Anthrax spores distributed through the Metrorail system. Smallpox vaccinations. With the threat of biological weapon use looming as a possible reality in the 21st century, local, state and federal leaders are looking into ways to protect citizens from potentially dangerous scenarios. In Fairfax County, discussions to define what the threats are and how to combat them have served as a springboard for new graduate programs in biodefense at George Mason University.
"Since the United States terminated its offensive biological warfare capability in the early 1980s, there’s truly few people left who understand … that knowledge," said Charles Bailey, co-executive director of George Mason’s National Center for Biodefense. Bailey has also served as research scientist, deputy commander and commander at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Md.
Starting this fall, George Mason University will offer graduate programs in biodefense at the master’s, doctoral and certificate levels. The program, aimed at federal and private sector employees in the biodefense field, will ground students in the science and technology of biodefense, threat analysis and medical defense.
"Our intention is to create a new generation of highly professional biodefense experts," said co-executive director Ken Alibek, who had previously served as first deputy chief of the civilian branch of the former Soviet Union’s offensive biological weapons program.
Students will be able to select one of four concentrations: medical biodefense, engineering defense and countermeasures, nonproliferation and expert control, and counterterrorism and law enforcement. The material for the concentrations will be drawn from microbiology, medicine and aerobiology, as well as political science, forensics, history, law, engineering and governmental affairs.
The center began planning for the graduate programs a little over a year ago, in response to the need for professionals in the $6 billion biodefense industry, said Alibek and Bailey.
"We know there are no professionally trained biodefense experts in the country," Alibek said. "Even those people [who know biodefense], many of them are quite old."
Bailey agreed. "We’re offering the curriculum so we can bring people up to speed."
The students who signed up for the inaugural class, about 75, represent both government and private sector industries.
"People have been eagerly anticipating the program. For most people, they can’t believe their luck," said Monique van Hoek, graduate coordinator for the program. As graduate coordinator, van Hoek helps implement the program, advise students and coordinate classes. She will also teach a course in the spring. "Having a graduate degree to complement their work is very exciting for them."