The research, led by Professor Raina MacIntyre at the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney, explores a bioterrorism exercise called ‘Exercise Mataika’, which used the hypothetical scenario of a smallpox attack in the Pacific to examine our local, regional and global preparedness. The exercise brought together multidisciplinary experts from around the world. According to the research, the scenario is a higher risk today because of major advances in biology and DNA editing. A UN Security Council Report issued in February 2019 also highlights the increased risk of biological attacks. READ MORE

Global Biosecurity is available to access at https://jglobalbiosecurity.com