The meeting of NATO experts in Brno

The 2nd Meeting of the NATO Biotechnology Team of Experts (ToE) is taking place on 23.4.-24.4. in Brno. The primary objective of the meeting is evaluation of the results achieved during the first year of the Team activity, as well as setting up a closer cooperation with Czech biotechnology scientists.  

The meeting is attended by specialists delegated into the NATO Biotechnology Team of Experts by member states. The Biotechnology ToE is responsible for supporting the technological oversight of the development of biotechnological materials or systems capable of neutralizing or diminishing the aftermath of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack (CBRN hazards), particularly in the protection and decontamination field. One of the important objectives of the Brno meeting is collective preparation of a test that would demonstrate the utilization of the current biotechnological procedures and materials for decontamination of surface exteriors of the combat aircrafts The creation of the group was initiated by NATO Hazard Management Subgroup (HMSG) in February 2006. The first meeting of the Biology ToE took place in April 2006 in France, attended by 19 specialists from 6 countries including Czech Republic.

A leader of the group was elected – Mr. Joseph J. DeFrank, a member of the bio-defense team of the American Edgewood Chemical Biological Center Institute, an author of tens of scientific publication, a co-author of several American patents, awarded many times for his scientific activities. In his position, he is responsible for programmes of basic and applied research including the utilization of biological and biotechnological systems for decontamination and demilitarization of chemical and biological weapons, as well as liquidation of other chemical risks of military importance. His own research activities are focused on microbiology, enzymology and molecular biology. Joseph J. DeFrank is a member of several military boards and scientific societies, e.g. Army Research Office Coordinating Group for Biology, Army Biotechnology Working Group, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Chemical Society, American Society for Microbiology, International Society for Environmental Biotechnology a Scientific Research Society for Industrial Microbiology.

As a specialist, he has a long history of cooperation with NATO. He was a member of several workgroups and in 1994-2005, he was a leader of a group focused on biotechnological decontamination. (NATO Project Group 31).

The Brno meeting of the Team of Experts is organized in cooperation with the Masaryk University, the Military Technical Institute of Protection and South-Moravian Innovation Centre. The programme includes lectures given by specialists in the defense and decontamination field, from France, Denmark, USA, Great Britain and Czech Republic. The meeting itself focuses mainly to news in the area of decontamination technologies, new materials and products, and collective demonstrative tests.

During the meeting, there is planned an excursion to the laboratories of the University Campus Bohunice, where a biotechnology for yperite degradation and decontamination is being developed. This development is a collective project of Masaryk University,Military Technical Institute of Protection and a biotechnological spin-off company Enantis supported by the South-Moravian Innovation Centre. The developed technology is protected by international patent application.

Related article - interview

More info on the topic can be found here:

• http://loschmidt.chemi.muni.cz/peg/
• http://www.enantis.com - section Publicity
• http://www.gate2biotech.com

Media contact:

Šárka Robešová, robesova(at)kangaroo.cz, tel.: +420 608 603 304

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We prefer a civil use of biotechnologies! - We prefer a civil use of biotechnologies… …says Joseph DeFrank, a chairman of the NATO Team of Experts for decontamination technologies, whose meeting focused on new biotechnologies and their testing in military and civil use has taken place this week in Brno (3.5.2007)