Lisbon (Portugal) – The Portuguese Army’s Military Laboratory for Biological and Chemical Defence carried out the “Immersion in Biosafety and Bioprotection” exchange, with the aim of sharing knowledge and experiences to strengthen the International Network of Laboratories Specialized in Biological Defence. Brazil was represented by Lieutenant-Colonel Marcos Dornelas Ribeiro, from the Army Biology Institute.
During the immersion, the Brazilian representative was able to visit the Portuguese laboratory and take part in seminars on defense and biological warfare issues. Preliminary tests were also carried out with the bacterium Bacillus anthracis in a High Biological Containment Laboratory (NB3). These tests are part of the Portuguese Army’s preparation for participation in the RefBio project, which deals with the German contribution to strengthening bioanalytical reference laboratories, a functional network of laboratories specialized in identifying infectious biological agents suspected of use in biological weapons, coordinated by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.
The Brazilian representative presented the capabilities of the Army’s Biology Institute and the Army’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense System to the Portuguese team. Possibilities for partnerships between Brazil and Portugal in the areas of biological defense, biosafety and bioprotection were discussed.
At the end of the immersion, a joint exercise simulated building contamination by a suspected biological agent. The team called in carried out reconnaissance of the area and collected material to characterize the possible biological agents used in bioterrorism.
The initiative helped to increase the expertise of friendly nations in dealing with biological threats, and is particularly important in the context of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries.
Source: Army Biology Institute