Houston has started construction on the two-story Holcombe Lab at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center campus. The lab will test thousands of samples daily and serve as a regional facility for emerging infectious diseases. The project continues despite a reduction in federal public health funding this year.
According to Houston Business Journal, which first detailed the plan, the city kept the lab on track after a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant tied to the effort was terminated, with officials saying they lined up alternative funding to fill the gap. Reporter Jishnu Nair notes the facility is expected to process thousands of diagnostic specimens per day when fully operational. City officials, however, have not yet released a full line-by-line breakdown of the revised financing package.
At a groundbreaking ceremony last week, city leaders and project partners described the Holcombe Lab as a public-private collaboration involving Amelang Partners and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. A city news release on Monday reported that the two-story, 13,756-square-foot lab will be located at 2250 Holcombe Blvd, on the VA campus, as reported by Community Impact. Officials said the facility will focus on infectious threats such as avian influenza, measles, and mpox, while also tracking foodborne illnesses and health care-associated infections.
What the Holcombe Lab Will Do
Houston health officials say the lab is designed to clear testing logjams and provide surge capacity when outbreaks hit. The Houston Business Journal reports the facility is being outfitted and staffed to handle thousands of specimens a day, a volume that could meaningfully cut turnaround times for local and regional public health partners. City leaders say they expect Holcombe to operate as a regional reference site serving 17 counties in Texas Public Health Region 6/5 South and to participate in the CDC’s Laboratory Response Network, linking Houston more directly into national surveillance systems.
Federal Cuts, Local Workarounds
The lab’s momentum comes as federal funding shocks force local health agencies to get creative. In April, Houston Public Media reported that the Houston Health Department lost about $42 million in federal grants earlier this year, part of a broader squeeze that has delayed or reshaped awards to state and local programs…