UTMB Home Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Timeline Timeline of Events 2019 NIH/NIAID awards the Center of Excellence for Translational Research U19 grant "Advancement of Vaccines and Treatments for Ebola and Marburg Virus Infections". 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.2014 NIH/NIAID awards the Center of Excellence for Translational Research U19 grant "Advancement of Treatments for Ebola and Marburg Virus Infections". 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. 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) established. 2003 WRCE and GNL awards made; Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases established; The Robert E. Shope, MD Laboratory dedicated. 2002 NIAID Hepatitis Antiviral contract & NIAID Emerging Infectious Disease Research contract awarded; BSL4 lab ground-breaking 2001 UTMB Center for Biodefense established; September 11th and anthrax attacks occur. 1997 WHO Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research established; DARPA biodefense grant awarded; 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 established; Drs. Robert Tesh and Robert Shope relocate from Yale University; World Reference Center for Arboviruses established 1994 Center for Tropical Diseases established 1991 Concept of Center for Tropical Diseases proposed