The New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Center Biodefense Laboratory received two national awards at the 2026 Laboratory Response Network for Biological Threats Preparedness (LRN-B) Technical Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, on September 3. The awards were presented by the Association of Public Health Laboratories and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for significant contributions to national biological-threat preparedness and response.
The laboratory received the Innovative Collaborations with First Responder Communities Award, which recognizes an individual or LRN laboratory that works closely with first responder communities to improve preparedness and response activities. Wadsworth was recognized, in part, for its “CODE RED” training and exercise activities, which have strengthened coordination between the Biodefense Laboratory and first responder partners through joint preparedness training, operational exercises, and response planning. The laboratory also received the Excellence in Methodology and Technology Evaluation Award, which recognizes an LRN laboratory that has made outstanding contributions to advancing the network’s capacity to prepare for, detect, and respond to biological threats. The award recognizes Wadsworth’s participation in multicenter method and technology evaluations, development of innovative detection approaches, and contributions that strengthen LRN-B testing capabilities and response readiness.
Receiving both awards highlights the Wadsworth Center Biodefense Laboratory’s leadership in strengthening first responder partnerships while advancing laboratory methods, technologies, and national preparedness capabilities.