Simulated agent mimics bio-terror weapons.

• Author: Pappalardo, Joe
• Position: Security beat: homeland defense briefs - Brief Article

Scientists in Kansas City have created a biological simulant that impersonates dangerous pathogens, a development that eases the testing of detection systems.

Sceptor Industries Inc. engineered the product, called BioSim, in a partnership with the Midwest Research Institute. The company is marketing genetically tailored simulants for a variety of pathogens. For example, scientists make an anthrax mimic by taking DNA from a common, harmless anthrax substitute called Bacillus globigii and chemically attaching it to the generic BioSim beads. That way, the resulting particle behaves like anthrax as far as detection systems can tell, with no risk.

The test particles are designed to be collected and analyzed using polymerase chain reaction methods, a common but expensive process that is used in virtually all currently deployed detection systems. Company officials said future efforts would concentrate on simulant compatibility with...