Dr Peter Clevestig

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Born: 1976
Citizenship: Sweden
Position at SIPRI: Programme Director (Global Health & Security) and Senior Researcher (Chemical and Biological Security)
Subject expertise: Security issues related to health, infectious diseases and biological materials and technologies in the life sciences. Specialist in biosafety and biosecurity policies and laboratory procedures; dual uses of biotechnologies and related governance policies; aspects of biological weapons programmes and past uses; developments in the emerging fields of synthetic biology and microbial forensics
Regional expertise: Nordic countries and Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and North America
Languages: English, Swedish, French 
Education: PhD in Virology (Infection Biology), BSc in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, BMedSc in Medical Sciences Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Contact: Email  Phone: +46 8 655 97 30

Dr Peter Clevestig is Director of the SIPRI Global Health & Security Programme and Senior Researcher with the Chemical and Biological Security Project of the SIPRI Arms Control and Non-proliferation Programme. Dr Clevestig is a trained virologist currently focusing on the linkages between health and security in developing countries and is coordinating research specifically aimed at supporting health as an important part in foreign and security policy. He is also a specialist on the overarching topic of biosecurity and Biosafety and in procedural aspects for laboratories in the public and private sectors. He is the author of a handbook on applied biosecurity for scientists and laboratory staff. Dr Clevestig interests include historical aspects of biological warfare programmes and agents and continuously monitors developments in biotechnology and their potential security implications. Dr Clevestig joined SIPRI in early 2007.

Current activities
  • Global health and security, looking at health through the security lens and determine how health can carry an important role in building stability and peace
  • Projects on laboratory biosecurity in Europe, North Africa, Asia and the Middle East

  • Active participation in international policy developments on biorisk management
Former positions
  • Administrator of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) for the Karolinska Institute (2005-2006)
  • Dr Clevestig conducted scientific research at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm from 2000, where he received his doctorate in Infection Biology in 2006, specializing in HIV-1 genetic and biological dynamics.
Professional affiliations
  • Nordic Biosafety Network (NBN), Member
  • European Biosafety Association (EBSA), Member

Recent Publications
  • Irwin, R., Säfstrom, C. and Clevestig, P. 'Säkra vems hälsa för vem? Problematisiering av nexuset hälsa och säkerhet' Internasjonal Politikk. Vol. 70(2012) No.2, pp. 236-244.
  • Hart, J. and Clevestig, P., ‘Reducing security threats from chemical and biological materials’, SIPRI Yearbook 2011: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security (Oxford University Press, 2011), pp. 389-409
  • Hart, J. and Clevestig, P., ‘Reducing security threats from chemical and biological materials’, SIPRI Yearbook 2010: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security (Oxford University Press, 2010), pp. 403-24
  • Clevestig, P., Handbook of Applied Biosecurity for Life Science Laboratories (SIPRI, 2009)
  • Clevestig, P., 'Pandemics and bio-catastrophes', ed. N. R. F. Al-Rodhan, Potential Global Strategic Catastrophes: Balancing Transnational Responsibilities and Burden-sharing with Sovereignty and Human Dignity (LIT Verlag, 2009), pp. 85-98
  • Hart, J. and Clevestig, P., ‘Reducing security threats from chemical and biological materials’, SIPRI Yearbook 2009: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security (Oxford University Press, 2009), pp. 413-33
  • Clevestig, P., ‘Las dimensiones económicas de las armas químicas y biológicas’, Economia Exterior, no. 47 (Sep. 2008), pp. 103-109
  • Clevestig, P. and Hart, J., ‘Spores of war: biosecurity in the US’, Jane’s Intelligence Review, 10 Oct. 2008, pp. 48-51