Author: Siddha Hover

Synthetic bio and dual-use anti-microbials

by Siddha Hover, posted in News

By Daniel McGown

Two articles were published in ACS Synthetic Biology this week, one from an MIT team and another from a team at Nanyang Technological University, iteratively outlining an approach for the custom design of a microbial hunter-killer against a pathogenic species.

In the first paper, Saurabh Gupta, Eran Bram, and Ron Weiss outlined proof of concept construction of an E. coli strain modified to do two novel things: 1) detect a quorum sensing signal emitted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 2) upon detection secrete a chimeric exotoxin designed to specifically destroy P. aeruginosa cells and nothing else. This use of passive detection to trigger an active and specific offense effectively converts the E. coli strain into a trap waiting for just P. aeruginosa – and because the toxin is secreted rather than requiring destruction of the cell, the trap can keep on trapping.

Matthew Wook Chang and company take a similar design and extend it two steps farther.   Firstly, they added a method to defeat one of P. aeruginosa’s best defenses, the biofilm.  Because P. aeruginosa biofilms include DNA into the extracellular matrix, they added a secreted DNAse to eliminate the DNA and disrupt the biofilm.  Secondly and perhaps more interestingly, the team retargeted the cell’s chemotaxis system by tying E. coli expression of a chemotaxis regulation protein to the presence of P. aeruginosa’s quorum sensing signal.  This caused the E. coli to gravitate toward P. aeruginosa and release their enzymatic arsenal where it would do the most P. aeruginosa damage.  With this latter addition, then, the waiting trap instead switched over to search and destroy.

This is a really cool idea – an appealing concept in a world that is running out of anti-microbials.  It brought to mind immediately the way the Russians used to use bacteriophages to attack bacterial infections, except these can be designed modularly to strike the right target instead of hoping nature is kind enough to deliver.  One has to wonder how easily it could be used in an infection inside a living system, but a proof of concept can’t be expected to jump that chasm – it’s cool enough that it works at all.  It will be nice, though, to see how readily the approach could actually be adapted to other pathogens and how well it will work clearing infections in vivo.

One also has to wonder, though, if the same idea couldn’t be turned in a different and less pleasant direction.  Could you use it to make a pathogen worse?  Say, could you build a pathogen that used the body’s chemokine and cytokine signals to specifically detect and defeat cells regulating immune responses with chimeric leukocidins or hemolysins or some such?  Beats me, but it feels like something of a goose and gander situation.

(image: Janice Haney Carr/CDC)
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Daniel McGown is a first year PhD student in the Biodefense program with a background in molecular microbiology.

Biodefense Policy Seminar Tonight!

by Siddha Hover, posted in Biodefense Policy Seminar, Events

Our first Biodefense Policy Seminar of Fall 2013 is tonight! Join us this evening as Dr. Daniel Dodgen discusses the importance of including special populations in biodefense & public health planning. As always, Seminars are free and open to the public – stop by!

September Seminar: “The ABCs of Including Special Populations in Biodefense and Public Health Preparedness”
Speaker: Dr. Daniel Dodgen
Date: Tuesday, September 17th, 2013 at 7:20 PM
Where: Meese Conference Room, Mason Hall, GMU Fairfax Campus

daniel_dodgenDr. Dodgen is the Director for At-Risk Individuals, Behavioral Health, and Community Resilience in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). His office is tasked with ensuring that HHS is developing policies and capabilities for emergency planning, response, and recovery activities that integrate at-risk individuals (including children), behavioral health, and community resilience. Dr. Dodgen also served as the Executive Director of the White House directed national advisory group on disaster mental health, and played a coordinating role in the federal response to Hurricanes Sandy, Gustav, Ike, and Dean; the H1N1 epidemic, the BP oil spill, the Sandy Hook school shooting, and other natural and manmade disasters.

For more information about our Fall lineup, please visit our Events page.

