Timeline of Events

2021

NIH/NIAID awards Research Project Program P01 grant “Molecular Mechanisms of the Dysregulated Immune Response to Ebola Virus”. (PIs: Dr. Alexander Bukreyev and Dr. Mariano-Garcia-Blanco).

DTRA awards first institutional Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC) “Development of an aerosol induced nonhuman primate model of Lassa fever”. (PI: Dr. Thomas W. Geisbert).

NIH/NIAID awards the renewal of the Fogarty International Center training program grant on the impact of zoonotic and vector-borne viruses, rickettsiae, and Leptospira in acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses. (PI: Dr. Patricia Aguilar).

2019

NIH/NIAID awards the Center of Excellence for Translational Research U19 grant "Advancement of Vaccines and Treatments for Ebola and Marburg Virus Infections". (PI: Dr. Thomas W. Geisbert).

2016

NIH/NIAID awards the Fogarty International Center training program grant on the impact of zoonotic and vector-borne viruses, rickettsiae, and Leptospira in acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses. (PI: Dr. David H. Walker).

2014

NIH/NIAID awards the Center of Excellence for Translational Research U19 grant "Advancement of Treatments for Ebola and Marburg Virus Infections". (PI: Dr. Thomas W. Geisbert).

2010

Dr. Peter Melby joins UTMB and heads Center for Tropical Diseases.

2009

NIH/NIAID the Western Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (WRCE) grant renewed. (PI: Dr. David H. Walker).

2008

Galveston National Laboratory opens.

2004

The Robert E. Shope, MD, Laboratory in the John Sealy Pavilion for Infectious Diseases Research commissioned; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (IHII) (Founding Director: Dr. Stanley Lemon) established.

2003

WRCE (PI: Dr. David H. Walker) and GNL (PI: Dr. Stanley Lemon) awards made; Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases established (Executive Director: Dr. David H. Walker); The Robert E. Shope, MD Laboratory dedicated.

2002

NIAID Hepatitis Antiviral contract (PI: Dr. Stanley Lemon) & NIAID Emerging Infectious Disease Research contract (PI: Dr. David H. Walker) awarded; BSL4 lab ground-breaking.

2001

UTMB Center for Biodefense (Director: Dr. Clarence J. Peters) established;
September 11th and anthrax attacks occur.

1997

WHO Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research established (Director & PI: Robert Tesh); DARPA biodefense grant awarded (PI: Dr. Robert E. Shope); UTMB President Dr. Jack Stobo endorses concept of constructing BSL4 lab on campus.

1996

Strategy for developing BSL4 lab proposed by Dr. David Walker

1995

WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases (Director: Dr. David H. Walker) established; Drs. Robert Tesh and Robert Shope relocate from Yale University; World Reference Center for Arboviruses (Director & PI: Robert Tesh) established

1994

Center for Tropical Diseases (Founding Director: Dr. David H. Walker) established

1991

Concept of Center for Tropical Diseases proposed by Dr. Thomas James.