Microbial Warrior® International today announced the official global expansion of its Biosecurity Emergency Response Team – Scientific Operations Group (BERT-SOG), an elite international deployment unit described as the “Special Forces” of high‑risk biohazard decontamination and abatement.

Designed to neutralize the world’s most dangerous biological and synthetic contaminants, BERT‑SOG represents the pinnacle of scientific decontamination, biosecurity response, and Forensic Restoration®.

As recent discoveries of unregulated biolabs, clandestine research operations, and high‑risk synthetic drug facilities continue to raise public concern worldwide, BERT-SOG was created to fill a gap in advanced decontamination and abatement where standard methods are no longer sufficient.

A Specialized Team for a New Era of Biosecurity Threats

Operating at the intersection of biorisk management, infection control, and international biosecurity, the BERT-SOG team is uniquely equipped to respond to environments that exceed traditional remediation capabilities.

BERT-SOG’s mission includes:

• Neutralizing complex and emerging threats
• High-level synthetic contaminants such as fentanyl and carfentanil
• Biological and chemical Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) related to bioterrorism 
• Emerging pathogens and novel microbiological threats
• Unregulated laboratory environments and illicit drug research sites

Scientific Decontamination Protocols

Each response is executed using scientifically validated, evidence-based decontamination systems developed for high‑risk, high‑level environments. These include advanced containment strategies, secondary exposure prevention, and forensic-level environmental abatement.

Forensic Restoration® and Abatement

BERT-SOG specialists conduct full-site decontamination and abatement for:

• High‑risk mass casualties and loss of life incident sites 
• Hazardous drug labs
• Contamination events involving unknown or unstable biological materials
• Critical infrastructure exposure scenarios
• Led by the Industry’s most respected experts who all hold the Certified Forensic Operator®, Certified High Risk/High Level Decontamination Specialist™ designations:              
• Jeff Jones, a former specialist in counterterrorism, US Army Soldier, SWAT team leader, and the youngest person to attend the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia transitioned his tactical expertise into the field of Forensic Restoration® decontamination and abatement.  He is widely considered the world’s leading expert in decontaminating the most dangerous biological and synthetic threats.
• Lori Jones is a globally acknowledged Forensic Restoration® specialist, R&R’s 2024 Women in Restoration Award winner, and Master Trainer with extensive field experience and authorship of key forensic guidelines.
• David Hart is a U.S. Army veteran, patented inventor, and the originator of Positive Air Duct Cleaning®, widely recognized for advancing modern HVAC decontamination standards and evidence‑based remediation research.
• Barry Costa is a 50‑year industry leader and an Icon in the cleaning and restoration industry who helped shape multiple ANSI/IICRC standards and serves as a Master Trainer with Microbial Warrior® Academy.
• Dr. Mark D. Tucker is a civil engineer and distinguished former Sandia National Laboratories researcher with 20 U.S. patents, known for developing the DF‑100 and DF‑200 decontamination foams used globally for chemical and biological hazard decontamination and abatement.
• Dr. Keri Lestage is a biochemical engineer and former Clorox R&D leader who co‑developed the first Clorox electrostatic device and now serves as Chief Science Officer at ByoPlanet, driving innovation in advanced disinfection technologies.
• Joe Drake is Vice President of Artemis Ag Solutions with more than 20 years of large‑scale project management experience and deep expertise in DF chemistry applications across complex decontamination and environmental response operations.
• Brad Smith is an industry professional with 17 years of experience supporting biohazard and environmental contamination projects. As Vice President at Artemis Bio-Solutions, he helps deploy advanced decontamination solutions across restoration, military, government, healthcare, and industrial sectors.
• Dr. Ashley Fratello is a board‑certified cardiothoracic surgeon who merges high‑risk surgical expertise with real‑world contamination response, informed by frontline clinical experience with major infectious hazards.
• Dr. Thomas Kleisli is a board‑certified cardiothoracic surgeon with advanced subspecialty training from USC and Northwestern, a robust publication record, and extensive experience operating in high‑risk, precision‑driven clinical environments.

BERT-SOG members endure rigorous, multi‑phase training designed to test psychological resilience, operational capability, scientific understanding, and precision under extreme conditions.

A Global Network of High‑Risk Decontamination Specialists

BERT-SOG now supports:

• International agencies
• Government organizations
• Critical infrastructure operators
• Private-sector entities requiring discreet, high‑level decontamination 

Each specialist holds the Microbial Warrior® High‑Risk / High‑Level Decontamination Specialist™ certification, the most advanced and selective designation in the world.

Responding to the Challenges of 2026 and Beyond

The rise of:

• Illicit synthetic drug labs
• Unauthorized or unsafe biological research facilities
• Cross-border pathogen transport
• Infrastructure contamination events

BERT-SOG was built to meet these challenges head‑on, delivering rapid, discreet, scientifically validated decontamination and abatement of any contaminant or pathogen far exceeding any and all industry standards with state of the art tactics, techniques, and tools which are based on science and backed by experience. 

About Microbial Warrior® International

Microbial Warrior® International is the industry leader in high-risk decontamination training, scientific cleanup methodologies, and forensic-level restoration. The organization provides specialized instruction to remediation professionals, first responders, government agencies, and private organizations worldwide.

More information can be found at: https://microbialwarriorbiosecurity.com/about-us/