International Center for Public Health

Can a building whisper secrets of public health? Here at the International Center for Public Health, it certainly feels that way. The International Center for Public Health, nestled in Newark, New Jersey, holds a piece of New York City’s public health legacy within its walls. Originally, the Public Health Research Institute (PHRI) called New York City home. Founded in 1942 by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, PHRI began its life within the New York City Department of Health’s Laboratories. Its mission was to tackle the city’s pressing public health challenges, from infectious diseases to nutritional deficiencies. The institute even had a division dedicated to Applied Immunology. PHRI expanded, eventually moving to a new facility across from New York University’s Carnegie Laboratory. It thrived with substantial municipal support, a unique feature for a basic medical research organization in the US. This funding model lasted until the 1977 financial crisis. Then the city and state were forced to withdraw their support. The International Center for Public Health became PHRI’s new home in 2002, marking its transition from New York City to Newark. The move also brought an affiliation with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). Within the International Center for Public Health, PHRI shared space with the UMDNJ Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and the National Tuberculosis Center. The Public Health Research Institute, now within the International Center for Public Health, continues its work, woven into the fabric of New Jersey’s research landscape. It’s a testament to the enduring importance of public health, a story whispered from the walls of this unassuming yet vital building.