New York State's Biodefense Laboratory

The Biodefense Laboratory has been funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 1999. Its primary task was analysis of clinical and environmental samples for the presence of pathogenic organisms such as anthrax, plague, and smallpox. When anthrax was used as a bioterrorist agent in 2001, the Laboratory rapidly analyzed over 1000 suspicious materials and clinical specimens for the presence of Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax. Since then, the Biodefense Laboratory's mission has expanded to encompass five critical focus areas: Service, Education, Research, Validation, and Evaluation (SERVE).

Vaccinia virus particles isolated from a Smallpox vaccinee.