Krona, software originally developed at the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) to sequence DNA for biodefense, is now being used by Microsoft to sequence mosquito DNA in the fight against disease.
Research chemists at U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have developed and patented a transparent thermoplastic elastomer armor to reduce weight, inherent in most bullet-resistant glass, while maintaining superior ballistic properties. In addition to being transparent, and lighter than conventional bullet-resistant glass, it also is repairable in the field.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is inviting developers of counter unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) technologies to participate in technology assessments. Selected C-UAS technology solutions will be assessed in an operationally relevant environment. Based on the findings, DHS S&T will provide best practices and strategies to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The unusually large outbreak of yellow fever now occurring in rural Brazil deserves careful attention by world health authorities. “In light of the serious nature of this historically devastating disease, public health awareness and preparedness, even for individual cases, is critical,” said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci and Dr. Catherine Paules of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed the full subtype for the highly pathogenic H7 avian influenza reported in Lincoln County, Tennessee. USDA continues to work with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture on the joint incident response. An epidemiological investigation is underway to determine the source of the infection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirms the critical need for research and development (R&D) of new antibiotics to tackle the threat of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), as well as other antibiotic-resistant pathogens that have recently been prioritized as posing great risk to human health.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and collaborators at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for the first time have taken 3D snapshots of operating high explosive detonators. The research is important for assessing aging margins, safety and performance, and in developing new and improved detonation designs.
A prototype online platform that uses real-time visualization and viral genome data to track the spread of global pathogens such as Zika and Ebola is the grand-prize winner of the Open Science Prize. The winning team created its prototype to pool data from researchers across the globe, perform rapid phylogenetic analysis, and post the results on the platform’s website.
The World Health Organization (WHO) published its list of antibiotic-resistant “priority pathogens” – a catalogue of 12 families of bacteria that pose the greatest threat to human health. The list was created in a bid to guide and promote research and development of new antibiotics, as part of WHO’s efforts to address growing global resistance to antimicrobial medicines.
Acting Deputy Agriculture Secretary Michael Young announced U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $103 million in fiscal year 2017 for disaster recovery efforts to help state, local and tribal units of government protect lives and property in disaster-affected areas following natural disasters.
