Northeast Biodefense Center

Region II NIH Regional Center of Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases

Principal Investigator: Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, Columbia University

Mission Statement To support and implement the biodefense research agenda of the NIAID by:

  • Pursuing multifaceted research and development activities
  • Building programs for training researchers and other personnel for biodefense research careers
  • Establishing core facilities to sustain the research and training activities

An Emergency Response Plan has been developed in collaboration with representatives of local and state public health agencies, as well as the AMDeC Center on Biodefense, the Center for Public Health Preparedness at Columbia University, and the Rutgers Center for Biodefense.  
http://www.nbc.columbia.edu/

Location of academic members of the Region II, Regional Center of Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases known as the Northeast Biodefense Center

 

Northeast Biodefense Center Partners

AMDeC Foundation, Inc.
Albany Medical College
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Columbia University
Consortium for Conservation Medicine
Cornell University
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York Medical College
New York Structural Biology Center
New York University (College of Arts & Science, School of Medicine)
Ordway Research Institute
Public Health Research Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Sandia National Laboratories (DOE), NM
Stony Brook University, State University of New York, School of Medicine
The Rockefeller University
Trudeau Institute
University at Albany, State University of New York
University at Buffalo, State University of New York
University of Massachusetts Medical School
University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey
University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, Caribbean Primate Research Center
University of Rochester, School of Medicine & Dentistry
Wadsworth Center/NYSDOH
Yale University, School of Medicine

Animal Models

Existing Models

  • Plague
  • Anthrax
  • Tularemia
  • Glanders
  • MDR/XDR TB

Pending

  • Avian/Pandemic Flu
  • Arthropod-borne diseases  

Animal hosts: Mouse, rat, guinea pig, rabbit, ferret, chick

Routes of Infection: All; special emphasis on aerosol

Animal model team: 5 members

Experience: 15 years of safe work with aerosolized TB 82 Animal Care and Use Protocols since 2004 (32 Select agent) >900,000 animal housing days BSL3 agents since 2004  
http://www.nbc.columbia.edu/animal_core.html

Vulnerability of tri-state area of NY, NJ & CT to highly transmissible infectious agents

NYC metropolitan area
21M inhabitants
35M annual visitors
tourism = $25B annual income, 280,000 jobs

LGA, EWR, JFK serve 90M passengers annually

Tri-State Gross Annual Product > $1.3T
13% of US total

Hub for commerce, media, culture, finance, international diplomacy

Vulnerability as symbols
World Trade Center , Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Prudential