February 2002
NIAID Blue Ribbon Panel on Bioterrorism and Its Implications for Biomedical Research
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supports and carries out biomedical research to understand, prevent, and treat infectious and immunologic human diseases. Infectious diseases include those caused by new, emerging and re-emerging infectious agents, including those infections that are intentionally introduced as an act of bioterrorism. The recent deliberate exposure of U.S. civilians to spores of the anthrax bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, uncovered an unmet need for tests to rapidly diagnose, vaccines and immunotherapies to prevent, and drugs and biologics to cure diseases caused by agents of bioterrorism. NIAID and other federal health agencies are evaluating and accelerating measures to protect the civilian population from the health consequences of such an attack.
SummaryResearch challenges are very similar for combating the appearance of a pathogenic organism into a new population whether it arrives as a naturally emerging infectious agent or through a deliberate act of biological terrorism. NIAID expanded its previous research agenda on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases to include proposals to address diseases mostly likely to result from a bioterror attack. On February 4-5, 2002, NIAID convened a panel of experts to:
- Assess current research sponsored by NIAID related to to the development of effective measures to counter the effects of bioterrorism.
- Identify goals for the highest priority areas for immediate, intermediate, and long-term research related to counter-bioterrorism.
- Make recommendations on the role of the NIAID in achieving these priorities.
In addition, a report of the deliberations and conclusions of the panel regarding the draft Strategic Plan in the broad area of bioterrorism and emerging/reemerging infectious diseases will be provided the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council, the principal advisory body of the NIAID.
The panel was made up of researchers from academic centers and private industry as well representatives from government civilian agencies and the military. Participants were selected for their scientific expertise on the infectious agents considered to be the major threats, scientific leadership and broad research experience.
Panelists reviewed and discussed elements of the draft plan which included:
- Biology of the microbe, including pathogens or toxins that can contaminate food and water supplies and certain infections that may spread from domestic animals to humans
- Host response to the microbe, including human innate and adaptive immune responses of a diverse civilian population and improved response to vaccines
- Vaccines, especially those that can be administered easily, quickly, and that quickly elicit a protective response in a broad range of recipients
- Therapeutics based on a fundamental knowledge of replication and pathogenesis, development of monoclonal antibodies, antitoxins, and strengthened collaborations with industry
- Diagnostics, including platform technologies that will rapidly distinguish early infection by a bioterror agent from common infections with similar, generalized symptoms and determine drug sensitivity of the agent
- Research resources, including improved animal models, biocontainment facilities, reagent repositories, centers of excellence and multi-disciplinary training
Specifically, the panel applied these considerations to the draft research agenda, which will focus on immediate, intermediate, and long-term research needs for Category A agents (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/Agentlist.asp) and articulates research goals specifically for anthrax, smallpox, plague, botulism, tularemia, and viral hemorrhagic fevers.
Both the Strategic Plan for Counter-Bioterrorism Research, and the detailed Research Agenda for Counter-Bioterrorism Research will be available once a final draft has been completed.
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Last Updated 10.31.01 (dkc)