DSB to meet next week on biology task force study

The Defense Science Board will hold a meeting next week to discuss the findings and recommendations of a task force established in March 2017 to look into how biology could be used both against and by the Defense Department.

In March 2017, the Pentagon's then-acting acquisition chief tasked the DSB with the study, noting in a memo that the department's lack of involvement in this area could lead to battlefield surprises.

"The goal of this task force is to explore and articulate the opportunities and potential risks enabled by modern and emerging bioscience advances that could significantly impact our national security and improve our defense capabilities," James MacStravic, who at the time was performing the duties of the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, wrote in the Feb. 9, 2017 terms of reference memo.

On Feb. 21, Arup Chakraborty and George Whitesides, co-chairs of the biology study task force, "will provide a brief on the Task Force on Biology's findings and recommendations and engage in classified discussion with the DSB. The DSB will then vote on the Biology Task Force's findings and recommendations," states a Federal Register notice issued this morning.

The Pentagon has not engaged in the development of modern biology as it has with other major technologies, and DOD does not play a "significant" role in the bioscience university and industrial complex, according to the March 2017 memo.

"As a result, the department runs a serious risk of being surprised when bioscience is applied to strengthen or expand an adversary's capabilities," MacStravic wrote.

Following the biology task force briefing, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John Rood, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Director of Operational Test and Evaluation Robert Behler will provide classified briefings on the "challenges" their offices and organizations face, according to the Federal Register notice.