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By Region: North America

NIH scientists discover promising target to block Staphylococcus infection

(Eurekalert) National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists have identified a promising lead for developing a new type of drug to treat infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that frequently resists traditional antibiotics. The researchers discovered a system used by S. aureus to transport toxins that are thought to contribute to severe staph infections. These Read More »

February 11, 2013
| Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, and Research
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Mutant virus sparks bioethics debate

(Toronto Star) In a storage facility in the Netherlands, a mutant virus has been locked in a freezer for more than a year, unaware of the global debate swirling around it. As far as scientists know, this virus cannot be found anywhere else on Earth; it was engineered into existence. This strain — once described Read More »

February 11, 2013
| Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, and Biosafety
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Senators Launch New Bid to Reauthorize Biodefense Initiatives

(GlobalSecurityNewswire) Senate lawmakers on Thursday launched their latest legislative attempt to renew several initiatives to increase the nation’s medical readiness for countering disease agents and other unconventional-weapon threats. The newly proposed Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act incorporates several semantic changes to language approved last month by the House of Representatives, and would need approval Read More »

February 8, 2013
| Filed under North America, Biosafety, Policy & Initiatives, and Public Health
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Scientists Find A Key Element Of Lupus, Suggesting Better Drug Targets

(MedicalNewsToday) A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has identified specific cellular events that appear key to lupus, a debilitating autoimmune disease that afflicts tens of millions of people worldwide. The findings suggest that blocking this pathway in lupus-triggering cells could be a potent weapon against the disease.

February 7, 2013
| Filed under North America, Public Health, and Research
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Biodefense Stock Alert: PositiveID Reports Issuance of Draft RFP

(InvestorIdeas) PositiveID Corporation, a developer of biological detection and diagnostics solutions, today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) released a draft request for proposal (“RFP”) for Stage 1 of BioWatch Generation 3, an autonomous biodetection system designed to protect the nation against biological threats. The final RFP for Stage 1 is expected Read More »