Scientists Look to Improve Bioforensic Techniques

U.S. scientists are working to develop new techniques to aid in the investigation of biological weapons attacks, the Contra Costa Times reported Sunday (see GSN, July 6, 2004).

Stephan Velsko of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California described his laboratory’s work in bioforensics during a presentation Saturday in Washington at this year’s meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Among the facility’s efforts is work to create new ways to learn information from single anthrax spores, he said.

In addition, Lawrence Livermore researchers are working to develop ways to deactivate pathogens without overly modifying them so they can be safely worked upon by investigators, he said. Work is also being done to determine new ways to date biological agents used in attacks so investigators can determine when they might have been made, Velsko said (Betsy Mason, Contra Costa Times, Feb. 20).

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