Welcome to the Galveston National Lab

The Galveston National Laboratory (GNL) is a sophisticated high containment research facility that serves as a critically important resource in the global fight against infectious diseases. The GNL is located on the campus of the University of Texas Medical Branch and operates under the umbrella of UTMB’s Institute for Human Infections and Immunity.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provides funding for the BSL4 laboratories and operations at the GNL, and the lab’s top priority is research to develop diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines to combat the most dangerous diseases in the world.

Researchers at the GNL are internationally known for their expertise working with pathogens including Ebola and Marburg, emerging infectious diseases like MERS, and mosquito borne viruses like Zika and Chikungunya. Research also focuses on understanding transmission and pathogenesis of emerging viruses and developing medical countermeasures for dangerous pathogens that can be weaponized.

The Galveston National Laboratory is home to research that is funded by NIAID, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and other federal agencies, as well as academic partners, private foundations, and the Biopharmaceutical industry.

GNL to Host Lab Network Meeting

Once a year, representatives from the nation's national and regional infectious disease research laboratories come together to discuss issues of mutual concern, and this year members of the NIAID Biodefense Laboratory Network and their invited guests will meet in Galveston at the end of April.

The world of high containment medical research is a relatively small one, which is why this meeting is a "must attend" for professionals from the 14 American universities that have high containment research labs (BSL3 and BSL4). More than 100 people are registered to attend this year's meeting, which will offer opportunities for the lab directors, biosafety personnel, veterinary staff and operations/maintenance personnel to share best practices and work through mutual issues of concern.

In addition to the university labs, the meeting has become a popular draw for government lab personnel, and this year representatives will participate from six US Government labs and Public Health of England. 

The meeting offers a unique opportunity for professionals who face similar challenges to get together to discuss topics ranging from the interpretation of new regulations to dealing with aging facilities and funding challenges.