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For immediate release: July 25, 2006
Contact: Emily Wofford
Public Relations Manager
775-784-6001
ewofford@unr.edu
University of Nevada School of Medicine to host western states biodefense meeting at Jot Travis Student Union today
WHAT: If infection caused by bioterrorism is detected in Los Angeles by scientists at UCLA, Dr. Tom Kozel, University of Nevada School of Medicine department of microbiology chairman, will receive a call. As soon as an emerging infectious disease is identified at Stanford University, experts at the University of Arizona will be alerted.
These institutions are just a few of the seventeen member institutions of the Pacific Southwest Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases (PSW RCE). The PSW RCE will meet today at the Jot Travis Student Union on the University of Nevada, Reno campus from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The aim of the PSW RCE is to form a network of research collaborations that fosters development of vaccines and therapies against infections caused by weapons of bioterrorism and against emerging infectious disease.
At today’s meeting member institutions will present their research findings and discuss ways in which the consortium can assist in enhancing the response to bioterrorism threats and emerging infectious disease emergencies by providing local, state, and federal agencies with on-call preparedness.
The PSW RCE was funded in May 2005 by the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The PSW RCE serves Region IX and is one of ten nationally funded Centers which support the NIAID Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Agenda.
The overall goals for the PSW RCE are:
To produce outstanding multi-disciplinary and collaborative research on selected infectious diseases.
To disseminate research finding and reagents within the RCE network and to local, state, and federal agencies.
To timely translate finding into products and application to detect, monitor, prevent, and treat these infections.
To provide opportunities for new investigators to enter the field and develop innovative training programs to enhance biodefense readiness.
To respond to bioterrorism threats and emerging infectious disease emergencies by providing local, state, and federal agencies with on-call preparedness.
Please contact Emily Wofford, Public Relations Manager, at 775-784-6001 or ewofford@unr.edu for further information or to arrange an interview with Dr. Tom Kozel or PSW RCE director, Dr. Alan Barbour.
WHEN: Tuesday, July 25
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Jot Travis Student Union Auditorium
University of Nevada, Reno
As the state’s only public medical school, the University of Nevada School of Medicine has been meeting statewide healthcare, educational, and clinical needs since 1969. For more information, please visit www.medicine.nevada.edu.
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