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A man in a laboratory
A proposed biosafety lab to be located in West Oʻahu will allow UH researchers to develop diagnostic tests and vaccines for infectious diseases. (Photo courtesy John A. Burns School of Medicine)

An informational briefing for the public to learn about the proposed Pacific Health Research Laboratory at Kalaeloa was held Wednesday, July 11, at Kapolei High School.

University of Hawaiʻi administrators and researchers from the UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine gave an overview presentation and answered questions about the project.

The proposed location for the laboratory is a two-acre site on Saratoga Avenue at Kalaeloa, near the Hawaiʻi National Guard and FBI Hawaiʻi’s headquarters in West Oʻahu.

The laboratory will be part of the National Institutes of Health national network of biosafety laboratories built and operated by universities in the United States.

The mission of the laboratory is to develop new diagnostics and effective low-cost treatments and vaccines for infectious diseases, particularly those found in the Asia-Pacific region. The Pacific Health Research Laboratory has received $32.5 million in competitive funding from the National Institutes of Health and $15 million from the State and University of Hawaiʻi.

News coverage of the informational briefing includes:

  • Honolulu Star-Advertiser, July 12, 2012: “Laboratory plan leads residents to fear the worst” (subscription required)
  • KITV, July 12, 2012: “Safety of bio-safety lab questioned”
  • Honolulu Star-Advertiser, July 11, 2012: “Officials hold meeting to allay residents fears of biosafety lab”
  • KHON, July 11, 2012: “Community concern about bio-research lab in West Oahu”
  • The Garden Island, July 10, 2012: “Hawaii biosafety lab draws community concerns”
  • Honolulu Star-Advertiser, July 10, 2012: “Biosafety lab draws protests” (subscription required)
  • Hawaii News Now, July 9, 2012: “Neighbors nervous over plans for infectious disease lab”
  • KHON, July 6, 2012: “Proposed infectious diseases lab raises concern”
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