NPHL is part of the Laboratory Response Network (LRN). The purpose of the LRN provide the infrastructure and capacity to respond to biological and chemical threats and other public health emergencies. This network is composed of the following types of laboratories: Federal, State/local public health, military, food testing, environmental, veterinary, and international.
The LRN-B (Laboratory Response Network for Biological Threats) consists of Sentinel, Reference, and National Laboratories. NPHL is considered a reference laboratory. As such, it is responsible for the investigation and or referral of organisms that are a potential biological threat (BT) received from clinical (sentinel) laboratories across Nebraska. NPHL would then refer BT organisms to a national laboratory such as the Centers for Disease Control.
See the CDC's Fact Sheet: Laboratory Response Network for Biological Threats LRNB_factsheet.pdf (cdc.gov).
If you are a Sentinel Laboratory and need information on referring an organism to NPHL, see our Rule out & Refer page at (Link to Rule out & Refer Page)
The CDC's Laboratory Response Network for Chemical Threats | Laboratory Response Network (LRN) consists of Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Laboratories. NPHL is a Level 2 laboratory. To meet requirements for a Level 2 laboratory, NPHL must maintain testing capabilities for exposures to chemical terrorism agents such as cyanide, toxic metals, and toxic industrial chemicals.
See the CDC's Fact Sheet: Laboratory Response Network for Chemical Threats CDC's Laboratory Response Network for Chemical Threats.
For LRN-C testing capabilities, please call (402) 559-9444