COVID-19 Disrupts Biotech Collaboration.

• Author: Magnuson, Stew

The COVID-19 pandemic ironically could undermine Defense Department efforts to collaborate with international partners on R&D, according to a top scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Biotech is a major focus area where AFRL wants to expand cooperation with allies, Dr. Rajesh Naik said at NDIAs Pacific Operational Science and Technology Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii.

"That's clearly an area where there's investments across the world in that space because it's such a foundational enabling technology," he said. "We want to tap into that."

Even small nations such as Singapore have expertise to offer, he noted. "There are smaller partner nations that are investing in very unique aspects of that research...