CRC BIODEF PDF

Preface

The term "biodefense" has historically been a military term for describing the development of medical countermeasures and diagnostics for infectious agents and biological toxins that have been identified as potential threats on the battlefield. As we all have seen since September 11, 2001, the definition of battlefield has expanded considerably. You will discover in reading about the history of biological weapons that the concept of using biological agents as weapons is not a new one, nor is the concept of developing countermeasures to them. There are literally hundreds of dedicated scientists and technicians who have a history of over 30 years of research and advancements in the field of biodefense. Now that the threat has expanded from just the military battlefield to include the civilian population, there has been a significant increase in the investment for biodefense research. The primary purpose of this book is to allow others to leverage the advances already made in this field and thereby eliminate unnecessary duplication of effort. As we all know, redundant efforts often waste more than just time and fiscal resources — they also result in the unnecessary use of animals. Animals have been and will continue to be an invaluable and absolutely necessary part of infectious disease research, but we all have the ethical and moral obligation to ensure that each animal is used in the most humane manner possible and to obtain the maximum benefit in advancing science and human health. It should be understood that much work precedes moving to the use of animal models, and the models presented in this book were developed in conjunction with many in vitro techniques including computer modeling, cell culture systems, hollow fiber systems, and other in vitro laboratory procedures. All of these techniques have replaced or reduced the use of animals for certain purposes, but as questions arise that require an intact, more complex biological system to answer, animal use becomes essential. In the chapter on animal model development, there is considerable description of the preparation and research needed before moving into a whole-animal model. The focus of this book is to share information already obtained with regard to animal model development, with the hope of minimizing the number of animals used in future biodefense research efforts. With the advances already made in the field of biodefense and the significant investment being made for the future, there is the potential for giant leaps being made to further protect both military personnel and civilian populations. With time as a serious consideration, these advances can only be made in an expeditious manner if there is a concerted effort to share information and eliminate redundancy in research. Together, the editor and authors hope this book will help to serve that purpose.