Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Washington Board of Health Refuses to Require Reporting on Zoonotic Diseases in Monkeys: PETA Statement
NORFOLK, Virginia, June 5 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following statement on June 4, 2026:
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Washington Board of Health Refuses to Require Reporting on Zoonotic Diseases in Monkeys: PETA Statement
Spokane, Wash. - Please see the following statement from PETA Chief Scientific Advisor on Primate Experimentation Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, regarding the Washington Board of Health's decision today to reject a first-of-its-kind rulemaking petition asking the board to track dangerous pathogens found in primates caged in laboratories in Washington State. Washington state's
... Show Full Article
NORFOLK, Virginia, June 5 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following statement on June 4, 2026:
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Washington Board of Health Refuses to Require Reporting on Zoonotic Diseases in Monkeys: PETA Statement
Spokane, Wash. - Please see the following statement from PETA Chief Scientific Advisor on Primate Experimentation Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, regarding the Washington Board of Health's decision today to reject a first-of-its-kind rulemaking petition asking the board to track dangerous pathogens found in primates caged in laboratories in Washington State. Washington state'sSecretary of Health seconded the motion to decline the petition after acknowledging that he is aware monkeys in laboratories are infected with Shigella. PETA, Northwest Animal Rights Network, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine gathered 30,000 petition signatures. PETA delivered them at the meeting along with a larger-than-life monkey-shaped origami sculpture bearing the signatures:
The Washington Board of Health chose to give powerful institutions--such as the University of Washington--a free pass to endanger public health. PETA has shown that dangerous pathogens already circulate in laboratory primates, and refusing to track them does not make them disappear. A disease does not become less relevant to public health simply because it is detected in a monkey instead of a human. By declining to close this reporting gap, the board has chosen to look away from a known blind spot rather than address it.
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PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to experiment on"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/washington-board-of-health-refuses-to-require-reporting-on-zoonotic-diseases-in-monkeys-peta-statement/
[Category: Animals]
Save the Children: From the World Cup to World Crises - How Soccer Transforms Children's Lives
WESTPORT, Connecticut, June 5 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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From the World Cup to World Crises: How Soccer Transforms Children's Lives
LONDON - As the world prepares to watch the 2026 World Cup, soccer is helping children to stay safe and recover from trauma on makeshift pitches, across refugee camps, and in communities impacted by conflict across the globe.
Across multiple crisis-affected countries, soccer-based programs run and supported
... Show Full Article
WESTPORT, Connecticut, June 5 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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From the World Cup to World Crises: How Soccer Transforms Children's Lives
LONDON - As the world prepares to watch the 2026 World Cup, soccer is helping children to stay safe and recover from trauma on makeshift pitches, across refugee camps, and in communities impacted by conflict across the globe.
Across multiple crisis-affected countries, soccer-based programs run and supportedby Save the Children are creating protective spaces where children can play and heal at a time when a record one in five children are living through conflict.
In some of the world's toughest environments, from Sudan to Ukraine to Lebanon, soccer is providing far more than entertainment - it is helping children stay safe, process trauma and reclaim a sense of childhood.
Launched in 2018 at Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan, Save the Children and The Arsenal Foundation's 'Coaching for Life' program uses the power of soccer to create a sense of belonging and improve the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of children.
Over 6,800 children between the ages of 10 and 18 have graduated from the program. Through innovative approaches including mini-leagues and community-led engagement, it delivers structured, safe and supportive environments while adapting to evolving community needs.
Imran*, 14, said:
"I feel happy when I meet my friends on the pitch, I feel like I am at my house with my sibling."
Tala*, 13, said:
"On the pitch, I feel freedom."
At a school repurposed into a collective shelter for displaced people and communities in Lebanon, Wael*, 11, found comfort in some of the activities on offer for children.
"I joined all the activities: Soccer, basketball, coloring," Wael*, who was forced to flee his home following escalations in Lebanon earlier this year, said.
At a child-friendly space in Egypt run by Save the Children, soccer is one of the activities on offer for children like Ahmad*, 11, who lost both his parents and two siblings after his home in Gaza was bombed in 2023 in an Israeli military strike.
