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BIOLOGICAL TOXINS AND WEAPONS CONVENTION (BTWC)MEETING OF EXPERTS, UNITED NATIONS

(23-27 August 2010, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland)

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION UNDER BTWCFOR ALLEGED USE, PREPAREDNESS, AND RESPONSE

(FOCUS: AGRIENVIRONMENT, BIODEFENSE, & ECOLOGICAL PUBLIC HEALTH)

Monday, 23 August 2010, United Nations, Geneva

ANUPA GUPTEanupagupte@yahoo.com

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SUMMARY OF GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL ADVANCES RELEVANT TO BTWC, INCLUDING DUAL-USE DANGERS

• Industrial sabotage (to destroy product competition or State/food sovereignty)

Following From: 2006, EU ISS Chaillot Paper 93, Zanders Jean-Pascal and Nixdoff Kathryn, ‘Enforcing Nonproliferation: EU and 2006 BTWC Review Conference’.

• Genomics and other “omics”• Synthetic Biology (eg: biobricks); Neurobiology• Vulnerability to Attack of the Immune System• Nanotechnology and nanobiotechnology• The Pharmacological Revolution• Bioregulators: including RNAi (a negative regulator system)• Systems Biology: Complexity of Dual-Use, Detection, Biochemical Dilemma• Target Delivery Systems: viral vectors, immunotoxins, etc.• Plants as Delivery Systems• Relevance of Bioregulators for Arms Control• Bioattack and Bioinformatics: Diagnostics and Therapeutics• Prevention Measures, Emergency Response and Preparedness Needs

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GLOBAL SUMMARY OFMEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES & ECOLOGICAL PUBLIC HEALTH

(modified from “War and Public Health”, Seminar by Barry Levy)

• Medical Records: stool examinations, morbidity & mortality, computerized surveillance, integration with ecological & public health data.

• Speedy identification of toxin or pathogen: taxonomy and DNA sequencing/barcoding tools (high-tech, with proprietary protection).

• Fast urgent diagnostics in various countries for public safety - electron microscopy is essential but is not available in all States and Parties.

• Restrictive measures, isolation, & quarantine: capacity not adequate.

• Surge capacity: vaccine manufacturing, rapid mass vaccination; & other.Source: 2004, Editors Monov Alexander, and Dishovsky Christophor, ‘Medical Aspects of Chemical

and Biological Terrorism: Biological Terrorism and Traumatism’, http://www.jmedcbr.org/archives/books/biological_terrorism_and_traumatism1.pdf

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GLOBAL SUMMARY OFMEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES & ECOLOGICAL PUBLIC HEALTH

(modified from “War and Public Health”, Seminar by Barry Levy)

• Improve public health infrastructure, with safe water & sanitation for all.

• Educate and inform the public to, appropriately, deal with threats.

• Support policy & programmes to provide adequate mental health services

• Ensure environmental protection, particularly of air, food, soil & water.

• Protect civilian communities.

• Reduce poverty and disparity throughout the world.

• Prevent hate crimes and promote civil liberties.

• Control and eliminate chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive, and electromagnetic (CBRNE) weapons.

Source: 2004, Editors Monov Alexander, and Dishovsky Christophor, ‘Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Terrorism: Biological Terrorism and Traumatism’,

http://www.jmedcbr.org/archives/books/biological_terrorism_and_traumatism1.pdf

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GLOBAL S & T CHALLENGES IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIONin Biodefense (Emergencies, Preparedness, and Response)

• Difficulties continue to exist in obtaining materials, equipment and technology related to peaceful uses of biotechnology includingdisease surveillance and control, such as:- Viruses for preparing antigens to develop diagnostic tests- Equipment for advanced laboratories (eg: BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs)- Training opportunities for working in advanced laboratories

• Restrictions on collaborative R and D in the areas of vaccine development and therapeutics against listed BW agents and emerging and reemerging diseases with pandemic potential.

• Denial to send standard material - bacteria (Pertussis, Tetanus, Diphtheria, ….), viruses ( Mumps, Measle, Rubella, Influenza,….), cell lines and diagnostic kits.

