NEWARK, NJ , September 23, 1999 - New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) will help develop the tools to fight bioterrorism under a major grant to be awarded to the N.J. Department of Health and Senior Services by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

NJIT will develop the computer system to connect the state health department and 115 local health departments in an around-the-clock system that can function dependably in an emergency. Local health departments, in turn, will be linked to community health and emergency response agencies through a rapid telefax system that can be used to communicate information and coordinate an emergency response.

The CDC announced grant awards to a number of state and city public health agencies. The money will be used to strengthen the nation's overall public health system so it can better respond to man-made threats, such as the deliberate release of chemicals or disease-causing organisms, as well as newly emerging infectious diseases, such as antibiotic-resistant organisms or the next influenza pandemic.

Further information on the grant can be obtained at the Department of Health and Senior Services Web site: http://www.state.nj.us/health/news/p90915a.htm.

NJIT is a public research university enrolling nearly 8,200 bachelor's, master's and doctoral students in 76 degree programs through its five colleges: Newark College of Engineering, School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, the School of Management and the Albert Dorman Honors College. Research initiatives include manufacturing, microelectronics, multimedia, transportation, computer science, solar astrophysics, environmental engineering and science, and architecture and building science.

Yahoo! Internet Life magazine has ranked NJIT the "most wired" public university in 1998 and 1999.