Ahmad* was injured by shrapnel to the head and back, causing permanent disfigurement and leaving him with both physical and emotional scars from the traumatic event.
Following the attack, Ahmad* left Gaza with his grandmother, uncle's family, and surviving siblings and fled to Egypt.
At the child-friendly space, children like Ahmad receive mental health and wellbeing support and play sports including soccer.
But Save the Children's soccer programs are not limited to conflict or crisis settings.
In Hong Kong, the charity's 'Play to Thrive' program, which launched in 2023, uses soccer to promote the physical and mental wellbeing of children aged 6 through 12 and collaborates with over 30 primary schools across the territory.
The program includes parent-child training sessions to build positive parenting skills and improve children's emotional management in a city where living space comes at a premium and academic pressures are notoriously high leading to mental health challenges among about a quarter of children and adolescents.
Kai Long, 8, takes part in the program. He said:
"I used to blame my teammates for not passing the ball, but now I've learned not to. I tell them: 'It's okay, pass it again next time. We'll win the ball back together."
Soccer is also a thread that runs through one of Save the Children's most extraordinary family reunification stories.
In 2005, Martunis Sarbini, then seven years old, was found on a beach in Aceh, Indonesia, wearing a Portugal soccer jersey after surviving one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history: the 2004 Asian tsunami.
Martunis, now 29, was taken to Save the Children where staff were waiting to help him and he was later reunited with his father and grandmother. After his recovery, Martunis was signed to Sporting Lisbon's soccer academy before returning to Indonesia.
Arlo Kitchingman, Senior Education Advisor at Save the Children, said:
"Soccer is fun, but for children living in crisis or emergency settings it's a form of play that gives them a focus, a break from the harsh realities of their daily lives, an activity and place to reconnect with their peers and a sense of agency, helping them process their experiences and rebuild community, essential parts of finding hope for a better future."
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Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
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Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2026-press-releases/world-cup-how-soccer-transforms-childrens-lives
[Category: Sociological]
Earthjustice: Supreme Court Affirms Federal Agencies' Authority to Protect the Public, Upholding FCC Decision
SAN FRANCISCO, California, June 5 -- Earthjustice issued the following news release on June 4, 2026:
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Supreme Court Affirms Federal Agencies' Authority to Protect the Public, Upholding FCC Decision
In an 8-1 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Federal Communications Commission's authority to enforce federal law, reinforcing the ability of federal agencies to hold powerful industries accountable
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Washington, D.C. -- Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decisive ruling in FCC v. AT&T, affirming the Federal Communications Commission's authority to enforce federal law. The decision
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, June 5 -- Earthjustice issued the following news release on June 4, 2026:
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Supreme Court Affirms Federal Agencies' Authority to Protect the Public, Upholding FCC Decision
In an 8-1 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Federal Communications Commission's authority to enforce federal law, reinforcing the ability of federal agencies to hold powerful industries accountable
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Washington, D.C. -- Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decisive ruling in FCC v. AT&T, affirming the Federal Communications Commission's authority to enforce federal law. The decisionpreserves longstanding legal frameworks that allow agencies to rely on their expertise and policy judgment in addressing corporate wrongdoing, which protects the public from industry overreach and ensures that critical safeguards are fully enforced.
"The Court upheld a practical, time-tested enforcement structure that Congress relies on to protect the public. These enforcement procedures allow agencies to apply their expertise while preserving fairness in court," said Caroline Flynn, Supreme Court Counsel at Earthjustice. "By rejecting this unsupported attack on agency authority, the Court's decision safeguards the government's ability to enforce laws that protect people, communities, and the environment -- and makes clear this case was never about the Constitution, but an effort to dismantle how agencies enforce the law."
The ruling also has direct implications for cases involving other important agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). By upholding the FCC's authority here, the Court undercut regulated industry's similar constitutional claim in American Efficient LLC v. FERC, which centers on whether companies can be held accountable for market manipulation in energy efficiency programs. The Court's decision helps ensure that FERC can police waste, fraud, and abuse in energy markets.
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Additional Resources
* About the Strategic Legal Advocacy Team (https://earthjustice.org/office/strategic-legal-advocacy)
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About Earthjustice
Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.