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GLOBAL S & T CHALLENGES IN THE BTWC CONTEXTof Agrienvironment, Biodefense, and Ecological Public Health

• Environmental Modification: changes in the following(that are, for example, drivers of infectious disease outbreaks):climate/nutrient cycle; land use patterns; biodiversity; habitatfragmentation; intensive agriculture based on genetic modification (GM) and monocultures of few food crops; biological and chemical (eg: levels of mycotoxins); contamination/pollution (eg: genetic & invasive species).

• Biotechnology (genetic modification or GM): nucleic acids (especially,dsRNA), food, feed, vaccines, insects, GURTs (genetic use restrictiontechnologies), horizontal gene transfer (eg: Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated); and adventitious presence.

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GLOBAL S & T CHALLENGES IN THE BTWC CONTEXTof Agrienvironment, Biodefense, and Ecological Public Health

• Nanotechcnology (and nanobiotechnology): carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, atomically modified seeds, nanoscale synthetic food additives, encapsulation (eg: DNA nanocapsules), bioswitches, smart dust/fields/herds/foods, TiO2 nanomixture, nanopharm, nanobots, micro/nano fluidics, DNA nanovaccines, nanosilver (eg: nanofibres), dendrimers, nanocochleates BioSilicon, nanosensors (eg: SensorNet), nanoparticles (eg: of polystyrene), Fullerenes, NanoCheck, Durethan, nanoceuticles, nanobarcode/RFid (Radio Frequency Identity).

• Fast-paced S & T advances in: biodefense, public health science, nano- & nano-biotechnology, synthetic biology, bioregulators, air/waterborne pathogens (Ug99, fecal), fusion toxins, genetic modification, protein engineering.

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GLOBAL S & T CHALLENGES IN THE BTWC CONTEXTof Agrienvironment, Biodefense, and Ecological Public Health

• Emerging, reemerging, and new infectious diseases:viruses, prions, fecal pathogens (air/water-borne).

• Other Issues: Antimicrobial resistance (eg: multi-drug, nanosilver); biofilms; human microbiomes, built environment; nosocomial infections; wildlife trade; infectious causes of chronic diseases (sequelae), nonlethal bioweapons.

• New threat/risk assessment methods: for improving threat/risk predictions and early warnings, especially of emerging and new diseases.

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GLOBAL S & T CHALLENGES IN THE BTWC CONTEXTof Agrienvironment, Biodefense, and Ecological Public Health

• Early Detection: portable pathogen detection system, portable electronic microassays for agribioweapons, dielectric biosensors for rapid remote bioweapons detection, integrated and improved ecological public health intelligence networks and knowledge management, biometric methods.

• Surveillance technologies (active, passive, syndromic, syndemic, real-time, outbreak): short-range BioSpectra for bioaerosol surveillance;computerized medical records surveillance (CMRS) for rapid emergency response; monitoring of waterborne pathogens in waters used for purposes other than drinking, especially for agriculture and recreation.

• Other challenges: geoengineering, cloud seeding technologies, etc.

• Bioinformation technology: biochips, data integration and fusion, etc.

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GLOBAL S & T CHALLENGES OF PATHOGEN FORENSICSfor Protection, Preparedness, and Crime Attribution

• Assure high stringency (validation, confidence, statistical significance, consistency).

• Trace pathogen origin and movement discerning timing and site of initial introduction.

• Identify the perpetrators and collect evidence for criminal attribution.

• Establish links to the law enforcement and security communities.

New investments needed in research, infrastructure, training, personnel, and strategic planning of overall national security programmes; thus, theneed for international cooperation on S & T matters of pathogen forensics.

Source: 2006, J. Fletcher, C. Bender, B. Budowle, et al, Plant Pathogen Forensics: Capabilities, Needs, and Recommendations, Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 2006,

70(2):450-471, doi:10.1128/MMBR.00022-05, http://mmbr.asm.org/cgi/reprint/70/2/450 -

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GLOBAL S & T CAPACITY (GAPS AND NEEDS)in Agrienvironment, Biodiversity, and Taxonomy

• Lack of rapid detection tools.

