The Army's University Affiliated Research Center Chemical/Biological Countermeasures
Abstract
In 2000, a National Biological and Chemical Countermeasures Program was created involving three major institutions: The University of Texas (UT), The University of South Florida, and Texas Tech University. This report considers the structure and technical achievements of The University of Texas University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) component and describes research activities from four UT campuses (Austin, Galveston Medical Branch, San Antonio and South West Medical School Dallas), the Texas Department of Health, the 6th Civil Support Team of the Texas National Guard, Austin Office of Emergency Management, and the Institute for Defense Analyses. The major research efforts are in sensors for threat agents, biomedical responses, and communication. During the first year rapid progress was achieved in several areas, including: the production of high affinity antibodies against anthrax toxin and brucella presented on external surfaces of bacteria; the production of antibodies against multiple pathogenic components; and identification of aptamers that bind ricin and recognize nuclear factors involved in inflammatory responses to threat agents. Intelligent software agents are being developed for belief maintenance and resource allocation. The integration of this effort with the Texas State Health Alert Network (HAN) and archival health data sets initiates our efforts in fusing countermeasures with biosurveillance responses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA436042
Entities
People
- Gordon Boezer
- James Valdes
- Steven Kornguth
- Walter Zielinski
Organizations
- University of Texas at Austin