(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Mike Johanns announced a plan today, Tuesday, February
3, to advance Nebraskas efforts in bioterrorism preparedness. The
goal of the plan is to combine private and public funding to construct
a bioterrorism preparedness facility at the University of Nebraska Medical
Center (UNMC).
Under the plan, UNMC would receive a total of $6 million over the next
three years from federal homeland security funding designated for Nebraska.
In addition, the Governor is recommending that UNMC receive a total of
$6 million over the next three years from the Health Care Cash Fund. That
$12 million would be contingent upon the university receiving $30 million
in private funding.
This initiative is an opportunity for the state to leverage its resources
with those of the private sector to advance our prominent position in the
national bioterrorism preparedness effort, Gov. Johanns said. The University
of Nebraska, and UNMC specifically, has demonstrated tremendous passion
and commitment toward being a national leader in bioterrorism preparedness.
The partnership between the state and university in this area is very unique,
and this facility would give us the necessary capabilities to expand that
partnership to the federal level.
The $30 million in private funding would also assist in constructing
the Research Center for Excellence II, a sister building to the Durham
Research Center at UNMC. The RCE II would be an 11-level, 227,000-gross-square-foot
facility that would house 77 research laboratories. More than 30 percent
of the laboratory space would comprise the Nebraska Bioterrorism Preparedness
Laboratories (NBPL).
The Governors Office has led a concerted effort to put Nebraska at
the forefront of many areas of bioterrorism preparedness, and were excited
that our expertise is a major component of that effort, University of
Nebraska President L. Dennis Smith, Ph.D., said. Were very appreciative
that the Governor has included the University of Nebraska in the Homeland
Security Policy Group, and were glad to help the state maintain its leadership
position in this area.
UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., said, Undoubtedly, this facility
would elevate our bioterrorism preparedness efforts to the next level.
With this building, we would better be able to address an urgent national
need and better protect the safety of Nebraskans.
Nebraska Lt. Gov. Dave Heineman, who directs Nebraskas Homeland Security
efforts, said the new facility is necessary if Nebraska is to continue
as a national leader in bioterrorism preparedness.
Gov. Johanns has led a two-year effort to call attention to the capabilities
within the state of Nebraska, including novel programs by the Health and
Human Services System, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and all
of the members of the Homeland Security Policy Group, Lt. Gov. Heineman
said. The universitys capabilities, in partnership with the state, are
among the best in the nation, and federal officials are recognizing our
expertise.
The partnership between UNMC and the state in this area can be traced
to the mid-1990s, when UNMC became the first academic medical center in
the nation to totally integrate a states medical tests with its hospital
laboratory. The NPHL has been a national leader in many projects, including
developing connections with small rural hospitals and laboratories as well
as improving diagnostic capabilities for biological and chemical agents
that could threaten the well-being of Nebraskas citizens. In the past
year, the NPHL was selected as one of 23 U.S. labs to perform testing for
smallpox during the national vaccination program.
Steven Hinrichs, M.D., a UNMC professor and NPHL director, said the
new facility would strengthen the universitys position in competing for
national grants and federal programs that are emphasizing national security
and preventive strategies for select agents, or those infectious diseases
that are thought to have use as weapons of mass destruction.
This will allow us to consolidate our biosecurity efforts and rapidly
expand our capabilities in a number of key areas, including infectious
disease research, diagnostic testing, bioinformatics and specialized services,
said Dr. Hinrichs, who also directs the NU Center for Biosecurity.
A new bioinformatics program, which would be housed in the new facility,
would enhance diagnostic capabilities, Dr. Hinrichs said. That program
would include new software programs that would rapidly analyze biologic
select agents and determine important characteristics, such as antibiotic
resistance. The center also would house the proposed National Biosecurity
Center for Rural Health (NBCRH).
Richard Raymond, M.D., chief medical officer for the state of Nebraska,
said that although West Nile Virus is not a select agent, the increased
capacity established from previous bioterrorism preparedness funds allowed
for the rapid expansion of testing capability during the West Nile outbreak
in Nebraska this past year.
It is expected that having modern, up-to-date facilities would contribute
significantly to the laboratorys ability to respond to future emerging
infectious diseases, Dr. Raymond said.