On 7 August 2012, Senator Richard G. Lugar and Department of Defense Assistant Secretary Andrew C. Weber visited the All-Russian Institute for Phytopathology (VNIIF) and received a briefing on the work performed under ISTC Project #2685, which is funded under the US Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. 

As part of the project, key elements of the Institute’s infrastructure were upgraded to increase both bio-safety and bio-security aspects. The upgrades included renovation of the strain collection facility, re-building of a greenhouse, installation of perimeter fencing, and electronic and physical protection systems. 

In addition, as part of the project, a cooperative research effort is underway with US Department of Agriculture collaborators that will result in the molecular characterization of VNIIF’s strain collection. This joint project has also supported training of VNIIF staff at four separate USDA laboratories.