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Original text here: https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/supreme-court-affirms-federal-agencies-authority-to-protect-the-public-upholding-fcc-decision
[Category: Environment]
CAIR, CAIR-FL Commend Sen. Van Hollen for Demanding Release of US Citizen Kidnapped by IDF in West Bank
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on June 4, 2026:
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CAIR, CAIR-FL Commend Sen. Van Hollen for Demanding Release of US Citizen Kidnapped by IDF in West Bank
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, alongside its Florida chapter (CAIR-Florida), today issued a joint statement commending U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for his strong stance demanding the immediate release of Sama Safi, a 20-year-old American citizen and student who was kidnapped by
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on June 4, 2026:
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CAIR, CAIR-FL Commend Sen. Van Hollen for Demanding Release of US Citizen Kidnapped by IDF in West Bank
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, alongside its Florida chapter (CAIR-Florida), today issued a joint statement commending U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for his strong stance demanding the immediate release of Sama Safi, a 20-year-old American citizen and student who was kidnapped bythe Israeli military in the occupied West Bank.
CAIR AND CAIR-Florida are also calling on all Americans to urge their members of Congress to join Senator Van Hollen in demanding Sama Safi's immediate release.
On Tuesday at 3:00 a.m., Israeli soldiers broke down the door of her family's home, taking the Birzeit University honors student into custody without charge or explanation. Despite informing the soldiers of her U.S. citizenship, her status was ignored. They dragged her out of the home and brought her to Ofer Israeli military prison, where she was interrogated, and she is now being held at the notorious Moscovia Interrogation Center in Jerusalem.
Sama has a medical condition that requires daily medication and causes fever spikes to 105 F and episodes of inflammation that cause debilitating pain throughout her body. The only way Sama can manage her health condition is through daily medication and a quarterly injection that she has to travel abroad to receive. The Israeli military is aware of Sama's medical condition and have not allowed her access to medication for several days now and her family is unaware of her current health status.
Sama Safi's family, residents of Florida, reached out to Senator Chris Van Hollen's office with the limited known details of Sama's abduction and her delicate health conditions.
In a statement broadcast on his official X account, Senator Van Hollen sharply criticized the incident and called upon U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to secure her immediate release. Van Hollen stated, "I am really sick and tired of the Israeli government -- the Netanyahu government -- taking American taxpayer dollars and then mistreating Americans. America must secure her release NOW."
CAIR and CAIR-Florida echoed the Senator's calls, emphasizing that the ongoing culture of impunity afforded to the Israeli military endangers American citizens abroad.
In a statement, CAIR and CAIR-FL said:
"We welcome and firmly stand behind Senator Van Hollen's urgent demand for the immediate release of Sama Safi. It is utterly unacceptable that an American citizen can be dragged from her home in the dead of night and denied contact with both her family and her own government.
"For too long, the United States has tolerated the systematic abuse, unlawful detention, and even killing of its own citizens by the Israeli military without holding foreign authorities accountable. The State Department must match its stated priority of protecting Americans abroad with immediate, decisive action to bring Sama Safi home safely."
Both civil rights organizations are urging the Trump administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Florida's congressional delegation to aggressively intervene in Safi's case, ensuring her constitutional rights as a U.S. citizen are respected and that she is granted immediate consular access and medical attention. Both organizations are calling for the release of all students unlawfully abducted by the Israeli military.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-cair-fl-commend-sen-van-hollen-for-demanding-release-of-us-citizen-kidnapped-by-idf-in-west-bank/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR Welcomes House Passage of Iran War Powers Resolution, Urges Senate to Follow Suit
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on June 4, 2026:
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CAIR Welcomes House Passage of Iran War Powers Resolution, Urges Senate to Follow Suit
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of a bipartisan War Powers Resolution(H. Con. Res. 86) directing an end to unauthorized U.S. military involvement in Iran and reaffirming Congress' constitutional authority over matters of war and peace. The resolution
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on June 4, 2026:
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CAIR Welcomes House Passage of Iran War Powers Resolution, Urges Senate to Follow Suit
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of a bipartisan War Powers Resolution(H. Con. Res. 86) directing an end to unauthorized U.S. military involvement in Iran and reaffirming Congress' constitutional authority over matters of war and peace. The resolutionpassed by a vote of 215-208, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The House vote marks the first successful congressional effort to invoke the War Powers Resolution to stop U.S. military action in the war with Iran and reflects growing bipartisan concern over the human, economic, and constitutional costs of prolonged military engagement. We thank the following Republican representatives for voting in favor of this resolution: Tom Barrett (R-MI), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Thomas Massie (R-KY).
