CTC at West Point APRIL 2022, VOLUME 15, ISSUE 4
According to a team of researchers in the US (Boston College, US Military Academy, West Point, Brooke Army Medical Center) scientists are employing gene editing tools to cure genetic diseases, reduce the effects of climate change, and generate sustainable food sources. These same tools, however, can be used to modify pathogens to develop and deploy novel biological weapons. The nature of these tools and our understanding of specific viral genomes makes this process tunable. Components of a disease such as transmissibility, lethality, and the infectious window can potentially be modified for desired tactical, operational, or strategic effects. While this capability is currently beyond the skills and knowledge of the biology enthusiast, a trained individual would possess such skills and knowledge, though they may lack the necessary material and infrastructure support. Hence, it is necessary to develop and maintain capabilities that can respond to a variety of pathogens and possible effects…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
The relative complexity for weaponization and likelihood of use for nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons… Credit: CTC Sentinel, April 2022, Vol 15, Issue 4Â