OCT. 20, 2003—During her recent visit to campus, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison praised the leaders, the scientists and the supportive community who helped make UTMB and Texas a leader in biodefense research. Hutchison's remarks were made at a reception following her tour the soon-to-open BSL4 lab with its key staff.
Hutchison's tour came a week after UTMB was announced as the site for one of two National Biocontainment Laboratories in the country and the recipient of $110 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for biodefense research. UTMB is also one of eight Regional Centers of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the only institution to achieve both the national and regional designations.
Hutchison, who was born at a UTMB hospital and grew up in nearby LaMarque, has been instrumental in securing support for the nation's biodefense effort and has championed UTMB's efforts to combat manmade and natural threats related to infectious diseases.
"Having been born right across the street, I couldn't be more excited about what my hometown and my home county have done on the merits," Hutchison said. "You did it on the merits. You became the center of excellence in biodefense research."
President Dr. John D. Stobo thanked Hutchison for her continued support.
"Under her leadership, Texas has moved from sixth to fourth nationally in federal higher education and research funding," he said. Jim Guckian, acting executive vice chancellor for health affairs for the University of Texas System, also recognized the senator's efforts.
The $150 million facility at UTMB will provide much-needed laboratory space for researchers from around the country. Work inside it will focus on developing therapies, vaccines and diagnostic tests for microbes that might be used by bioterrorists, as well as on naturally occurring emerging infections such as SARS and West Nile virus.
The new BSL4 Laboratory is the first full-sized maximum containment facility on a U.S. university campus. It will be formally dedicated and operational in mid-November, after which time only trained researchers will have access.