Chemical and Biological Sciences and Systems
Industrial chemical and biological agents can pose threats when wielded by terrorists. Across the nation, DHS and emergency responders need reliable methods, protocols and procedures, and tools to rapidly detect, characterize, and respond to the use of these agents. PNNL is uniquely positioned to support these efforts because the Lab has:
- Staff with a breadth of experience in areas such as microbiology, analytical chemistry, statistics and analytics, and signature science that can be leveraged for chemical and biological countermeasures research
- Specialized equipment such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, optical spectroscopy instruments, and a wide array of mass spectrometers
- A legacy of exceptional chemical and biological work going back to before DHS was stood up
- Robust regional connections that allow Lab staff to understand the needs of end users and offer avenues to test and deploy new approaches.
With capabilities like these, PNNL is expanding the chemical and biological sciences to develop forensic tools, create and evaluate new assays to meet requirements, team with stakeholders to create protocols and procedures for detection and analysis, and enable new tools to help emergency managers make sound decisions during chemical and biological events. For more information, contact Cindy Bruckner-Lea at (509) 375-4460.
Pandemic Toolkit Offers Flu with a View
As communities brace for rising influenza cases, PNNL scientists are developing a mathematical and visual analytic toolkit to help health officials quickly analyze pandemics and craft better response strategies. The Pandemic Influenza Planning Tool models the spread of a disease through various age groups and geographic populations. It also allows decision-makers to carefully assess the benefit of their decisions for different scenarios in advance.
These results could be valuable in developing an aggressive preventive strategy and deciding how best to use limited resources.
