credit recognition.
Preparation of side-by-side comparisons, summaries of authoritative guidance, position statements, and technical guidance documents to support institutional policy updates and standards interpretation.
Expertise Areas
- Biosafety education and professional development
- Credentialing, recertification, and maintenance programs
- Biorisk assessment and management
- High-containment ventilation verification and commissioning
Key Technologies
- Risk assessment frameworks for biorisk management
- Ventilation and HEPA performance-verification protocols for containment facilities
- Modular on-demand e-learning and webinar platforms
- Continuing education accreditation tracking (P.A.C.E. and CM point systems)
News & Updates
Scheduled for October 24-29, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina, this conference is a key event for biosafety and biosecurity professionals.
A training course scheduled for August 4-8, 2025, focusing on biosafety and biosecurity principles.
Observed from October 1-31, 2025, promoting awareness and education in biosafety.
ABSA International provides a summary and comparison of the updates in the 6th edition of the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL-6).
Everett Hanel, Jr. Presidential Award 2024
Awarded to David Gillum, MS, RBP(ABSA) for outstanding contributions to biosafety and biosecurity.
Arnold G. Wedum Distinguished Achievement Award 2024
Given to Jeffrey Potts, MPH, CBSP(ABSA) for significant contributions to biosafety.
Scheduled for October 24-29, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina, this conference is a key event for biosafety and biosecurity professionals.
A training course scheduled for August 4-8, 2025, focusing on biosafety and biosecurity principles.
Observed from October 1-31, 2025, promoting awareness and education in biosafety.
ABSA International provides a summary and comparison of the updates in the 6th edition of the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL-6).
Everett Hanel, Jr. Presidential Award 2024
Awarded to David Gillum, MS, RBP(ABSA) for outstanding contributions to biosafety and biosecurity.
Arnold G. Wedum Distinguished Achievement Award 2024
Given to Jeffrey Potts, MPH, CBSP(ABSA) for significant contributions to biosafety.