Leonard Peruski is the lead for international laboratory operations in the Division of Global Health Protection of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He also serves as the co-lead at CDC to the Global Health Security Agenda’s action packages for National Laboratory Systems, Biosafety, and Biosecurity. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan School of Medicine in microbiology, followed by postdoctoral training at the National Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine in Denver, Colorado.
Creating opportunities for life scientists to participate in diplomacy is crucial. In this article, authors identify a set of guiding principles for future programs that aim to grow the next generation of global biosecurity diplomats.