Katrina's Research Effects

Since I used to be in the research business to some extent, I found it interesting to read how much the Katrina aftermath affected scientific research--especially biological research. For example, when the power went out in New Orleans and other places in the Gulf Coast, many research labs were fatally crippled. LSU reported that 8,000 research animals were lost due to the loss of temperature control and an inability to even feed them. Similar losses were experienced at Tulane and other research facilities. It will take years to rebuild these resources if it can be done at all.

Another research effort affected was clinical trials. In order to be valid, there must be a continuum of treatment of patients in various groups and this became impossible when the patients couldn't come for treatment visits. The National Cancer Institute alone had 318 trials involving over 7,000 patients registered which have been adversely affected, and in some cases compromised completely.

Finally, the most damaging blow may have been to cells and other biological samples which were being preserved in freezers throughout the area. Preservation of irreplaceable tissues, bacterial cell cultures, and other cells depends almost entirely on liquid nitrogen, which needs to be replenished frequently, or low temperature freezers which, of course, need electric power to function. When exposed to elevated temperatures, the cells die or in the case of serum or other types of research samples, are ruined.