15 September 2003

New U.S.-Russian Collaboration Against Bioterrorism

Moscow's International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) participating

The U.S. Department of State announced September 15 a $1.7 million contract to support collaboration between the Boston-based Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT) and Moscow's International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) to implement a BioIndustry Initiative that has grown out of 2001 commitment between U.S. and Russian Presidents George W. Bush and Vladimir V. Putin to pursue cooperation to counter the threat of bioterrorism.

The BioIndustry Initiative (BII) "aims to counter the threat of bioterrorism through targeted transformation of former Soviet biological weapons research and production capacities by creating US-Russian research partnerships," according to the following Department of State media note:

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
September 15, 2003

MEDIA NOTE

U.S.-RUSSIA: BIOINDUSTRY INITIATIVE

New Collaboration to Reduce the Threat of Bioterrorism

The Department of State is pleased to announce a $1.7 million contract to support collaboration between the Boston-based Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT) and the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), Moscow, to implement the Department's BioIndustry Initiative. This new effort supports a 2001 commitment between U.S. and Russian Presidents, George W. Bush and Vladimir V. Putin, to pursue cooperation to counter the threat of bioterrorism, including a focus on health-related measures.

The BioIndustry Initiative (BII) is the Department of State's newest proliferation threat reduction program. It aims to counter the threat of bioterrorism through targeted transformation of former Soviet biological weapons research and production capacities by creating US-Russian research partnerships. Based on its successful consortium model, the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology will facilitate formation of systems in Russia to link scientists, physicians, and engineers to solve medical and scientific problems. Working with the International Science and Technology Center, it will create collaborative linkages among Russian scientists, U.S. academic institutions and industry to identify innovative technologies and commercialization opportunities.

Additional information is available from Anne Harrington and Jason Rao in the Bureau of Nonproliferation's Office of Proliferation Threat Reduction, (202) 736-7141.

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