NIH Research Facility Suspends Activities Amid Safety Concerns
The Integrated Research Facility (IRF) at Fort Detrick, Maryland, a key establishment of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) focused on high-consequence infectious diseases, has been ordered to pause its research operations. This directive comes from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Trump administration.
Research Halt Details
According to an internal communication reviewed by WIRED, the IRF is expected to cease all experimental activities by April 29 at 5 PM. This facility is integral to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and employs 168 personnel, combining federal employees and contractors who study various infectious diseases, including Ebola and Lassa fever.
Scope of Research Affected
The email from Michael Holbrook, the associate director for high containment at the IRF, specified that research studies concerning Lassa fever, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus responsible for COVID-19), and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a rare but serious mosquito-borne illness, will be terminated. However, the communication reassured that while research activities would halt, animals involved in studies would continue to be managed and cared for rather than euthanized.
Lab Containment Measures
The email also mentioned that representatives from the Department of Homeland Security are securing freezers in BSL-4 labs, which represent the highest biosafety level and are used to handle highly pathogenic organisms, including those that cause hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola and Marburg. The IRF is one of the few facilities worldwide capable of conducting medical imaging on animals infected with these high-risk pathogens.
Expert Opinions on the Research Pause
Gigi Kwik Gronvall, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, highlighted the considerable ramifications of this research suspension, stating, “The sacrifice to research is immense. If things are unused for a period of time, it will cost more money to get them ready to be used again.”
Leadership and Communication Issues
The IRF’s director, Connie Schmaljohn, has reportedly been placed on administrative leave. Schmaljohn, a former senior research scientist at the Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, has an extensive research background with over 200 publications and contributions to pioneering vaccine trials. Attempts to reach Schmaljohn for comments have gone unanswered.
NIH Official Statement
NIH’s communication director, Bradley Moss, confirmed the suspension of research activities, describing it as a “research pause” or a “safety stand-down.” This decision was prompted by personnel issues regarding contract staff that were deemed to compromise the facility’s safety culture. Moss indicated that access to the facility would be restricted to essential personnel only during this period. He did not provide specifics concerning the nature of the personnel issues or an anticipated timeline for resuming research.
Broader Implications for Federal Research
The suspension of operations at the IRF marks a significant disruption for NIH and aligns with recent announcements from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding workforce reductions affecting around 10,000 individuals across various federal health agencies, including NIH, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These layoffs are part of a broader restructuring initiative led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Trump.