First counterterrorism seminar held

he Medical Center's new Center for Disaster Medicine and Emergency Preparedness held its first seminar June 3 on "Combating Terrorism: New Technologies for the Detection of Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Agents."

Peter Estacio, senior medical advisor to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, delivered the keynote address at the symposium, which was open to academic and industry biomedical research scientists, venture capitalists, state government representatives, and local community health and public safety representatives.

According to Janet Williams, director of the center, the goal of the conference was to bring together area authorities to discuss ways to combat bioterrorist attacks.

"While academic, private, and government laboratories have been researching new methods of detecting biological agents at risk for covert release by terrorists, the need exists for an open dialogue between stakeholders to foster coordination of efforts to enhance such technologies," she said.

The center, established to contribute to the region's and nation's counterterrorism efforts, will hold a series of symposia covering such topics as biosensors and detection of terrorist agents, new therapies and countermeasures, hospital preparedness, and community preparedness for terrorism.

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