Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation

The Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation (ERGRF) is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 1999 by the family of Elizabeth (Beth) Griffin, a primate research worker who died in 1997 after an ocular exposure to Macacine herpesvirus (B virus) at the Yerkes facility in Atlanta, Georgia. Her death resulted from a preventable exposure and subsequent delayed diagnosis and treatment, and the foundation was created to prevent similar tragedies. The foundation originally focused on safety and occupational health for people who work with non-human primates. Over time, its work expanded into broader biorisk management, biosafety, and biosecurity, with a mission to develop and deliver innovative biorisk management solutions that are local, practical, and sustainable. Its framework is often summarized as "Prevent. Detect. Respond." ERGRF is committed to the vision of the Global Health Security Agenda to make the world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases. ERGRF develops programs through its BEAMS initiative, designed to be innovative, effective, efficient, adaptive, and reproducible across multiple geographic locations. The foundation also runs the "Safer Together – Friends of Safe Research" campaign, its first financial campaign, and seeks support for an International Support Fund that would provide non-government funding for global initiatives in training, sustainable engineering, and leadership development. It has a special interest in working internationally and in promoting a culture of responsibility in research related to human and animal health. The foundation is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, and operates globally. It has been supported by financial institutions and other donors, and its leadership has included Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, who has appeared in media interviews on Ebola and biosafety issues, and Patricia L Olinger, Director of Global Projects. The organization continues to advocate for safe and responsible research, proper protection for workers and their communities, and improved public health, food and water safety, agricultural sustainability, and animal health.

The Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation was created in 1999 by the family of Elizabeth (Beth) Griffin, following her death in 1997. Beth Griffin was an artistic, intelligent, and compassionate young woman who worked as a primate research worker at the Yerkes facility in Atlanta, Georgia. She contracted B virus (Cercopithecine Herpesvirus 1, also known as Macacine herpesvirus) as a result of a preventable ocular exposure, and subsequent delayed diagnosis and treatment led to her tragic and premature death. Her family established the foundation to prevent similar incidents and to promote safety in research settings. Initially, the foundation focused on safety and occupational health issues for people who work with non-human primates. Its efforts in that arena were successful and generated global demand for its work in promoting a culture of responsibility in many areas of research related to human and animal health. The foundation expanded its mission to encompass biorisk management, biosafety, and biosecurity, developing programs that are innovative, effective, efficient, adaptive, and reproducible across multiple geographic locations. This programmatic approach is known as the BEAMS initiative. The foundation is committed to the vision of the Global Health Security Agenda to make the world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases. It operates with the framework "Prevent. Detect. Respond." and works globally to develop and deliver innovative biorisk management solutions that are local, practical, and sustainable. In its history, the foundation launched its first financial campaign, "Safer Together – Friends of Safe Research," to broaden its financial support, especially for international programs. It also sought to establish an International Support Fund to provide non-government funding for global initiatives in training, sustainable engineering, and leadership development. The foundation has managed to honor its commitments to institutions and professional associations despite unstable market conditions and low interest returns. The foundation has been active in public discourse on biosafety and global health threats. In 2014, during the Ebola outbreak, Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, associated with the foundation, appeared in multiple media interviews on CNN, ABC, and other outlets, discussing the CDC's response, quarantine policies, and the need for new biological response systems. The foundation continues to advocate for safe and responsible research and proper protection for workers and their communities.

• 2014

  Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner appears in multiple media interviews on Ebola and biosafety.

• 1999

  The Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation is created by Beth Griffin's family.

• 1997

  Elizabeth (Beth) Griffin dies after ocular exposure to Macacine herpesvirus at Yerkes in Atlanta, GA.

• Foundation launches its first financial campaign, 'Safer Together – Friends of Safe Research'.

A global nonprofit advancing biorisk management and responsible research through local, practical, and sustainable solutions.

• BEAMS program

  Programs that are innovative, effective, efficient, adaptive, and reproducible across multiple geographic locations.

• International Support Fund

  A fund to provide non-government funding for global initiatives in training, sustainable engineering, and leadership development.

• Safer Together – Friends of Safe Research

1. 1Elizabeth R Griffin Research Foundationergriffinresearch.org
2. 2Elizabeth R Griffin Research Foundation - Newsergriffinresearch.org
3. 3Elizabeth R Griffin Research Foundation - Donateergriffinresearch.org
4. 4Elizabeth R Griffin Research Foundation - Contactergriffinresearch.org
5. 5Wikidatawikidata.org