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert S. McCaw said:
"We welcome the House's bipartisan passage of this War Powers Resolution and commend those lawmakers who upheld their constitutional duty to ensure that decisions of war and peace remain in the hands of the American people's elected representatives. No president, regardless of party, should be permitted to drag our nation into an open-ended conflict without congressional authorization.
"The American people have paid a heavy price for decades of failed military interventions across the Middle East. More war means more loss of life, more instability, more taxpayer dollars diverted from urgent domestic needs, and a greater risk of drawing the United States into another catastrophic regional conflict. Congress has both a legal and moral responsibility to prevent further escalation.
"At a time when families across our nation are struggling with rising costs, housing insecurity, healthcare expenses, and economic uncertainty, Americans deserve leaders who invest in their communities rather than perpetuate endless wars abroad. We urge the Senate to swiftly pass this resolution and send a clear message that unauthorized military action has no place in a constitutional democracy."
CAIR has consistently advocated for diplomacy, de-escalation, and congressional oversight of military actions that risk entangling the United States in costly and unnecessary wars.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-house-passage-of-iran-war-powers-resolution-urges-senate-to-follow-suit/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR Condemns Anti-Muslim Rhetoric at Hearing for Proposed New Mexico Mosque
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on June 4, 2026:
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CAIR Condemns Anti-Muslim Rhetoric at Hearing for Proposed New Mexico Mosque
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned anti-Muslim rhetoric and hostility reportedly directed at supporters of a proposed mosque in New Mexico during a public hearing on the project.
According to local reports, a proposal to build a mosque in Albuquerque's North Valley drew opposition from some residents,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on June 4, 2026:
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CAIR Condemns Anti-Muslim Rhetoric at Hearing for Proposed New Mexico Mosque
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned anti-Muslim rhetoric and hostility reportedly directed at supporters of a proposed mosque in New Mexico during a public hearing on the project.
According to local reports, a proposal to build a mosque in Albuquerque's North Valley drew opposition from some residents,with portions of the public discussion marked by anti-Muslim comments and inflammatory rhetoric targeting the Muslim community.
The Albuquerque Journal reports: "Arguments about noise and traffic gave way to concerns about polluting future generations and Sharia law inhabiting the historic agricultural neighborhoods.
"When the commission deferred the proposal to July 1, requested by the Albuquerque Islamic Center due to safety concerns, chants of 'USA' erupted in the chambers."
SEE: Proposed North Valley mosque spurs resistance, vitriol (https://www.abqjournal.com/news/proposed-north-valley-mosque-spurs-resistance-vitriol/3056056) - Albuquerque Journal
In a statement, Washington, D.C, based CAIR said:
"Every faith community has the constitutional right to establish houses of worship free from discrimination, intimidation, or bigotry. Opposition to a mosque based on anti-Muslim prejudice is unacceptable and undermines the fundamental American principle of religious freedom.
"Public officials and community leaders should reject rhetoric that demonizes Muslims and instead foster respectful dialogue rooted in facts, mutual understanding, and equal treatment under the law. Muslims are an integral part of the fabric of this nation and deserve the same rights and respect afforded to followers of every other faith."
CAIR said the incident comes amid a continuing rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric and threats targeting Muslim communities and houses of worship nationwide and urged local officials to ensure that any review of the proposed mosque is conducted fairly, transparently, and without regard to religious bias.
The civil rights organization noted that its latest civil rights report documented 8,683 anti-Muslim bias complaints in 2025 - the highest number ever recorded by the organization since it began publishing civil rights reports in 1996.