• Lack of correct taxonomic information which is important for proper attribution, early detection, and border control of trade and illegal trafficking in wildlife.

• Developing countries face a number of challenges:- understudied agriecological zones, habitats, biodiversity andtaxonomy of their species;

- low number of specialists in biodiversity and taxonomy;- lack of taxonomic infrastructure such as collections; and- low technology and less global resources for zoonotic capacity

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GLOBAL S & T CAPACITY (GAPS AND NEEDS)in Biodefense (Early Detection, Forensics, and Public Health)

• Countermeasures: development of pre-clinical vaccines, CMRS, mitigating dissemination of pathogens into food system, human monoclonal antibodies against ricin, development of diagnostic capacity.

• Forensics: detection and elimination of bioweapons, microbial forensics, crime scene modellers (eg: with teleoperated robotic platform and explosive vapour detectors) and other support toolsfor police, hazardous material and emergency medical services.

• Emergency response: resource inventory systems, surge capacity.

• Personal protection equipment for first responders: blast dosimetry and CBRNE sensors.

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GLOBAL S & T CAPACITY (GAPS AND NEEDS)in Agrienvironment, Biodefense, and Ecological Public Health

• Bioweapons Detection, Surveillance, and Diagnostics:- establish a sustainable global surveillance system- promote public academic plant & animal breeding; and

sustainable agriculture- provide international assistance & capacity building in ecological

public health science and technologies

• Ecological Public Health Preparedness and Response: Need forinternational assistance & capacity building in surge capacity; emergency preparedness, casualties and disaster management;computerized medical records surveillance systems (CMRS);integration of ecological public health and medical infrastructure,data, services, staff, and systems.

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GLOBAL S & T CAPACITY GAPS AND NEEDSin Agrienvironment, Biodefense, and Ecological Public Health

• Forensics and Crime Attribution: suspicion of alleged use- international assistance and capacity building in S and T information exchange (eg: strains, genetic codes, equipment)

- rapid identification/detection tools and expertise in taxonomy, biodiversity, and agrienvironmental habitats

• Awareness, Training, and Education (also in civil defense): practitioners of veterinary, general, and conservation medicine; public health inspectors (eg: certification); border police and customs – both military and civil; medical/health care services professionals; general public (eg: vulnerable populations).

• New Egalitarian Partnerships:public-private, South-South, South-North.

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Global Agrienvironment, Biodefense, & Ecological Public Health CapacityELEMENTS OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

in Biodefense (Countermeasures Development)

• State-of-the-art manufacturing technology

• Fully dedicated to national government requirements

• Multisuite flexible manufacturing facility

• Operated by expert personnel

• Funded by government with cofunding from local organizations

• Oversight by the national government

• Managed by a nonprofit organization

• Industrial partners include vaccine and equipment companies

• Multiple options for working with innovators

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GLOBAL PANDEMIC INFLUENZA ACTION PLANExpand vaccine production capacity

DONOR SUPPORT TO WHO IVR (International Vaccine Research)For establishing influenza vaccine production in developing countries

( US Department of Health and Human Services, Govt. of Japan, WHO, PATHand Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

GRANT ELIGIBLE TECHNOLOGIESKilled subunit, split or whole virusLive attenuated influenza vaccines

Cell culture and egg-based production technologies

AN EXAMPLE OF SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS:WHO STRATEGY FOR INCREASING PANDEMIC INFLUENZA VACCINE AVAILABILITY

Out of 11 WHO grantees, Serum Institute of India has made available its first ever H1N1 Vaccine (Live Attenuated Influenza)

to be administered by intranasal route.

Serum Institute of India

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GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONSof Agrienvironment, Biodefense, and Ecological Public Health

for Alleged Use, Preparedness and Response

• Establish a Global Surveillance System.

• Develop standards (ISO & WHO): agbiosafety/plant pathogen/culture collection/airtrap sample labs, biobanks; purity/quality of air and water (used for agrienvironmental and recreational).

• Establish regional centres of excellence (zoonotic diseases labs & networks).

