BIOSAFE aims to enhance the capability of public health- and civil protection authorities to respond adequately to the deliberate releases of biological agents by terrorists. In pursuit of this aim BIOSAFE will bring together, interpret and analyse existing expertise on virulence factors of those pathogens and toxins that may be used in acts of bio-terrorism, by means of the establishment of a European-wide network and a database information system. This database will be complemented by information on the disinfectants for these biologicals and on drugs, antisera and vaccines to stop terrorist induced infection outbreaks.

The objectives of BIOSAFE are:
1. Strengthening the co-ordination of research in the field of virulence factors.
2. Identification of specific virulence factors that might be used in (engineered) biological warfare organisms in order to detect these engineered organisms and break their virulence pathway.
3. Identification of new ways and methods to control outbreaks of disease caused by biological agents and to stop further spread of the disease, including identification of research requirement for the development of new cures and rapid detection methods.

The end result will be a conceptual framework on the interaction of pathogens with their host and methods to moderate the outcome of the infection, outlined in three reports and a database:
1. A report on virulence factors of potential bio-terrorism agents, as well as methods for detection of these agents.
2. A report focussing on the methods to control disease by these agents and to stop further spread of disease.
3. A report on lacking important information and research that needs to be undertaken to obtain this information.
4. Establishment of a European-wide database information system on virulence factors of biological agents potential for bio-terrorism.