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CDC anthrax lab head resigns after several biohazard mishaps. Here’s a timeline.

A CDC scientist takes a decontaminating shower before exiting a Biosafety Level 4 lab (2007).
A CDC scientist takes a decontaminating shower before exiting a Biosafety Level 4 lab (2007).
A CDC scientist takes a decontaminating shower before exiting a Biosafety Level 4 lab (2007).
James Gathany/CDC

2014 has been a bad year in the nation’s labs. A series of serious safety incidents at several CDC and FDA laboratories has led many to question the integrity of some of the riskiest research on the planet.

So far, this has led to the resignation of the person in charge of the CDC’s high-level anthrax research. Other investigations are ongoing.

Below is an annotated timeline of the scandal. To see the next step, click the right arrow. We will update this story as new events unfold.

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