Wagner Genetics Series Spring 2003: Bioterrorism

     The anthrax attacks in the United States in the fall of 2001 have raised public and government awareness of this security threat. In June 2002 President George W. Bush signed legislation that allocates 4.3 billion dollars to promote defense and response to bioterrorist attacks. This course will approach the topic of bioterrorism from a biological perspective, with an emphasis on understanding the biology of the organisms and infectious agents and the application of technology from genomics research to countering bioterrorism. The first half of the course will cover the recent incidents in the United States as well as other past examples of bioterrorism. The second part of the course will explore concerns about other potential agents and recent developments in the efforts to respond to these threats.

(image of anthrax colonies on a bacterial plate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

NOTE: This course is taught at an introductory level for those who have little to no background in general biology or genetics. There will be an optional first lecture covering basic concepts in cellular and molecular biology and genetics. The discussion of bioterrorism will start in the second lecture.

Course Syllabus:

January 22, 2003
Optional introductory lecture on basic concepts in cell biology and genetics. This optional first lecture will provide an overview of fundamental topics in cell biology and genetics that will be referred to during the course. Topics to be covered include cellular structure, DNA structure, and the flow of information from gene to protein.
January 29, 2003
Bioterrorism: Historical perspectives and introduction to current issues.
February 5, 2003 Anthrax and the incidents of bioterrorism in the fall of 2001. (continued in Lecture 4)
Lectures 3 and 4 will focus on the intentional dispersal by mail of anthrax spores in the United States during the fall of 2001.
February 12, 2003
Continuation of the anthrax discussion.
February 19, 2003
Smallpox - a potential biological weapon.
February 26, 2003
Additional agents of bioterrorism and ecoterrorism: other organisms and their potential for usage as bioweapons.
March 5, 2003
The future: strategies for countering, defending, and responding to bioterrorist attacks.

Internet based resources on bioterrorism

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - This site contains a wealth of Information for the general public, scientists, health care professionals. The separate sections on biological and chemical terrorism are updated frequently.

Bioterrorism information for the general public from the state of Minnesota. - Basic fact sheets are available in the following languages: English, Russian, Spanish, Hmong, Somali.

New Scientist Magazine - a good collection of scientific articles for the general public

NOVA site - a companion web site to a documentary on bioterrorism orginially broadcast on November 13, 2001.

History of Smallpox - Online exhibit from UCLA Medical Center

Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies - Sponsored by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the School of Medicine. Most of the information is for scientists and health care professionals yet there are some resources for the general public.

Federation of American Scientists - Information Page on Chemical and Biological Arms Control Programs

Terrorism Question and Answers site from the Council on Foreign Relations
"The Council on Foreign Relations, Inc., is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization devoted to promoting improved understanding of international affairs through the free exchange of ideas. The Council takes no institutional position on policy issues and has no affiliation with the U.S. government." (from the homepage of their web site)
There is a search engine at this site that can be used to find many interesting articles in the site's archives on specific topics related to bioterrorism.

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Latest update: January 27, 2003
Questions? Email Mary Beth Davis.