Chemical and Biological Weapons Control
Our profile
We are an interdisciplinary group combining expertise in molecular biology and genetics, organic and physical chemistry, artificial intelligence and political science. Our research focuses on scientific and technological (S&T) developments in biology, biotechnology and chemistry that may be relevant for the disarmament and nonproliferation of chemical and biological weapons (CBW). We monitor trends and specific technologies, including AI-based technologies, and analyse them from scientific as well as political and legal perspectives. We scrutinize potential security risks and challenges arising from selected S&T developments as well as opportunities to strengthen CBW disarmament, nonproliferation and security. The group is also part of the PRIF Research Group “Biological and Chemical Disarmament and Security”.
Our research field
Supported in part by Artificial Intelligence, biology, biotechnology and chemistry have been advancing at a rapid pace, producing many beneficial developments for, among other things, the prevention, detection and treatment of diseases as well as industrial applications. At the same time, some research activities may harbor the risk of being misused to help develop new CBW or gain easier access to known CBW agents. CBW are comprehensively banned by the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Their use is also prohibited by the 1925 Geneva Protocol and under international customary law. However, the implementation and enforcement of these prohibitions face ongoing challenges, including treaty violations such as chemical weapons use in Syria and Ukraine, disinformation related to CBW activities, and gaps in verification and investigation capabilities. They are further affected by insufficiently governed research and developments with dual-use potential. Strong intersections of the field with public health issues as well as current global geopolitical tensions and international security dynamics further complicate efforts to strengthen CBW nonproliferation and disarmament.
Our research topics
In our research, we monitor relevant S&T developments; we analyse selected technologies regarding their dual-use potential; we identify possible technical safeguards and governance strategies for these technologies to help minimize their risks and enhance chemical and biological security; and we develop science-based policy options to support CBW disarmament and non-proliferation, in particular in the areas of detection, investigation and verification. Here we collaborate with the PRIF-led CBWNet project on compliance with and enforcement of CBW norms. Individual projects of the CNTR research group focus on:
- Security-relevant AI applications in biodesign, protein design, and chemistry
- Genetic engineering attribution in the context of BTWC verification discussions
- Detection and identification of known and unknown toxic chemical compounds and substances
- S&T developments related to investigations of alleged CBW use
Dr. Una Jakob
Head of Research Group
Prof. Dr. Peter R. Schreiner, PhD
Head of Research Group
Dr. Philipp Gasse
Researcher
Dr. Kadri Reis
Researcher
- Una Jakob participated in the 1st NATO Biotechnology Conference on 28 October 2025 in Brussels and co-chaired a workshop on “Biotechnologies and Proliferation Risks – Biodefence and Detection”.
- Una Jakob participated in a scenarios-based workshop on chemical weapons use as part of “Project Anthracite: Assessing the Chemical Weapons capabilities of the DPRK” of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), 27 October 2025, London.
- Workshop UNSGM Dialogue, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, June 25-26, 2025. Una Jakob held a presentation on “Political Context: The 1925 Geneva Protocol and the 1927 Biological Weapons Convention”.
- Una Jakob held a presentation on “Dealing with residual chemical weapons capabilities in Syria”, IISS Missile Dialogue, Vienna, May 08, 2025 (online).
- Workshop Verification of the Biological Weapons Convention, Federal Foreign Office, Berlin, May 07, 2025. Una Jakob held a presentation on “Confidence-building and verification for the Biological Weapons Convention”.
- Panel discussion at the Federal Academic for Security Policy (Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik, BAKS) on the topic “From AI to 3D-Printing, Drones & Biotechnology: Dual-Use Challenges and Technology Governance” on May 6, 2025. Event organized by CNTR with Kadri Reis.
- SIPRI WMD Course for Natural Scientists, April 09, 2025 (online). Una Jakob held a lecture on “Chemical Weapons, their Arsenals, Proliferation and Disarmament”.
