Public Health Review Morning Edition 1095: Inside New York’s Next-Gen Wadsworth Lab
What does the future of public health look like and what does it cost to build it? In this episode, ASTHO member Dr. James McDonald, Commissioner of Health for New York State, returns to the show to unpack the state’s $1.7 billion investment in a new, state-of-the-art Wadsworth Center Laboratory. Set to consolidate five aging facilities into one 655,000-square-foot, LEED Gold-certified campus in Albany, the new lab is designed to transform how New York detects, tracks, and responds to public health threats—from infectious diseases and wastewater surveillance to antimicrobial resistance and emerging pathogens. Dr. McDonald explains why co-locating more than 800 scientists alongside academic partners will accelerate research and innovation, how lessons from COVID-19 are shaping flexible, future-proof lab design, and why investments like this are critical to national health security.