GALVESTON — The University of Texas Medical Branch’s Galveston National Laboratory is complete and will be dedicated Nov. 11 as originally scheduled.
The dedication ceremony will feature keynote addresses from U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Although the medical branch was heavily damaged when Hurricane Ike came ashore Sept. 13, the laboratory weathered the storm without significant damage.
“The GNL brings the focus on global health research to Galveston — and that’s something our local community can be proud of,” said Dr. Stanley M. Lemon, principal investigator of the Galveston National Laboratory and director of UTMB’s Institute for Human Infections and Immunity. “This facility is indeed a national resource.
“Despite the damage sustained by the university and the community, there was never any doubt this dedication ceremony would proceed as scheduled — and that is a testament to the strength and resilience of the UTMB community.”
Within the laboratory, scientists from the medical branch will work with scientists from across the nation to address the emerging infectious disease and bioterrorism threats.
The laboratory’s programs are projected to result in a notable contribution to the economy of Texas — an estimated $1.4 billion to the gross state product in the next 20 years
