Delivered September 13, 2019. Contributor: Kiersten M.
To obtain a list of all of the Department of Defense's overseas research labs
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) has a total of 76 research labs located within the United States.
A full list of the DoD's US-based research labs, along with locations, links to, and descriptions of each, can be found on the DoD's website.
The DoD describes their labs as being "the foundation for research to support our nation’s defense".
"The Department’s Laboratories engage in activities ranging from basic research through defense system acquisition support to direct operational support of deployed war fighters. These Laboratories are comprised of dozens of facilities across 22 states, and employs tens of thousands of scientists and engineers, both civilian and military, public employees and contractors."
While the DoD website only lists labs located in the United States, a report on the Navy Medicine website indicates that they have a total of six overseas research labs in operation, including one in South America.
A list of each of the Naval Medicine Research and Development laboratories, including those based overseas, can be found here.
Originally established in 1983, NAMRU-6 is located in Lima, Peru.
The lab was initially opened to "investigate infectious diseases", but today it focuses "on applied research to evaluate and test new vaccines, prevention strategies, treatment modalities, diagnostics, and novel insect control measures".
"NAMRU-6 conducts research through the coordination of six different departments; bacteriology; entomology, parasitology, virology and emerging infections, as well biomedical informatics."
The Naval Medical Research Center - Asia is located in Singapore.
This research center "supports U.S. interests in the Pacific Theater to advance diplomacy in the region by conducting infectious disease research and improving disease surveillance and outbreak response assistance for infectious disease of critical public health importance to the United States and our regional partners".
The NMRC-A was established in 2013 with the goal of working "closely with researchers in the region with a focus on infectious disease research of mutual interest".
The Center's mission is to "identify infectious disease threats of military and public health importance and develop and evaluate interventions and products to mitigate those threats in partnership with host nations, international and U.S. agencies in the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) area of responsibility".
The Unit "conducts research and surveillance to support military personnel deployed to Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. The mission also includes the evaluation of vaccines, therapeutic agents, diagnostic assays, and vector control measures".
"Our primary mission is to study, monitor, and detect emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats of military and public-health importance; develop mitigation strategies against these threats in partnership with host nations, international and U.S. agencies in the CENTCOM, EUCOM, and AFRICOM areas of responsibility."