This Week in DC: Events

by Siddha Hover, posted in Events, Week In DC

If you go to one event this week, make it Tuesday’s Biodefense Policy Seminar! Dr. Daniel Dodgen, Director for At-Risk Individuals, Behavioral Health, and Community Resilience ASPR, will discuss including disaster preparedness. Join us at 7:20PM in GMU’s Mason Hall for a lively discussion!

Monday, September 16

Unthinkable: Iran, the Bomb, and American Strategy
Brookings Institution
2:30PM

Lying behind the turmoil over Syria is another, greater challenge. It is the challenge of a nuclear Iran, which already haunts our Syria debate. President Rouhani’s election has revived the hope of many that a negotiated resolution of this issue is still possible. However, the history of U.S.-Iranian relations leaves room for considerable skepticism. Should these negotiations fail too, the United States will soon have to choose between the last, worst options: going to war to prevent a nuclear Iran or learning to contain one. A nuclear Iran is something few in the international community wish to see, but many fear that a choice will have to be made soon to either prevent or respond to that reality. Can the U.S. spearhead a renewed international effort to prevent a nuclear Iran, or will it be forced to do the unthinkable: to determine how to contain a nuclear Iran?

Tuesday, September 17

Rapid Urbanization and Infectious Disease Outbreaks: The Case of Avian Influenza in Vietnam
East-West Center
10:30AM – 12:30PM

The global trend in urbanization is increasingly toward the “peri-urban,” areas that are unserviced and densely populated. Does increased human and animal density without good urban planning and design explain the emergence of new and reemerging infectious diseases in such areas? Are disease outbreaks in valuable livestock populations more common in the least developed areas? Or does the risk increase as the countryside transitions into city? To answer these questions, Dr. Melissa Finucane and Dr. James H. Spencer will examine the link between multifaceted man-made environmental changes and outbreaks of avian influenza in poultry in Vietnam, where the “bird-flu” has caused widespread economic damage. Presenting the results of their field research, Dr. Finucane and Dr. Spencer intend to highlight the importance of understanding environmental transformation and coupled natural-human systems so that planners and policy makers can manage diseases effectively in rapidly changing places.

Space and National Security
Stimson Center
12:30 – 2:00PM

Join us for a discussion on space and national security, the long-term consequences of destructive conflict in space, as well as appplying principles of deterrence to the space domain. The event features the release of a new Stimson book, “Anti-satellite Weapons, Deterrence and Sino-American Space Relations,” edited by Julia Thompson and Michael Krepon, which contains essays representing varied perspectives on the prospects for cooperation, competition and deterrence in space.

Syria’s Evolving Health Crisis and the Impact on its Neighbors
CSIS
3:00 – 4:30PM

Since Syria’s internal war began two years ago, the accumulating human consequences have been dire, both inside Syria and across the region: an estimated 100,000 people dead; the deliberate targeting of civilians and health infrastructure and medical personnel; mass internal displacement and the mass exodus of refugees to neighboring countries; and a worsening environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Following the August 21 chemical attack outside Damascus, humanitarian and public health capacities are now under new, higher strains and uncertainty. Please join us for a timely discussion that will analyze events on the ground in Syria, their impact on neighboring states, and the actions of the international community both to meet humanitarian needs and serve the strategic interests of key international actors.

September Biodefense Policy Seminar: The ABCs of Including Special Populations in Biodefense and Public Health Preparedness
Meese Conference Room, Mason Hall, GMU Fairfax Campus
7:20 – 8:30PM

Join us as Dr. Daniel Dodgen discusses the importance of including special populations in Biodefense & Public Health planning. Dr. Dodgen is the Director for At-Risk Individuals, Behavioral Health, and Community Resilience in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). His office is tasked with ensuring that HHS is developing policies and capabilities for emergency planning, response, and recovery activities that integrate at-risk individuals (including children), behavioral health, and community resilience. Dr. Dodgen also served as the Executive Director of the White House directed national advisory group on disaster mental health, and played a coordinating role in the federal response to Hurricanes Sandy, Gustav, Ike, and Dean; the H1N1 epidemic, the BP oil spill, the Sandy Hook school shooting, and other natural and manmade disasters.

