The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) was established in 1997 by visionaries at the Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and is located at Reese Technology Center, the former Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. This vision has developed into a world-class facility and laboratories whose work impacts industry, education, governments and individuals around the world by contributing innovative solutions to environmental programs by embracing disciplinary diversity, creating partnerships, and committing to excellence.  Experts at TIEHH have created a unique program to find answers to real-world issues by incorporating multidisciplinary teams of scientists, scholars, business leaders and government agencies to research how to better protect our environment and health. 

Through TIEHH, the Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., National Program for Countermeasures to Biological and Chemical Threats is an initiative established to address chemical and biological warfare concerns. Through the Zumwalt Program, scientists have come together to address the development of new technologies to enhance military operational capabilities for military protection and improved readiness. In addition, the Zumwalt Program actively seeks to leverage knowledge and technology gained from its research to benefit the civilian community at all levels for homeland security.