The Translational Core is designed to support CRDD projects by collecting and supplying well characterized specimens from humans, domestic animals and wildlife with infectious diseases, and providing access to CLIA laboratories at the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Center (NYSDOHWC) and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) that are staffed with public health personnel who have specific expertise in optimizing and validating diagnostic assays for clinical use. All CRDD projects¿whether focused on direct detection of microbial genomic targets or of host transcripts or antibodies that provide indirect evidence of infection and of insights into host response¿require specimens for discovery and diagnostic assay development and validation. Through membership in regional, national and global laboratory networks, Translational Core investigators Christina Egan (NYSDOHWC), William Karesh (EcoHealth Alliance), Lipkin (Cll) and Jay Varma (NYCDOHMH) enjoy unique access to a wide range of samples and isolates to support discovery and diagnostic aims. Application of new clinical assays requires validation using specific criteria and diverse specimen matrices. In New York State, assays must be validated by the NYSDOHWC. The validation application and approval process is comprehensive and comparable to and supportive of moving the assay through the FDA approval process. By engaging NYSDOHWC and NYCDOHMH from the outset, the Translational Core is poised to expedite translation of basic research in diagnostics into products that will be used in public health and clinical laboratories and enhance the prospects for commercialization.

The Translational Core provides samples required for CRDD research projects as well as support for optimization and validation of diagnostic assays in the central clinical laboratories of the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Center and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. These functions will expedite the development and implementation of diagnostic tests that reduce the morbidity, mortality and economic costs of infectious diseases