Biological Team
The Biological Specialty Team is available to support Region VII through the Region VII Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC), the National Emerging Special Pathogen Training & Education Center (NETEC), and the UNMC Global Center for Health Security. Nebraska Medicine serves as the RESPTC and can be reached via the Medical Call Center. NETEC is a national team focused on special pathogen preparedness that provides education, training, consultation and targeted technical support services accessible via their website. The UNMC Global Center for Health Security creates resources and just-in-time information on current outbreaks and trends.
TEAM LEADs
Jackson Gruber, BSjgruber@nebraskamed.comPartners
About the Biological Team
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The Region VII Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) and the biological specialty team strives to provide meaningful support for colleagues through training, education, and outreach consistent with current and future biological outbreaks.
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Through RESPTC, the biological team creates meaningful educational content, training materials and other resources for the stakeholders within our region.
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As preparedness and response efforts for special pathogens continue, we are always searching for innovative modalities to deliver high quality training and educational content, and up to date information from science-based practices to our regional partners to support and promote high quality healthcare.
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Provided subject matter expertise consultation to Region 7 via the Infection Control and Promotion (ICAP) CDC grant team, Region 7 Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC), University of Iowa State Designated Treatment Center, and the Global Center for Health Security.
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Supported the National Emerging Special Pathogen Training and Education Center (NETEC) annual site visit along with an exercise conducted at the Region 7 RESPTC on March 23-24, 2022.
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Continued Biological Specialty Team focus on pandemic operations in Nebraska, including conducting Region 7 collaboration calls with key stakeholders (public health, federal partners and hospital associations).
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Sustained contingency planning with key stakeholders for COVID-19 and from January 13- February 7, 2022, Nebraska Medicine activated it’s Crisis Standards of Care.
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Provided revision to the Region 7 CONOPS for highly hazardous communicable diseases and signed by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NeDHHS).
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Directed technical assistance to Barnes Jewish Hospital and Midwest Medical Transport on transporting patients throughout the region.
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Developed the education and protocols (e.g., specimen collection, cleaning and disinfection) for Mpox and broadly disseminated throughout the region.
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Created and disseminated situational report on the outbreak of the Ebola Sudan virus in Uganda to partners regionally and nationally.
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Conduct routine webinars to share pertinent and timely pandemic updates
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Focus on pandemic operations for Nebraska, including conducting Region 7 collaboration calls with key stakeholders
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Designated Facilities Workgroup Meeting
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EMS Workgroup Meeting
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Clinical Operations Workgroup
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Innovation Workgroup
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Research Workgroup
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Safety Workgroup
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Training, Education, and Exercise Workgroup
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Review and revision of the Region VII Infectious Disease coordinating plan
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The Nebraska Biocontainment Unit is designed for safe and effective treatment of patients infected with highly hazardous communicable diseases (e.g., viral hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola virus disease and Lassa fever, smallpox, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [MERS]), whether acquired in a laboratory accident, as a natural occurring infection, or in a bioterrorism attack.
In 2014, the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit was one of three units selected to care for patients infected with Ebola virus disease medically evacuated from West Africa.
In 2020, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine provided quarantine services for American citizens evacuated from Wuhan, China - the original epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unit personnel consists of a voluntary staff of select physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, and respiratory therapists specially trained in high-level isolation and bio preparedness.
As the RESPTC for the Region VII area, the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit is prepared to care for patients with highly hazardous communicable infectious diseases and has committed to sharing our knowledge and expertise by providing educational offerings. The education is delivered in multiple formats such as courses, webinars, videos, and zoom conversations with experts on relevant topics.
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Click here to see our Biological Resources & Training page.
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