Northeast Biodefense Center

描述(申请人提供)：美国东北部非常容易受到新出现的传染病和恐怖主义的影响。随着西尼罗河病毒的爆发、世界贸易中心的悲剧以及随后的炭疽热袭击，II区有经验和决心调动其丰富的生物医学研究资源，以推进国家的生物防御议程。第二区域机构将建立生物防御和新发传染病研究区域卓越中心(RCE)。这个联盟，东北生物防御中心(NBC)，将包括来自纽约、新泽西、康涅狄格州、马萨诸塞州和波多黎各的25个以上学术和研究机构的调查人员。NBC将与州、联邦和地方政府机构和实验室以及生物技术和制药公司建立牢固的联系。主要的基础和转化性研究计划将在六个主题领域进行：1)与B细胞相关的预防和治疗；2)细菌致病和治疗；3)疫苗平台；4)病毒致病和治疗；5)天花疫苗：临床、免疫和病毒结果；6)病原体检测和诊断。这些计划将与在信息学、蛋白质组学、蛋白质表达、单抗、动物模型以及管理方面提供支持的核心交叉。每个研究计划将整合和加强几个有成就的研究人员的工作，并将重点放在选定的试剂和毒素上，包括炭疽芽孢杆菌、鼠疫耶尔森菌、图拉氏方济氏菌、马利伯氏伯克霍尔德氏菌、葡萄球菌肠毒素B、痘病毒和导致出血热或脑炎的病毒。由于该地区的重要性、全国广播公司成员的专业知识以及梅子岛动物疾病中心和比较医学研究人员和临床医生网络等独特资源的可获得性，将强调人畜共患疾病。将建立简化的技术转让程序，以便利向行业提供疫苗、治疗和诊断。NBC的翻译部门已经开始研究天花疫苗接种，并将发展该地区的人体疫苗试验基础设施。将建立培训计划，通过支持新的调查人员、高级调查人员和支持人员来促进生物防御研究目标。已经制定了一项应急计划，以迅速调整NBC的活动，并在发生生物防御紧急情况时向第一线响应者提供包括核心和科学支持在内的设施。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The northeastern United States is highly vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases and terrorism. With the outbreak of West Nile virus, the World Trade Center tragedy, and subsequent anthrax attacks, Region II has the experience and resolve to mobilize its rich resources in biomedical research to advance the nation's biodefense agenda. Region II institutions will establish a Regional Center of Excellence (RCE) for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease Research. This consortium, the Northeast Biodefense Center (NBC), will comprise investigators at more than 25 academic and research institutions in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. The NBC will have strong links to state, federal and local government agencies and laboratories, as well as biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Major basic and translational research programs will be pursued in six thematic areas: 1) B-Cell Related Prophylaxis and Therapeutics; 2) Bacterial Pathogenesis and Therapeutics; 3) Vaccine Platforms; 4) Viral Pathogenesis and Therapeutics; 5) Smallpox Vaccine: Clinical, Immune, and Viral Outcomes; 6) Pathogen Detection and Diagnostics. These programs will intersect with cores that provide support in Informatics, Proteomics, Protein Expression, Monoclonal Antibodies, Animal Models, as well as Administration. Each research program will integrate and intensify the work of several accomplished investigators and will focus on select agents and toxins including Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, Burkholderia mallei, Staphylococcus enterotoxin B, pox viruses, and viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever or encephalitis. Zoonotic diseases will be emphasized due to significance in this region, expertise of NBC members, and access to unique resources such as Plum Island Animal Disease Center and networks of investigators and clinicians in comparative medicine. Streamlined technology transfer procedures will be established to facilitate delivery to industry of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. The translational arm of the NBC has begun with a study of smallpox vaccination and will develop the region's infrastructure for human vaccine trials. Training programs will be established to promote biodefense research objectives by supporting new investigators, senior investigators, and support personnel. An emergency response plan has been developed to rapidly realign the NBC's activities and provide facilities, including cores and scientific support, to first line responders in the event of a biodefense emergency.