(September 6, 2007)--Texas A&M University's interim president says the school is working to fix safety and security problems at its bioweapons research laboratories.

Eddie Davis adds that officials hope federal regulators will lift the ban on work there by the end of the year.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent the school a critical report based on intense inspection of the labs.

The inspections came after one worker was infected last year with Brucella and three others were exposed to Q fever.

Both diseases are highly contagious in animals and rarely fatal in humans.

In the report, the school's labs were cited for poor safety practices, shoddy record-keeping and a lack of proper training.

At least two top school officials in the program have quit.

Davis says the school will apply for a new registration certificate for its select agent and toxin research program.

He hopes the labs will be running by the end of the year.

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