In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and new advances in the life science, Basics of Bioethics and Biosafety aims to educate life sciences faculty and students on the fundamental concepts of bioethics and biosafety to promote the responsible conduct of scientific research. The authors acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the risk associated with the emergence of highly virulent pathogens and the need for minimizing the risks of any future pandemics. Additionally, “dual use” issues in scientific research have become increasingly concerning due to new, revolutionary advances in genetic engineering. The textbook is designed to help readers master concepts in bioethics and biosafety and assimilate those concepts into their own conduct and research. The textbook’s chapters cover biosecurity policy, the principles of bioethics, genetic engineering, dual use issues, scientific codes of conduct, biosafety, and ethical dillemnas in scientific research. The book includes test questions, tasks, and examples of applications. Additionally, one of the book’s appendices directs the reader to online resources that can provide additional information about each of these topics.

Basics of Bioethics and Biosafety was written by F.Yu. Nasyrova, A.U. Jalilov, and A.S. Rakhmatov. It was recommended for publication by Tajik Agrarian University, Tajik State Medical University, and Tajik State Pedagogical University. The textbook was published with financial assistance from the European Union (EU) and the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC). This textbook is therefore recommended for life sciences students at higher education institutions as well as doctors, researchers, and teachers, but it may be relevant to anyone interested in better understanding ethical problems in modern medicine and biology. As of January 2022, the textbook is only available in Russian.