A Simple Step to Close a Dangerous Biosecurity Gap

Yesterday, I signed an open letter calling on U.S. policymakers to make screening of DNA synthesis orders mandatory.

I did so because this is a practical, effective solution to reduce growing risks—at a moment when rapidly advancing tools continue to outpace safeguards.

Why I Signed

DNA synthesis accelerates research efforts to create new vaccines, therapies, and diagnostics faster than ever. And AI now outperforms many PhD-level virologists on questions about highly technical laboratory skills, sharing lessons that would have previously taken researchers years in a lab to learn among a wider pool of users. Together, these tools can transform global health, but they also can meaningfully lower the barrier to misuse.

Obtaining synthetic DNA is a critical point in the biotech supply chain where digital ideas become physical reality. It is a moment when we can and should detect and prevent potential harmful activity.

Many responsible companies already screen orders to prevent users from obtaining sequences associated with dangerous pathogens. That kind of leadership matters, but voluntary measures can leave dangerous gaps.

As biological design capabilities grow, those gaps become more significant. Mandating DNA synthesis screening would build on what already works. It would close vulnerabilities and support responsible innovation—without slowing scientific progress.

Building on Current Momentum

Coming out of the recent summit between President Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the United States and China “are going to start talking” about AI safety, including preventing the misuse of AI by terrorists.

Biosecurity should be high on that agenda. In a recent op-ed, Emily Leproust and I argued that the convergence of AI and biotechnology is reshaping the global risk landscape. It is making it easier to design biological systems in ways that could be misused.

We called for stronger governance approaches to keep pace with technology—bringing together governments, industry, and the scientific community.

DNA synthesis screening is one of the most actionable steps available today. It is a tangible policy solution that can reduce risk while preserving innovation.

Continuing NTI’s Work

This moment builds on years of work at NTI to reduce technology-enabled biological risks. Our efforts include:

• Release of a global framework for accessible, safe and secure DNA synthesis, in partnership with the World Economic Forum
• Creation of the Common Mechanism for DNA synthesis screening, a free, open-source tool that DNA providers can use to screen orders
• Incubation and launch of a new global organization, the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS), to strengthen global biosecurity norms and develop innovative tools to uphold them

What Comes Next

NTI will continue to work with partners across government, industry, and academia to reduce technology-enabled biological risks and strengthen guardrails.

We will focus on practical, scalable solutions, including policies and measures that reduce risk and accelerate responsible progress. But government action is essential.

I encourage U.S. policymakers to establish clear, national standards for DNA synthesis screening. The United States can set the global standard and collaborate with others to catalyze international action.

Industry should continue to lead by example and help shape these requirements. And the scientific community should remain engaged in building a system that supports both openness and responsibility.

While it’s critical, DNA synthesis screening is not the only guardrail we should rely on. It should be part of a layered defense model, including concepts like managed access, that reduce the risk at multiple points of the research and development process.

These approaches will go a long way toward ensuring researchers safely and securely realize the benefits of rapid advancements in biotechnology.