PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
Celebrating 20 Years of the Laboratory Response
Network: Partnering in Preparedness and Response
by Tyler Wolford, MS, manager, Emergency Preparedness and Response
In 2019, the Laboratory Response Network
(LRN) will celebrate two decades of
laboratory preparedness and response
for biological, chemical, radiological
and emerging threats. The nationwide,
all-hazards network has come far since
1999, when public health laboratory
scientists were largely classically-trained
microbiologists and chemists. In the years
since its creation, the LRN has played an
instrumental role in improving the public
health infrastructure by helping to boost
laboratory capacity. Laboratories are better
equipped, their staff levels are increasing,
and laboratories are employing advanced
technologies. Improving capability and
capacity is only a piece of the puzzle.
LRN laboratories also build and sustain
partnerships with clinical laboratories,
first responders, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), Department
of Defense and others, which are critical
to respond to evolving public health
threats.
LRN in Action
million residents. The partnerships
among the Texas LRN laboratories and
organizations such as the Texas State
Chemist, the Brooke Army Medical Center,
and FBI makes for a strong network able
to respond to a variety of biological and
chemical threats. Although members
stay in constant contact through
conference calls and email, the Texas
Department of State Health Services
convenes these laboratories once a year
to discuss preparedness and response
efforts. Opportunities like this facilitate
partnership building among the Texas
LRN laboratories and are crucial in the
success of preparedness and response
efforts in Texas.
The LRN has successfully responded to
a variety of domestic and international
threats since 1999. In the beginning,
laboratories focused on just a few
biological threat agents. Over the
years, LRN has evolved to respond to
chemical and radiological threats, as
well as emerging infectious diseases
such as Ebola. LRN is transforming into
a multipurpose tool with a focus on new
technologies and laboratory efficiency
initiatives that improve the capacity and
capability to respond to new threats.
In addition, the core infrastructure of
LRN is being leveraged for expanding
and improving coverage in high-risk
population areas. Via these changes,
LRN will continue to maintain strategic
partnerships and provide efficient,
accurate testing across the network.
The Minnesota Laboratory System (MLS)
is a statewide network of laboratories
established in 2001 by the Minnesota
Department of Health Public Health
Laboratory to facilitate communication
and coordination. MLS consists of
more than 70 public health and clinical
laboratories, as well as veterinary and
agriculture laboratories which serve as
sentinel laboratories in LRN. In addition to
Unique Networks within the LRN
The state of Texas has ten LRN member
laboratories at the Reference level who
provide testing coverage for over 28
Laboratory Response Network (LRN) responses to biological, chemical, radiological, and emerging infectious disease threats since 1999.
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LAB MATTERS Spring 2019
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