Last month, national Muslim leaders with the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) held a news conference today at the annual Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) conference taking place in Baltimore, Maryland, to address what political leaders must to do to confront anti-Muslim hate and protect houses of worship in the wake of last week's deadly terror attack on a mosque in San Diego.
At the news conference, the Muslim leaders expressed solidarity with Islamic Center of San Diego and the families of the three martyrs, said politicians must confront rampant anti-Muslim hate and urged mosques and Islamic schools to take steps to improve security.
WATCH THE NEWS CONFERENCE (https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational/videos/914471741630828).
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CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-anti-muslim-rhetoric-at-hearing-for-proposed-new-mexico-mosque/
[Category: Sociological]
AI Goes Biological at 90th CSHL Symposium
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, June 5 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news:
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AI goes biological at 90th CSHL Symposium
One computer scientist introduced the virtual patient, a "digital twin" capable of modeling different cancer treatments and their potential outcomes. Another used AI to predict how viruses like COVID might mutate, so that vaccines can be prepared in advance. A third suggested drug development steps that normally take three years could be completed in as little as six months.
There was a time when such proposals would have been dismissed outright.
... Show Full Article
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, June 5 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news:
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AI goes biological at 90th CSHL Symposium
One computer scientist introduced the virtual patient, a "digital twin" capable of modeling different cancer treatments and their potential outcomes. Another used AI to predict how viruses like COVID might mutate, so that vaccines can be prepared in advance. A third suggested drug development steps that normally take three years could be completed in as little as six months.
There was a time when such proposals would have been dismissed outright.Today, they reflect viable avenues for academic research and biotech ventures. As AI stands poised to transform every aspect of society, many wonder what it means for human health and biology. From May 26 to May 30, scientists, students, and innovators from across the worlds of biology, tech, and medicine came together to explore these questions during the 90th Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Symposium on Quantitative Biology.
They presented unpublished research. They exchanged ideas, forging collaborations from new connections across academia and industry. Most of all, they shared inspiration, creating the same kind of infectious excitement that surrounded history-making CSHL Symposia on recombinant DNA and the human genome.
With this year's topic being AI in Biology, the timing couldn't have been better. On day three, news broke that AI company Anthropic had been valued at $965 billion. It was the highest ever private valuation for an AI firm, beating the previous record by more than $400 billion and in about half the time. As it happened, Anthropic Head of Life Sciences Partnerships Jonah Cool was in attendance at CSHL. The next day, he'd present a talk on "Frontier AI as a thinking partner for biological discovery."
Cool was one of many Symposium speakers affiliated with today's tech giants. The introductory session alone featured presentations from Alex Rives of Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Pushmeet Kohli of Google DeepMind, and Hoifung Poon of Microsoft Corp. Joining them was Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna of the Innovative Genomics Institute.
"This is one of the largest gatherings of influential people using AI to accelerate biological discovery in a wide range of areas, all the way from [DeepMind subsidiary] AlphaFold to clinical medicine and everything in between," said CSHL Professor Anthony Zador, a co-organizer. Session topics covered AI and Regulatory Genomics, AI and Evolution, AI and Cells & Tissues, AI and Clinical Translation & Precision Oncology, NeuroAI (parts I and II), Scientific Agents and Multimodal Models, and AI and Proteins.
The sold-out event featured 53 invited speakers and 220 poster presentations. A total of 468 people participated in person, with another 219 joining virtually, making it the most well-attended CSHL Symposium since before the pandemic.
CSHL's 90th Symposium on Quantitative Biology was organized by Meetings & Courses Program Executive Director David Stewart, President Bruce Stillman, Associate Professor Peter Koo, and Professor Zador. Support was provided by Google DeepMind, Protocol Labs, Noetik, Calico, and Amazon Bio Discovery, with additional contributions from corporate sponsors Amgen, New England Biolabs, and Novartis.
To find out more about AI in biology, watch the 90th Symposium playlist (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCMsYfrNgAZNRJNIoDpmxRdTsO7c74Hzs).
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Original text here: https://www.cshl.edu/ai-goes-biological-at-90th-cshl-symposium/
[Category: Science]
