Tunis — According to NATO's website a Tunisian research project initiated by researchers at the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées et de Technologies (INSAT) on "Advanced Pathogen Detection for Human Protection" was one of the projects approved by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Science for Peace and Security Programme.

The real novelty of the project will be the development of highly specific bio-sensors based on 'phages', bacteria specific viruses which should provide improved sensor specificity compared to conventional systems using antibodies.

The developed technology will be patented by the research teams involved and will be validated at a Canadian industrial facility, 'BioPhage Pharma', which will also commercialise it.

The research which has strong potential industrial applications will also involve Spanish and American partners. Most of the project's scientific groundwork will be carried out in Tunisia. The two- year project is expected to come to completion by April 2011.