Chemical and Biological Defense

A female scientist looks at an image of microbes on a computer screen Chemical and biological attacks pose a significant threat to the nation’s population, infrastructure, economy and security. Quickly and accurately detecting the presence of dangerous chemicals or diseases in communities and transportation hubs is essential to safeguarding public health, especially for first responders. Diagnosing and preventing the spread of foreign diseases among livestock protects family livelihoods and the economic sectors that rely on animal products. The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) partners with authorities across the nation to address these needs through technological innovation and future-focused research. In the areas of human and animal health, S&T equips officials with the resources and information they need to identify, prevent and/or respond to the threat of chemical releases and catastrophic diseases.

Our programs support multi-layered defense capabilities including biosurveillance, threat awareness, prevention, surveillance and detection, forensics and response and recovery.