Wednesday, September 18

Raising the Stakes on Syria: The U.S. Policy Debate and Regional Dynamics
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
9:00AM – 10:30AM

In the wake of President Obama’s national address, U.S. allies and adversaries are struggling to assess the implications of the Russian proposal on Syria’s chemical weapons and what Washington’s next steps will be on Syria. Pressure is building for the Obama administration to get more involved in arming the rebel opposition, even as Americans continue to send a clear message that they want their country to stay out of the conflict. Carnegie experts will discuss regional views of recent developments and the impact of U.S. policy.

Panel Discussion: Security, Freedom and Privacy in the Digital Age
Newseum
9:30AM

The Newseum Institute, in partnership with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will host “Security, Freedom and Privacy in the Digital Age,” a special program that will look at the need to balance national security with preserving journalists’ First Amendment freedoms. Journalists, lawyers, government officials, business leaders and educators will make up the panel that will discuss, among other issues, the PRISM program, media records seizures, and the proposed federal shield law.

A New Look at American Foreign Policy: The Second in a Series of Discussions
Heritage Foundation
12:00 – 1:00PM

American foreign policy is in flux. Libertarian-minded conservatives are joining liberals in their critiques of military interventions, defense budgets and the surveillance practices of the National Security Agency. “Neo” conservatives like John McCain are lining up with liberals in denouncing libertarian conservatives as “isolationists.” Liberals and conservatives alike are unhappy with the Obama Administration’s tepid support for humanitarian interventions in Syria and its failure to advance human rights abroad – normally touchstones of liberal internationalism. Are fundamental ideological changes in American foreign policy afoot? Join us as Heritage continues a series of discussions regarding this question, what the dangers and opportunities are, and whether they afford an opportunity to take a “new look” at American foreign policy.

Thursday, September 19

Security Trade-Off? Implications of Cybersecurity Regulations and International Trade
Brookings Institution
10:00 – 11:00AM

As cybersecurity dominates headlines, governments around the world are exploring their role in securing networks for their citizens and business interests. While different countries may choose different courses of action, some approaches may–intentionally or accidentally–serve as barriers to international trade. Impeding the flow of information technology goods and services could have an impact beyond the immediate markets affects, and may inspire broader conflicts over trade or limit the benefits of IT to promote development and growth. On September 19, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings will release a paper on “Cybersecurity and Trade: National Policies, Global and Local Consequences” and host a panel discussion. Experts will explore the impact of national security regulations, highlighting the issues at stake in the context of ongoing trade negotiations around the world, recent disclosures by the NSA and the expanding role of governments in securing cyberspace around the world.

Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety
New America Foundation
12:15 – 1:30PM

Since the dawn of the nuclear age, a dilemma has been left unresolved. How can we possess and deploy weapons of mass destruction without being destroyed by them? In his book Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety, Eric Schlosser casts light on the largely hidden world of America’s atomic arsenal, combining the thrilling, unsettling accounts of real-life nuclear accidents and near-misses with the stories of the officers, scientists, and policymakers who have devoted their lives to averting a nuclear holocaust—and in the process raises grave doubts about how much control we actually have.

Just for Fun: Neuroenhancement: Building an Improved Human Body and Mind
American Association for the Advancement of Science
5:30 – 7:00PM

Human enhancement is the notion that science and technology can be used to restore or expand cognitive and physical human capacities. It has received considerable public attention in recent years with the return of injured soldiers and the demand for prosthetic devices and with controversies surrounding the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports. This program will focus on a diverse set of enhancements for mind and body, examining the science of what can be done, what might be done in the near and far future, and what should be done. The remarkable opportunities created by scientific advancements are accompanied by ethical and policy challenges that demand a broader public conversation. Register for the event.

