The Regional Innovative Public Health Laboratory (RIPHL) is a novel public-academic partnership between the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and RUSH University Medical Center (RUMC). RIPHL launched in March 2021 to provide CDPH with advanced, flexible molecular laboratory capacity and technical expertise to surveille and characterize pathogens of public health importance. RIPHL focuses on whole genome sequencing (WGS) and biobanking for SARS-CoV-2 and other microbial pathogens; bioinformatics; large-volume data management; and genomic epidemiologic support.
Publications
Explore select publications from RIPHL research.
Researchers
Meet our team and learn about their work at the RIPHL.
RIPHL has been instrumental in the COVID-19 response in Chicago. Since its inception in March 2021, RIPHL has produced weekly SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance reports and phylogenetic analysis to aid COVID-19 outbreak investigations. In its second year, RIPHL is expanding its WGS and genomic epidemiologic analysis of other pathogens of public health importance, including Candida auris and mPox.
RIPHL sits within the Genomics and Microbiome Core Facility at RUSH University Medical Center.
RIPHL Partners
RIPHL is grateful for the participation of hospitals and laboratories across Chicago who submit specimens for WGS and other analysis:
- Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
- Advocate Trinity Hospital
- Ascension
- Ascension Resurrection Medical Center Chicago
- Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital Chicago
- Ascension Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
- Chicago Department of Public Health
- John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital
- Loyola University Medical Center
- Northwestern Memorial Hospital
- RUSH University Medical Center
- Sinai Health System
- UChicago Medicine
- University of Illinois Chicago
If you are interested in your hospital or laboratory participating in RIPHL, please contact Latifah Boyd at latifah_i_boyd@rush.edu.