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Biological

Last Updated: | Site Page

Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office

The DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) works to prevent attacks against the United States using a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) through timely, responsive support to operational partners.

Last Updated: | Publication

S&T DHS Biosafety Directive

This Directive and the accompanying Instruction establish the authorities,responsibilities, requirements, and procedures for Biosafety in all activities conducted or sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security (OHS). This Directive adopts the principles of the current edition of the U.S. Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories and its recommendations for standards, practices, equipment, and facilities for biological laboratory activities, as well as the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines) and other related guidance listed in Part Ill.

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S&T NYC Subway Tracer Studies Fact Sheet

This study is part of a five-year (2012-2017) program to develop and promote technologies and methods to help urban transit systems restore service rapidly in the event of a biological agent attack.

Last Updated: | Testimony

Written testimony of OHA for a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing titled “The Federal Perspective on the State of Our Nation’s Biodefense”

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Health Affairs (OHA) National Bio-surveillance Integration Center (NBIC) Acting Director Dr. Aaron Firoved addresses Department of Homeland Security’s role in biodefense. 

Last Updated: | Testimony

Written testimony of OHA and S&T for a House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response & Communications hearing titled “Improving the Department of Homeland Security’s Biological Detection and Surveillance Programs”

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Health Affairs (OHA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Kathryn Brinsfield, and Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Under Secretary Dr. Reginald Brothers address DHS’ biological detection and surveillance programs. 

Last Updated: | Publication

S&T FMD Vaccine Fact Sheet

FMD is a highly contagious dis-ease that can severely affect domestic and wild cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, swine, sheep, goats, deer and buffalo. Protecting American livestock is critical to the country’s agricultural economy and preservation of food supplies.

Last Updated: | Site Page

National Strategy for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Standards

The National Strategy for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Standards lays out the federal vision and goals to achieve a comprehensive structure for coordination, establishment, and implementation of CBRNE equipment standards by 2020.

Last Updated: | Site Page

National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center

The NBACC is a one-of-a-kind facility dedicated to defending the nation against biological threats. Its work supports intelligence assessments, preparedness planning, response, emerging threat characterization and bioforensic analyses. It is the first national laboratory created by DHS and the capabilities within the facility did not exist prior to the Amerithrax attacks of 2001.