The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases yesterday released details on its plans to expand bioterrorism research (see GSN, Feb. 8).

The NIAID, part of the National Institutes of Health, plans to expand research in six categories:

*         Microbial biology, including research on the genetic structure of various biological weapons agents;

*         Human immunology, to better develop vaccines and diagnostic tests;

*         New vaccine development, with an Ebola vaccine and new anthrax vaccines ready to begin clinical trials;

*         New treatments, such as the anti-AIDS drug cidofovir, which might be effective against smallpox;

*         Faster diagnostic tests; and

*         New research tools, including more high-containment facilities and better animal models of diseases caused by biological weapons agents.

The NIAID plans to focus its research on diseases such as anthrax, smallpox and plague and to create short-, intermediate-, and long-term countermeasures for each agent, according to the institute.

“Research is a vital element of bioterrorism defense,” said Tommy Thompson, secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, which oversees the National Institutes of Health.  “The NIAID Counter-Bioterrosim Research Agenda describes the highest priorities of an accelerated program to expand research on bioterrorism agents … to protect the public” (NIAID release, March 14).

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