Science Needs for Microbial Forensics Developing Initial International Research Priorities (2014) / Chapter Skim
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8 Findings and Conclusions: Initial Prioritized Science Needs for Microbial Forensics
8 Findings and Conclusions: Initial Prioritized Science Needs for Microbial Forensics
Pages 157-178
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From page 157... ...
BASIC SCIENCE As discussed in Chapter 2, although the world of living things is dominated by microorganisms, very little is known about the vast majority of microbes. Until recently, much of what is known was based on the very few microorganisms that are culturable and that were studied in laboratories using growth characteristics, Gram stains, serology, and other traditional techniques.
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From page 158... ...
Background knowledge is also important in determining whether the presence of that pathogen is natural or the result of a deliberate or inadvertent release. Understanding the endemic microbial background is necessary to provide proper context for microbial forensics analyses, interpretations, communication, and resulting decision making.
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From page 159... ...
As noted in the Biological Response and Recovery Science and Technology Roadmap recently issued by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC, 2013) , a biological event demands "a quick and effective response in order to minimize loss of life and other adverse consequences and, in the case of suspected criminal activity or terrorism, to thwart ongoing activity and prevent follow-on attacks." Timelines for making this crucial determination are currently unacceptable from both public health and law enforcement standpoints, which require development and management of appropriate and rapid responses, recovery measures, and resolution.
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From page 160... ...
Finding: Metagenomics has great promise for microbial forensics if it can be adapted to improve and speed up the ability to characterize microbial species and communities derived from environmental samples. But it is as yet unclear whether the "clutter" in metagenomics samples can be exploited for forensic value.
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From page 161... ...
With any infectious disease outbreak, the starting point is determining what the agent is, whether for epidemiological or microbial forensic purposes. The use of molecular techniques to identify pathogen species and strains has, over the last 10 years, become fundamental to microbial forensics and is rapidly being adopted in clinical medicine.
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From page 162... ...
government has recently announced a new Global Health Security Agenda to intensify worldwide efforts to achieve global health security.
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From page 163... ...
Other physical science techniques, such as mass spectrometry and electron beam–based methods, can be used to analyze the physical properties of microbial forensic evidence, for example, the presence of additives for stabilization and/or dispersability and physical signatures from the locale where the material was produced (Michael et al., 2011)
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From page 164... ...
Microarray readers for other purposes, such as oncology or infectious disease screening, could be leveraged by the development of custom chips that are directed to addressing microbial forensic issues. Many assays are available, but will need to be customized on a single chip to be more comprehensive for microbial forensic needs.
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From page 165... ...
Conclusion 7: Development of more advanced, faster, and cheaper assay and sequencing technologies that can be standardized and made more accessible to benefit both microbial forensics and public health is nec
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From page 166... ...
These technologies also appear to be useful, particularly for helping to determine the manufacturing method for a biothreat agent by analyzing the materials associated with the sample, such as agar and silicon in scenarios where residual material, a dispersal device, or other materials are discovered. Conclusion 8: High priority needs to be placed on continued research and development to improve physical science applications to microbial forensics.
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From page 167... ...
For microbial forensics, guidelines are needed that will support the criminal justice system and intelligence community and comply with standards for crime scene examiners. Type of release influences the type of sampling that is appropriate.
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From page 168... ...
Another variable is the individual who performs sample collection. Quality management needs for performing microbial forensic work include scientific rigor and validity; methods that will support attribution for criminal investigations; and establishing national and international working guidelines for quality assurance and quality control as applied to microbial forensics.
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From page 169... ...
The quality of sequence data and the results of bioinformatics analyses must be as high as possible. Factors to consider that impact data interpretation and quality include the quality metrics of sequence data; sequence errors and uncertainties; reliable standards for genomic data representation; uncertainty with databases used; inferences based on available data, including meta-data; formulation of well-defined hypotheses; and testing methods for assessing the weight of microbial forensics evidence.
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From page 170... ...
Data Sharing Finding: One highly consistent theme heard at the workshop was that data sharing is critical and desperately needed, encompassing biological information on gene sequences, software, and protocols, and standard operating procedures for all microbial forensic methods. Sharing of such data has the potential to promote international collaboration and cooperation among scientists and, more importantly, to inspire innovation.
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From page 171... ...
Conclusion 12: Discussions are needed under the auspices of an international body that has the respect of the international political and scientific communities about how to share microbial forensic data, and for developing and presenting cogent arguments that can be persuasive to political leaders and scientists worldwide. Databases and Reference Collections Finding: The importance of having a comprehensive archive, or set of archives, of reference materials was emphasized by numerous participants at the workshop, although it was not clear to what extent an archive should contain organisms, nucleic acids only, or just sequence information, the latter of which is technically not a reference collection but a database.
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From page 172... ...
A core microbial forensics training program that is available world wide is needed, and a determination of who would be responsible for developing and implementing such a program is required as soon as possible. Training, and perhaps even certifications, in microbial forensics disciplines would help make microbial foren sics a more widely accepted basis for law enforcement actions for use in both domestic and international settings.
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From page 173... ...
Currently, there is scant literature available for either the general public or policy makers that explains either the nature or significance of microbial forensics or the fact that moving microbial forensics to a fully mature and accepted set of law enforcement tools requires substantial long-term scientific effort as well as new policies to facilitate that effort and its implementation. Conclusion 14: An expansion of technically based training is needed to "professionalize" microbial forensics and increase the number of qualified practitioners worldwide by engaging international professional organizations or other entities that have experience providing training in related fields.
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From page 174... ...
• The second set represents needs that could take advantage of ongoing efforts to advance the development of microbial foren sics, but will require deliberate communication efforts and in some cases funding to ensure that microbial forensics applications are actually included and implemented. • The third set of needs has the advantage of either a relatively short lead time to make substantial progress or the existence of significant markets that will provide incentives for industry to produce what is required.
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From page 175... ...
Ongoing Efforts on Which to Build • ncreased emphasis on research to determine mechanisms of I pathogenicity, including virulence factors and host immune responses. (Conclusion 5, Needs Common to Medicine, Public Health, and Microbial Forensics)
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From page 176... ...
(Conclusion 4, Needs Common to Medicine, Public Health, and Microbial Forensics) • igh priority placed on continued research and development H to improve physical science applications to microbial forensics.
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From page 177... ...
, and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) illustrates the potential for initiatives to address global disease threats of any origin to contribute to building fundamental microbial forensic capabilities.
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From page 178... ...
It is hoped that the Agenda will eventually accommodate clear considerations of the needs of microbial forensics.
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