The CBWNet team is sad to note the passing away of Kathryn Nixdorff on 23 March 2026.

Kathryn was a retired professor for microbiology and genetics at the Technical University of Darmstadt. In parallel to her academic career, she advocated for responsible research in the life sciences, and, as an active and well-respected member of the NGO community surrounding the Biological Weapons Convention, was a strong supporter of biological arms control. She was also instrumental in integrating peace research into biology, including as a founding member of the ‘Interdisciplinary Working Group for Science, Technology and Safety (IANUS)’ at the TU Darmstadt, as long-standing chair of the German ‘Working Group Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of Chemical and Biological Weapons’, and in the international non-governmental network ‘Bioweapons Prevention Project (BWPP)’.

She worked on biological weapons disarmament issues for almost four decades, with a special focus on the role of scientific and technological developments in this context. Even after she retired, she continued to invest much time and energy in this topic and in supporting and enhancing biosecurity education. She supported the CBWNet project as a consultant, and until most recently published papers, for example on biosecurity governance within the BWC and on preventing the misuse of security-relevant research in the life sciences.

We all benefitted greatly from Kathryn’s profound knowledge and enjoyed working with her throughout the years. We will miss her and always remember her for her wisdom, modesty and kindness. With her passing, CBWNet and the wider biological weapons disarmament community lose a highly respected colleague and a very dear friend.