• Repatriate ex-situ collections back to in-situ countries of origin.

• Use new improved threat/risk, and technology assessment methods.

• Promote public academic plant & animal breeding; sustainable agriculture.

• Initiate a Global Programme on Biodefense Preparedness & Response.

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GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONSof Agrienvironment, Biodefense, and Ecological Public Health

for Alleged Use, Preparedness and Response

• Develop BTWC-enabling activities to promote new partnerships.

• Provide resources (financial and S & T expertise) for BTWC-enabling activities to strengthen international cooperation.

• Establish formal mechanisms for promoting international cooperation under BTWC, for example, a mechanism to assess global threats/risks and to monitor S and T developments.

• Assess S & T capacity (gaps and needs) of States/Parties to develop BTWC-enabling activities such as international capacity building projects.

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SOME PRIORITY COLLABORATIONS TO CONSIDER/STRENGTHEN for Alleged Use, Preparedness and Response

Agrienvironment: IAASTD, bioNet, GBIF, Consortium for Barcode of Life (CBOL), ESSP, GenØk, CABI, Worldwatch Institute, IUCN, and academicians.

Biodefense: UNSCR 1540 Committee, EnMod Convention, OPCW, Outer Space Conventions, UNIDO, WCO, INTERPOL, UNCSTD, UNDESA, IMO, UNCLOS,ICGEB, WMO, UNCCD, WTO (TBT, TRIPS, SPS), ITPGRFA (FAO), OIE, Codex Alimentarius, ITU, ISO, CBD (Global Taxonomy Initiative, SBSTTA, protocols: Cartagena & ABS), UNFCCC, CGIAR (Science Council), UNICRI, IPFSAPH, ICAO, WIPO, UNIDIR, ISAAA, WHO (GLEWS, IVR, IHR 2005, GOARN), GAVI, CSIRO, and UNODA.

Ecological Public Health: WHO (eg: INFOSAN), PIPRA, ISID, IFEH, INCLEN, IAEH, PENAPH, WBCSD, Wild Bird GAINS, GECHS, BirdLife International, FAO,UNISDR, ATCC, and academicians.

For General/Other S & T Aspects: UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNICEF, OECD, SIPRI, VERTIC, The Geneva Forum, ACRONYM, BWPP, ISBI, and academicians.

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SOME OF THE ACRONYMS USED

• ABS protocol to the CBD: draft Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

• ATCC: American Type Culture Collections• bioNet: the global network for taxonomy• CGIAR: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research• CABI: Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International• CSIRO: The Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization• GAVI: the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization• GBIF: Global Biodiversity Information Facility• GenØk: GenØk Centre for Biosafety• GECHS: Global Environmental Change and Human Security• EnMod Convention: Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other

Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques• ESSP: Earth System Science Partnership• IAASTD: International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science,

and Technology for Development• IAEH: International Association of Ecology and Health

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SOME OF THE ACRONYMS USED (continued…)

• IFEH: International Federation for Environmental Health• INBI: The Centre for Integrated Research in Biosafety• IMO: International Maritime Organization• INCLEN: International Clinical Epidemiological Network• IPFSAPH: International Portal on Food safety, Animal and Plant Health• ISID: International Society for Infectious Diseases• ISAAA: International Service for Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications• ISBI: International Security and Biopolicy Institute• ITPGRFA: International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture• PENAPH: Participatory Epidemiology Network for Animal & Public Health• PIPRA: The Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture• WBCSD: World Business Council for Sustainable Development• Wild Bird GAINS: Global Avian Influenza Network for Surveillance• UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea• UNCSTD: UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development• UNDESA: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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ANUPA GUPTE

anupagupte@yahoo.com

Millennium Development Goals Target: Safe Water and Sanitation for All

Contact for more information:

Acknowledgments to: Jack A. Heinemann, Director, INBI, University of Canterbury, New Zealand;

Paul Sockett, Infectious Diseases Epidemiologist, Canada;Suresh Jadhav, Executive Director, Serum Institute of India, Pune; and

all other experts from diverse disciplines, States/Parties, and United Nations.