A team at Flinders University’s Torrens Resilience Institute has been awarded $930,000 by the Canadian government funded Weapons of Mass Destruction Weapons Threat Reduction Program, to deliver three sub-projects with the goal of protecting global communities against deliberate health threats.

Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor Paul Arbon will be leading the project, which will be managed by Dr Rebecca Hoile – an international bioterrorism expert who has previously headed Chemical, Biological and Radiological Sub-Directorate (CBRN) preparedness and prevention at Interpol in Lyon.

Three sub-projects will be funded by the grant:

Sub-project 1

To develop a forensic data collection smart phone application, for use by teams in response to suspected deliberate biological events.

Sub-project 2

To enhance the Observatory for CBRN Security and Defence global reporting database based in Italy with additional biological threat surveillance and reports.

Sub-project 3

To review and discuss improved coordination of response agencies and governments within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for cross-national deliberate events.

The Torrens Resilience Institute was established to support organisations and societies in their ability to respond to disruptive challenges that could potentially overwhelm local disaster-management capabilities.