Campus.News reports that Jonathan Dordick, The Howard P. Isermann '42 Professor of Chemical Engineering at Rensselaer, is investigating the use of naturally occurring pigments as indicators of bioterror attacks. He hopes to be able to develop a means of manipulating enzymes "to prepare uniquely pigmented compounds that could be implanted into any materials to indicate the presence of biological and chemical agents, such as anthrax, smallpox, and mustard gas."

This might allow the production of bio-engineered plants in the future that would turn un-natural colors if exposed to biological and chemical agents. They could be of major assistance if such plants were placed around government and industrial facilities, and a terrorist attack subsequently occurred.