Open-Source Project to Help Foil BioTerrorists

GenoTHREAT implements the "best match" screening protocol method recommended by the federal government to minimize the risk that unauthorized individuals or those with malicious intent will obtain toxins and other potentially dangerous materials from DNA synthesis providers. The process of developing GenoTHREAT allowed Peccoud's team to conduct a rigorous bioinformatic analysis of the strengths and limitations of the best match method, which was published in the March issue of Nature Biotechnology.

"It was natural to start developing GenoTHREAT around the federal guidance on synthetic DNA," said Peccoud. "Since this regulation is only one of many regulations and policies that providers of synthetic DNA need to comply with, our current efforts aim at developing a more comprehensive biosecurity solution that can be customized for a variety of users."