(image: Dell/Flickr)

Event: When Children are Refugees: Pediatric Health Care in Refugee Camps

by Siddha Hover, posted in Events

When Children are Refugees: Pediatric Health Care in Refugee Camps
Date: October 7, 2013
Time: 9:00am – 11:30am
Location: George Mason University, Arlington, VA, Founders Hall

Dr. Najwa Khuri-Bulos, Professor and Division Head, Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, Jordan University Hospital, and Dr. Ronald Waldman, Professor of Global Health at George Washington University’s School of Public Health will discuss pediatric health care at Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp and the problems that prevent an international standard for pediatric health care in refugee camps.

Dr. Khuri-Bulos, has written and spoken on “The Role of Immunization in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals,” and is responsible for the immunization program Jordan established for children living at Zaatari. Dr. Waldman, former Technical Director of the USAID-funded BASICS program, a global child survival effort, is President of the Board of Directors of Doctors of the World-USA.

Click here for the event flyer, including a schedule of events: October 7 Pediatric Refugee Health Care flyer.

For additional information regarding the program, please contact Dr. Denise Baken at dbaken@gmu.edu

SPONSORS

World Medical & Health Policy journal,
Policy Studies Organization
Center for International Medical Policy and Practice
George Mason’s School of Public Policy
Biodefense Program in George Mason’s Public and International Affairs Department

The Pandora Report 9.13.13

by Siddha Hover, posted in Pandora Report

Highlights this week include further evidence linking camels to MERS, a big innovator turning his eye to biodefense, tracking influenza A in Norwegian birds, the “eradicated” measles in the US,  tripling Tamiflu to help us all survive a serious H1N1 pandemic, and this week’s weird piece. Happy Friday!

Blame the Camel

It looks like dromedary camels are indeed the vector transmitting MERS from its proposed bat reservoir to humans. Antibodies against the deadly respiratory virus have been found in blood samples collected from camels across the Middle East, including Egypt, Sudan, Oman, and the Canary Island. However, before everyone starts shunning the desert beast of burden, it should be noted that the vast majority or MERS cases have had no contact with the animals, further suggesting person-to-person spread. Officials are calling for greater surveillance, which to date has been spotty in most states.

New York Times – “…it appears that the first confirmed or suspected cases in three separate clusters may have [had contact with camels], and in two cases, the camels were observed to be ill. According to the Saudi newspaper Asharq, a 38-year-old man from Batin, Saudi Arabia, who died of what was diagnosed as bacterial pneumonia was a camel dealer with at least one obviously sick camel. Later, other members of his family, including a mother, daughter and cousin, fell ill with what was diagnosed as MERS, and two died. They were part of a cluster of cases reported Sept. 7 by the World Health Organization.”

Tech Visionary Focuses Now On Biological Weapons Threat

An interesting interview with a tech mogul formerly associated with Microsoft. Like so many of us in the biodefense field, he’s worried about a domestic terror threat operating out of a small lab. It’s refreshing to see someone outside of the industry, with potential means, getting involved with biodefense in a way that doesn’t just involve anthrax.

NPR – “Biological terror is interesting because it is so damn cheap and yet can be even more lethal than nuclear…In this case, the adversary is going to be hidden. It’s going to be a small lab of people who could be cooking up a bio-terror weapon. They’re very unlikely to announce themselves until after the attack.”

Influenza virus in wild birds in Norway

A group of researchers in Norway have determined that ducks and gulls are a natural host of influenza A. Dabbling ducks in particular are the most prevalent host of the virus. Researchers were interested in determining the primary host in order to better understand patterns of seasonal infection.

Phys.org – “The complete genetic material from a total of five influenza viruses from mallard and common gull were sequenced and characterized. The results showed that the genes of the Norwegian viruses resembled the genes found in influenza viruses from other wild birds in Europe…Due to limited overlap between the routes used by migratory birds in Eurasia and America, influenza viruses with different genetic material have developed between these two continents. However, in some areas, it has been observed that genes can be exchanged between influenza viruses from Eurasia and America.”

