Toggle – Claudio Mafra, DVM, PhD

Cláudio Mafra, DVM, MSc, PhD, is an international biosafety and biosecurity professional with over 30 years of experience working across academic institutions, government programs, and high-containment laboratory environments. His work focuses on helping organizations develop practical, risk-based approaches to biological risk management that align policy, infrastructure, and day-to-day laboratory operations. He completed three postdoctoral appointments at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, where he gained hands-on experience in high-containment laboratory settings. This experience shaped his approach by emphasizing real-world implementation, operational challenges, and the importance of institutional culture. Dr. Mafra is the Founder and President of the Brazilian Society for Biosafety and Biosecurity (SB3) and serves as Chair of the Professional Certification Board of the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA). He is an active member of ABSA International and contributes to training, mentoring, and capacity-building initiatives within the global biosafety community. He has served on the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Biosafety (TAG-B) and has supported international efforts led by organizations such as the U.S. Department of State Biosecurity Engagement Program and Non-Proliferation Fund, GIZ, the Organization of American States, and Health Security Partners. His work includes advisory and mentoring roles across Africa, Latin America, and Asia, supporting institutional and national-level capacity development. His areas of interest include ISO 35001 implementation and auditing, high-containment laboratory operations, workforce development, and support to public policy development in biosafety and biosecurity. He is a Certified ISO 35001:2019 Lead Auditor and is particularly engaged in designing training programs that incorporate simulation, decision-making, and human factors to strengthen biosafety culture and support more resilient laboratory systems.