Rik Bleijs

Dr Rik Bleijs leads the Biosecurity Office at the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in the Netherlands. Having joined RIVM in 2006, he initially focused on biosafety risk assessments for gene therapy studies using genetically modified organisms at the GMO Office. Since 2009, he has actively contributed to the development of a comprehensive biosecurity policy for the Netherlands, leading to the establishment of the Biosecurity Office in 2013. In his capacity, he advises ministries on biosecurity, acts as a liaison between scientific professionals and the government, and advocates for biosecurity awareness among students, scientists, and laboratory professionals. As a biosecurity and dual-use expert, he actively participates in international projects and initiatives, supporting the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in forums like the EU CBRN action plan, GHSA, GBD, EBRF and the Biological Weapons Convention. Since 2021, he has co-chaired the International Experts Groups of Biosafety and Biosecurity Regulators (IEGBBR), representing the Netherlands and the EU region. His commitment extends to organizing global capacity-building workshops, contributing significantly to the reinforcement of biosecurity and dual-use assessments on a worldwide scale.