Measles still poses threat to US, health officials warn

Measles is making a comeback in the US, thanks to the groups of people who think that vaccinating for measles is a bad idea. Of the 159 cases last year, 82 percent involved those who had not been vaccinated. Technically the disease has been eradicated in the US.

FOX – “Of the patients who had not received measles immunizations, 79 percent had philosophical objections to vaccination, federal health officials said. Results of a National Immunization Survey released today show that 90.8 percent of U.S. toddlers between the ages of 19 and 35 months have received at least one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) – just above the federal government’s target of 90 percent. However, federal health officials warned that measles imported from other countries can still cause large outbreaks in the U.S., especially if introduced into areas with clusters of unvaccinated persons.”

Triple Dose Tamiflu Beats Back H1N1

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. A study from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg revealed that patients critically ill with H1N1 were able to clear the virus within five days if given triple the normal dose of Tamiflu. According to study researcher Dr. Anand Kumar, amongst those patients administered the triple dose of the flu drug, 79%  cleared the virus within the 5-day timeframe, compared with just 11% of patients given the normal dose. It should be noted that past studies involving the doubling  of Tamiflu doses did not yield significant clearance times.

MedPage Today – “‘What we found was that the treatment was well-tolerated, and there were many more patients achieving viral clearance at day 5, which was our study endpoint,’ Kumar said during a session at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Kumar noted that the 5-day endpoint was important because of increased survival benefits from the shortened clearance time and the reduced amount of time a patient has to endure in continued isolation, “which is a source of significant manpower demand for an intensive care unit.”

This week’s weird piece: ‘US provided chemical and biological weapons to Saddam Hussein’ – retired military officer

Disclaimer: This is from Voice of Russia, which is  the Russian government’s broadcast network and therefore not exactly a pillar of journalistic integrity.

(image Adam Foster/Flickr)

Koblentz on the Difficulties of Destroying Syria’s Stockpile

by Siddha Hover, posted in Media Notes, News

Dr. Gregory Koblentz was quoted in two articles on Syria yesterday. In the first piece in the New Republic, Dr. Koblentz discusses the potential use of Tomahawk missiles (pictured above) should the US decide to pursue military action in Syria.

“The advantage to Tomahawks, according to Gregory Koblentz, a George Mason University political scientist who specializes in weapons of mass destruction, is they are highly accurate, fly low to the ground (and can therefore typically evade air defenses), and can be fired from ships hundreds of miles away (hence the frequently used term “lobbed”)—thereby putting American soldiers at very little risk. The downside to Tomahawks is they pack a comparatively small explosive punch and, particularly because they cannot be reprogrammed in-flight, are best used on stationary targets—an especially problematic proposition given that the regime will likely have had several weeks to move whatever they want to move to different locations.”

In the second piece in Voice of America, Koblentz is quoted on the likelihood of Syria eliminating its chemical weapons stockpile.

“‘I don’t think the Syrian regime is serious about actually turning over all of their chemical weapons, and even if they were to do so in the middle of a civil war would make it virtually impossible for any kind of international group to conduct their work safely and securely. So I don’t see this happening anytime soon, if ever,’ said Koblentz.”

Read the New Republic piece here, and the Voice of America piece here.

(image: U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Sunderman)

September Biodefense Policy Seminar!

by Siddha Hover, posted in Events

The Biodefense Policy Seminars are back, and our Fall lineup is stellar! We’re delighted to have Dr. Daniel Dodgen of ASPR, Dr. Paul Walker of Green Cross International, and Dr. Kathleen Vogel come and speak to us this semester. As always, the seminars are free and open to the public. Our first Seminar is this Tuesday, September 17th. Details are below – stop by!

