SECEBT receives nearly $1 million for bioterror studies.

2004 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new 1-year federal grant of nearly $1 million will help the Southeastern Center for Emerging Biologic Threats (SECEBT) fulfill its mission of combating emerging infectious diseases and potential biologic threats through strong regional partnerships in medicine, public health and emergency preparedness.

SECEBT, which is in its second year of broad-based regional collaborations, already has built partnerships among 12 universities and 5 state health departments throughout the Southeast, as well as 3 federal agencies including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Carter Center and private partners.

The SECEBT partnership combines academic medical research, diverse clinical and laboratory expertise and experience in disease eradication and prevention. Scientific resources of the partnership include biosafety level 3 and four laboratories, vaccine centers, trauma facilities, and leading animal research facilities. The Center offers the broad scientific expertise of internationally recognized leaders in disease eradication and prevention and public health policy development and a communication network for risk conveyance and widespread dissemination of information about biologic threats.

Ongoing research includes immunology related to emerging biologic agents and infectious pathogens; antibiotic resistance; outcomes research; early warning technology; testing of new drug candidates and therapies; hospital and emergency department readiness; microbial genomes; animal surveillance and mechanisms of microbial pathogens.

SECEBT has hosted two annual regional conferences, last year on West Nile virus and this January on pandemic influenza. Both topics addressed immediate and critical public health concerns that required rapid response, comprehensive information and collaborative research. In addition to its own conferences, the partnership hosted a conference on ...