In 2015, in response to the 2014-2016 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, UTMB was chosen by the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to serve as the Health and Human Services (HHS) Region VI Regional Emerging Special Pathogens
Treatment Center (RESPTC), serving Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. To serve our region, UTMB, with funding from ASPR, built a 6-room, state-of-the-art Biocontainment Care Unit (BCU) to care for patients afflicted by the
most highly infectious pathogens. The BCU is staffed by specially trained healthcare workers from all disciplines including critical care, pediatrics, and obstetrics. The BCU is maintained by facilities and engineering experts to ensure increasing
negative pressure air handling such as what is used in high-containment research facilities. Our BCU staff are ready for whatever the next threat may be.
Michael Willig, MSN, RN
Nurse Program Manager, Biocontainment Care Unit
Email: mcwillig@utmb.edu