- Webinar Organisational, Institutional and Financial Matters, BWC Working Group Friends of the Chair Webinar Series, UNIDIR, November 26, 2024. Una Jakob participated as panelist.
- 2nd Erlangen Conference Academia Engagement in Multilateral Export Controls: Dialogue for Effective Approaches to Implementing UNSC Resolution 1540, Bundesausfuhramt (BAFA), Federal Foreign Office, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, Nuremberg, November 20, 2024. Una Jakob gave a keynote speech „What is good science?”.
- Panel discussion “Biological Weapons Convention at 50: Achievements, Gaps, and the Road Ahead”, EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference, EUNPDC, 10-11 November, 2024, Brussels. Una Jakob participated as panelist.
- Public debate „What is research allowed to do? On freedom and limits of science“ during the Long Nights of the Sciences at the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Halle (Saale), July 5, 2024. Una Jakob participated as expert.
- Webinar Compliance and verification, UNIDIR, BWC Working Group Friends of the Chair Webinar Series, May 13, 2024 (online). Una Jakob participated as panelist.
- Una Jakob contributed to the SIPRI online introductory course for students of technical disciplines “Addressing the challenges posed by chemical and biological weapons” with presentations on about the chemical weapons prohibition and the use of chemical weapons in Syria. She delivered the lectures on May 28 and 29, 2024.
- Erlangen Conference 2023 “Academia engagement in multilateral export controls: Dialogue for effective approaches to implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004)”, organized by the German government in cooperation with UNODA on November 8-9, 2023. Una Jakob presented the work of the Joint Committee on the Handling of Security-Relevant Research of the German Research Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
- Panel discussion “Biosecurity Research – Challenges in Communication between Science and Politics” at the Medical Biodefence Conference 2023, organized by the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology in Munich on October 22–25, 2023. Una Jakob participated as a panelist.
- Annual Training Programme on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, organized by Asser Institute and OPCW, Den Haag, on September 20, 2023. Una Jakob gave a presentation on “Biological Weapons, Biological Threats and Biosecurity”.
- Roundtable discussion at RWTH Aachen (in German) on the topic “Chemiewaffenverbot - Was sollte in Forschung und Lehre geschehen?” on July 12, 2023. Una Jakob participated as a panelist.
- “Biorisks, Biosecurity and Biological Disarmament Conference”, organised by UNIDIR, UNODA and WHO in Geneva on July 4–5, 2023. Una Jakob moderated the panel “Monitoring and Verification for the BWC”.
- Webinar on verification of and compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention, organized by UNIDIR, on May 13, 2024. Una Jakob participated as a speaker.
- CBWNet Workshop “Great Power Competition and the Norms of the CBW Prohibition Regimes”, in Berlin on May 8–9, 2023. Una Jakob gave a presentation on the United Nations Secretary General's Mechanism for Investigation of Alleged Chemical and Biological Weapons Use.
- Biorisk Expert Workshop “Biorisk Awareness and the Biological Weapons Convention”, organized by SIPRI in Stockholm on January 17–18, 2023. Una Jakob participated.
- Policy advice for Interacademy Partnership (IAP) in 2023. Simulation of a scientific advisory body for the Biological Weapons Convention. Una Jakob participated as an expert.
- Una Jakob is co-chair of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Expert Network of the UNIDIR Science and Technology Watchtower project, funded by the EU for 2025-2028.
- Una Jakob participated in the workshop “Strategic foresight on dual-use research at the One Health intersection” of the WHO, 22 May 2025 (online).
- Biosecurity Strategy Group of CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations). Una Jakob is a member.
- Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Mentorship Programme 2023-24, sponsored by the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium. Una Jakob participates as mentor.
- Meetings of the Biological Weapons Convention Working Group in Geneva in December 2023. Una Jakob participated as advisor to the German delegation.
- Meetings of the Biological Weapons Convention Working Group in Geneva in August 2023. Una Jakob participated as advisor to the German delegation.
