April 11, 2003

A Researcher Tries to Outsmart Anthrax

By RICHARD MONASTERSKY

Julia Ying Wang grips the tail of a squirming mouse as she brings a syringe slowly toward the animal. Conversation stops as she slides the tip of the needle into its tail, and injects a dose of anthrax toxin, taking care not to poke one of her own fingers.

"If this were to get into your blood, it would kill you," says Ms. Wang, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "I won't let other people in the lab do this experiment because I don't want them to get

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