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Past EMBL Forum Lectures |
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2003 |
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| 5 September
2003 |
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| Biological weapons in the 21st Century |  |
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Dr. Jan van Aken, University of Hamburg
and the Sunshine Project
The
rapid developments in biotechnology, genetics and genomics
may have severe implications for international peace and security
because they open up tremendous new avenues for the creation
of new biological weapons. The genetically engineered "superbug"
– highly lethal and resistant to environmental influence
or any medical treatment – is only a small part
of this story. Much more alarming from an arms control perspective
are the possibilities of developing completely novel weapons
based on the knowledge provided by biomedical research – developments
that are already taking place. Such weapons, designed for
new types of conflicts and warfare scenarios, secret operations
or sabotage activities are not mere science fiction but are
increasingly becoming a reality that we have to face. In this
presentation, Jan van Aken from the Sunshine Project will
provide a systematic overview of the possible impact of biotechnology
on the development of biological weapons. |
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