Public Health Grand Rounds returns Friday with emphasis on laboratory partnerships

CHAPEL HILL -- The threats of disease outbreaks, emerging viruses with unknown sources and bioterrorism have made quick and effective diagnostic work by public health and clinical laboratories nationwide more critical than ever.

Experts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will lead a live satellite Public Health Grand Rounds broadcast and webcast Friday (Sept. 26) focusing on "Disease, Disaster and Detection: Partnering with Public Health Laboratories."

Friday’s program, to air from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., is part of the Public Health Grand Rounds series launched by the school and the CDC in 1999. Patterned after medical grand rounds, each series installment features topic experts’ analysis of a case study. Friday’s case study focuses on the laboratory network in Minneapolis-St. Paul and how this system works to strengthen public health infrastructure while protecting and improving the community’s health.

"It has become clear that in order to address public health threats in a responsive way, we have a national need to develop a system of integrated public health and clinical laboratories," said Dr. Robert Martin, director of the CDC’s Division of Laboratory Systems and a panel member. "Only when we have 50 strong state systems will we have that national network. The leadership for this effort must be a combined effort of federal, state and local partners in the public and private settings."

Dr. Bill Roper, dean of the School of Public Health and a former director of the CDC, will moderate Friday’s discussion. Dr. Lou Turner, director of the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health, and Dr. Hugh Tilson, professor of health policy and epidemiology in the School of Public Health, also will participate.

Viewers may submit questions to the panel at interactive satellite conference sites, by fax or online.

"State public health laboratories have been in the business of protecting the nation’s health for more than 100 years," said Turner. "This program will outline the roles – old and new – in establishing linkages between all laboratories to form a system that addresses critical emerging health issues."

Continuing education credit for various health professions will be offered based on one hour of instruction. To be eligible, interested individuals must complete an online registration and evaluation.

Dozens of communities, agencies and educational centers nationwide will offer local viewing sites via satellite downlink. Online registration, program information and a list of available sites are located by clicking on http://www.PublicHealthGrandRounds.unc.edu.

For more information, e-mail grand.rounds@sph.unc.edu or call (919) 843-9261.

Previous Public Health Grand Rounds topics have included bioterrorism, asthma, autism, genetics, breast cancer screening, disaster preparedness, West Nile virus, urban sprawl and food safety. Past editions of the program may be viewed at http://www.PublicHealthGrandRounds.unc.edu.

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North Carolina Institute for Public Health contacts: Bev Holt, (919) 966-6274 or bev_holt@unc.edu; and Lisa Morris, (919) 843-9261 or lamorris@email.unc.edu.
School of Public Health contact: Lisa Katz, (919) 966-7467 or lisa_katz@unc.edu