Nuclear/Biological/Chemical (NBC) Defense - Federation of ...

Joint Medical NBC Defense Research Programs
given four times yearly to 76 students per course. This satellite distance learning course
represented a new era in cooperation with a civilian government agency to provide
important information to all who may confront threats from biological agents.
• CD-ROM on “Management of Biological Warfare Casualties” late fall 1999.
D.2.2 Biological Defense Research and Development Accomplishments
The biological defense research and development technical barriers and accomplishments
during FY98 are grouped by biological threat category, which include the following:
• Bacterial (and rickettsial) agents.
• Protein toxins.
• Viral agents.
In addition, research and development accomplishments in the area of confirmatory
diagnostic assays for biological warfare threat agents are presented at the end. The objective of
this effort is to sustain and enhance the capability to confirm in biological samples the initial field
diagnosis/identity of a biological warfare threat agent indicated by initial field screening.
Several projects and technologies are shared with other agencies, including the Department
of Energy (DOE) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The
DOE projects tie into the strengths of the DOE laboratories in developing advanced technologies
in order to enable rapid detection of and response to a chemical or biological agent incident.
DOE is not involved directly in protection and treatment of personnel, but actively assists DoD
with drug/chemical database searches, DNA sequencing, advanced protein chemistry and
modeling/simulation projects. Successful sequencing of plasmids found in the causative agents
of plague and anthrax helped create the “lab on a chip” that is a hand-held chromatography
laboratory. The extensive knowledge and databases available to DOE allow application of
computational tools to predict sites of intervention by novel therapies against threat agents.
DARPA is pursuing multi-agent and broad-spectrum approaches, both to defend against
current known threats and to anticipate potential future threats. Accomplishments of DARPA
programs for FY98 include the following:
Medical Countermeasures Research and Development by DARPA:
• Demonstrated the feasibility of modified red blood cells to eliminate a model pathogen
(bacteriophage) from the circulation. In an animal model, more than 99.9% clearance of
circulating virus was achieved in less than 1 hour.
• Demonstrated feasibility of genetically engineering stem cells in vitro to express new
gene products in order to develop modified stem cells to produce therapeutic products
or provide automatic “booster” immunizations.
• Identified a synthetic SEB peptide capable of blocking binding of SEB to human MHC
class II antigen.
• Demonstrated that monoclonal antibodies to TNF alpha and interferon gamma protect
mice from lethal SEB challenge.
D-11