UIC scientists get $14 million bioterrorism grant

Scientists in Chicago have received a $14 million government grant to develop drugs to fight anthrax and other bioterrorism agents.

The money comes from the U.S. Department of Defense. The scientists are at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology.

Their research will focus on creating antibiotics to fight anthrax, plague and tularemia. Authorities are concerned terrorists could wage biological warfare with these naturally occurring bacteria.

Professor emeritus Michael Johnson says the bacteria pose a national security risk because they can be easily disseminated and some can be deadly. And Johnson says new antibiotics targeting resistant bacteria strains are strongly needed. He's the project's lead researcher.