Worldwide, there is an evident danger for the use of biological hazardous agents as weapons of mass destruction. The potential spectrum of bioterrorism ranges from hoaxes to classic biological warfare agents, which can produce mass casualties. Therefore, the reliable and fast identification of bacteria and spores as well as “white powders” is a challenging task. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry fing...

Advances in biological research likely will permit development of a new class of advanced biological warfare (ABW) agents engineered to elicit novel effects. In addition, biotechnology will have applications supporting ABW weaponization, dissemination, and delivery. Such new agents and delivery systems would provide a variety of new use options, expanding the BW paradigm. Although ABW agents wi...

Recent research has examined the feasibility of detecting biological warfare agents by conjugating their antibodies (receptors) with taggant nanoparticles (also known as “quantum dots”), which subsequently fluoresce upon excitation, when they are bound to a specific biowarfare agent, or its simulant. Furthermore, when they react with their target bacteria, optically excited nanoparticle-recepto...

Dr. Lederberg, a research geneticist, is past president and Sackler Foundation Scholar, The Rockefeller University. He was a pioneer in the field of bacterial genetics with the discovery of genetic recombination in bacteria. In 1958, at the age of 33, Dr. Lederberg received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for this work and subsequent research on bacterial genetics. Since 1966, he has been concerned...

Since the terrorist attacks and anthrax release in 2001, almost $32 billion has been allocated to biodefense and biosurveillance in the USA alone. Surveillance in health care refers to the continual systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of data. When attempting to detect agents of bioterrorism, surveillance can occur in several ways. Syndromic surveillance occurs by...

The rapid diagnosis of many diseases and timely initiation of appropriate treatment are critical determinants that promote optimal clinical outcomes and general public health. Biosensors are now being applied for rapid diagnostics due to their capacity for point-of-care use with minimum need for operator input. Antibody-based biosensors or immunosensors have revolutionized diagnostics for the d...