The New Era of Biological Threats and Defense
In-person, Members-only
Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Although conflicts and economic turbulence dominate the headlines, the convergence of synthetic biology, gene editing technologies and rapidly advancing AI has fundamentally altered the biological threat landscape. The ability to modify, enhance, or engineer pathogens is advancing faster than our defenses — and becoming increasingly accessible to a wider range of rouge actors. Building a defense requires something we do not yet have: a biological intelligence infrastructure capable of identifying and outpacing a threat that spreads before it is seen.
What is the current state of U.S. biological defense against both natural and engineered pathogen threats — and where are the most dangerous vulnerabilities? What role can private sector innovation play in building the intelligence-grade early warning architecture the government cannot build alone? How do countries work together to counter bio threats when international trust is eroding?
Join us for an in-person discussion on Thursday, May 21, from 6:30–8:30 PM ET in New York City, featuring Dr. Nikki Romanik, Co-Founder of BioRadar and Former White House Pandemic Office Deputy Director and Chief of Staff, and Dr. Ashish Jha, Co-Founder and CEO of BioRadar and Former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
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SPEAKERS:
Dr. Nikki Romanik
Dr. Nikki Romanik is Co-Founder of BioRadar and Former White House Pandemic Office Deputy Director.
Most recently, she was a Distinguished Senior Fellow in Global Health Security at Brown University School of Public Health. Before that, she served as the Special Assistant to the President, Deputy Director, and Chief of Staff for the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR) at the White House. In this role, she led the recruitment and establishment of the inaugural office, driving key initiatives to enhance national preparedness and response to outbreaks, pandemics, and other biological threats.
With over 15 years of experience at the forefront of national and international public health initiatives, Dr. Romanik has consistently delivered impactful results. Her career has been dedicated to mitigating biological threats, strengthening pandemic preparedness, and ensuring global resilience in the face of public health crises. While serving at the White House, she was instrumental in spearheading the U.S. government’s response to multiple biological threats, including both clade Ia and clade IIb mpox outbreaks, the Marburg Virus Disease outbreak, and the ongoing challenges of COVID-19. As a senior policy architect, she designed and implemented strategies that contributed to a 99% reduction in mpox cases and mobilized resources to ensure equitable vaccine distribution and accessibility for at-risk communities.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Romanik established the CDC’s Partnership Team within the COVID-19 Incident Management System and activated the CDC Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. As a trusted senior advisor, she served as the CDC Liaison to the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and later provided critical counsel as the Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for the U.S. Government’s COVID-19 Test-to-Treat Program. Her comprehensive expertise spans early detection and response, vaccine distribution, health equity, and stakeholder engagement. One of Dr. Romanik’s defining strengths is her ability to translate scientific knowledge into actionable policy.
A seasoned policy and partnership strategist, Dr. Romanik has a proven track record of cultivating robust collaborations with the private sector and key stakeholders. During her tenure at CDC’s Office of the Director, she was pivotal in establishing and strengthening public–private partnerships, emphasizing the importance of engaging all of society including community based organizations, associations, non-profit organizations, state and local public health, government leadership and civil society organizations when navigating complex crises in challenging political and social environments.
Dr. Romanik’s unique blend of strategic vision, operational excellence, and dedicated leadership continues to drive significant advancements in public health, underscoring her commitment to safeguarding communities and improving health outcomes worldwide. Dr. Nikki Romanik remains at the cutting edge of pandemic preparedness and biosecurity, driving forward-thinking strategies that bridge science, policy, and public health. Her leadership continues to influence the future of global health security, ensuring that nations, organizations, and communities are better equipped to respond to the challenges of tomorrow.
Dr. Ashish Jha
Dr. Ashish Jha is the Co-Founder and CEO of BioRadar.
A global leader in public health research, policy, and practice, Dr. Ashish K. Jha served as Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health from 2020 to 2025. He is currently leading a national initiative to strengthen the country’s defenses against emerging pandemic and biological threats, building on work he advanced during his time in the White House.
An accomplished and practicing physician, Dr. Jha is widely recognized as a trusted voice on major public health issues and a catalyst for new approaches. A long-time leader in pandemic preparedness and response—from directing pioneering research on Ebola to serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis—he has led national and international efforts and advised policymakers around the world.
In March 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Dr. Jha as White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, calling him “one of the leading public health experts in America.” In that role, Dr. Jha expanded access to treatments and updated vaccines, strengthened testing and surveillance, rebuilt the national stockpile, and drove major investments in indoor air quality. He also helped establish durable infrastructure to confront future biological threats, earning bipartisan praise for his pragmatic leadership that, in the words of President Biden, translated “complex scientific challenges into concrete actions that helped save and improve the lives of millions of Americans.”
Dr. Jha is among the most highly cited health scholars in the United States, with more than 300 publications in leading journals including The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and The BMJ. His research focuses on improving the quality and affordability of care through policy innovation in the U.S. and globally. Prior to Brown, he served as the K.T. Li Professor of Global Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute.
THIS SESSION IS FREE FOR NETWORK 20/20’s MEMBERS
NOT YET A NETWORK 20/20 MEMBER?
Apply today to enjoy all exclusive briefings with high-profile speakers
Image credit: Image by Elliot Alderson from Pixabay
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