In January 1971, in what can be accurately described as a "swords to plowshares" action, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took charge of a bioweapons production site in Jefferson County and assigned to it a brand-new scientific mission: to address the toxicity of various chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs, assess the risks of microbial food contamination, and identify microbiological pathogens that could be used for nefarious acts.

More than a half century later, the agency known as the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) continues to perform gold-standard science for the good of the entire nation. We see its work reflected in our lives every day--from protecting our food supply and addressing the health needs of at-risk populations to testing the efficacy of prescription drugs.

Needless to say, this innocuous site just outside Pine Bluff has come a long way from storing chemical weapons and producing anthrax spores.........

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