September Seminar: “The ABCs of Including Special Populations in Biodefense and Public Health Preparedness”
Speaker: Dr. Daniel Dodgen
Date: Tuesday, September 17th, 2013 at 7:20 PM
Where: Meese Conference Room, Mason Hall, GMU Fairfax Campus

daniel_dodgenJoin us as Dr. Daniel Dodgen discusses the importance of including special populations in Biodefense & Public Health planning. Dr. Dodgen is the Director for At-Risk Individuals, Behavioral Health, and Community Resilience in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). His office is tasked with ensuring that HHS is developing policies and capabilities for emergency planning, response, and recovery activities that integrate at-risk individuals (including children), behavioral health, and community resilience. Dr. Dodgen also served as the Executive Director of the White House directed national advisory group on disaster mental health, and played a coordinating role in the federal response to Hurricanes Sandy, Gustav, Ike, and Dean; the H1N1 epidemic, the BP oil spill, the Sandy Hook school shooting, and other natural and manmade disasters.

RSVP to shover@gmu.edu!

For more information about our Fall lineup, please visit our Events page.

Image of the Week

by Siddha Hover, posted in Images

Last week it was a chemical weapons slideshow (here, if you missed it), so this week we thought we’d swing back to something closer to our  hearts – Ebola!

ebola_NIAID

This rather startling image from NIAID shows Ebola particles “shedding” from infected cells, illustrating that Ebola is just as frightening on a molecular level. The virus’ distinctive, filamentous morphology is clearly visible.

Thrall on the Syrian Compromise – “Let’s Make a Deal!”

by Siddha Hover, posted in Media Notes, News

Dr. Trevor Thrall, GMU Biodefense Director, reviewed the latest developments in the ongoing Syrian saga yesterday in a piece in the National Interest. In it, he discusses the implications of the recent compromise proposal and potential US responses. Here’s an excerpt:

“The apparently accidental diplomatic overture from Secretary of State John Kerry, suggesting that Syria transfer its chemical weapons to international control to avoid U.S. airstrikes, has immediately received traction. How seriously either the U.S. or Syria will consider this proposal remains unknown. On the one hand, it is easy to argue that Syria will simply latch on to the proposal as a tactic to forestall U.S. action but has no intention of agreeing to give up its weapons. On the other hand, Syria needs Russian support more than it needs chemical weapons, and Assad may calculate that his chances against the rebels are better if the U.S. does not get directly involved militarily.

From the U.S. perspective the proposal has immediate political impact. Obama cannot strike Syria when his primary justification is in such serious question. There may be other reasons for the U.S. to engage in Syria directly, but the White House’s own PR campaign has emphasized the danger of Syria’s chemical weapons and the potential for them to wind up in the wrong hands. If Syria tells the world they are willing to consider giving them up, Obama’s argument crumbles and he cannot take action until the issue is resolved one way or another.

Ironically, for the U.S. this would be a far better outcome than Obama had any right to imagine just days ago. Having foolishly drawn the red line in the first place, and then having made a complete mess of the campaign to build both public and Congressional support, Obama may now have found a path that both gives him a big win while avoiding either an ugly defeat in Congress or having to launch airstrikes of wildly uncertain consequence…”

Read the rest of the piece here.

(image: Freedom House)

Cowpox Case in the Netherlands

by Siddha Hover, posted in News

A teenage girl in the Netherlands recently developed cowpox, the viral cousin of smallpox, after trying to save a drowning kitten. Within a week of her contact with the kitten, the girl had developed a large necrotic ulcer on her wrist. Cowpox being as rare as it is, by the time doctors correctly diagnosed her, the infection had begun to clear up on its own (it’s naturally self-limiting). Cowpox is famous for being used by Edward Jenner in the first effective vaccine, against the now eradicated smallpox virus. As the above image shows, there was significant resistance on the part of the local population to intentionally infecting themselves with the harmless cowpox virus. To prove the vaccine’s safety and efficacy,  in 1796 Jenner rather dubiously inoculated an eight year old boy with the cowpox virus before infecting him with smallpox. When the boy was shown to be immune to the deadly virus, the concept of vaccination was born.

As for the teenager in the Netherlands, while we’re sure having a giant black ulcer containing dead tissue open up on your wrist is pretty scary, at least she’s protected from smallpox!

Read the full story and look at the very big picture of her ulcer here.

(image courtesy of the Library of Congress)