$1.7M grant awarded to microbiologist to fight bioterrorism

Calgary, AB – The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Dr Donald Woods, at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, $1.7 million for research into vaccines against agents of bioterrorism.

Dr Woods, who is part of the Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, is studying and testing vaccine preparations for the prevention of glanders and melioidosis.

Glanders is a widespread bacterial disease primarily found in horses that can be transmitted to humans. It has a history of use in biological warfare. Melioidosis, which affects people in Southeast Asia, is also caused by a bacterial agent. The disease can result in pneumonia, septicemia, and if left untreated, can become chronic.