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The lab was founded in 1956 as the Wuhan Microbiology Laboratory. It has received a total of $7.4 million in grants from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a U.S. agency led by Dr. Anthony Fauci.<ref>Tacopino, Joe, "[https://nypost.com/2020/04/29/dr-fauci-backed-controversial-wuhan-lab-studying-coronavirus/ Dr. Fauci backed funding for controversial Wuhan lab studying origin of coronavirus]", ''New York Post'', April 29, 2020.</ref> In 2015, the lab was upgraded to biosafety level 4 (BSL–4) with the help of French engineers. It is first such lab in China. SARS escaped from a [[Beijing]] lab twice in 2004 and the upgrade was intended to address this problem.<ref>"[https://www.the-scientist.com/news-analysis/sars-escaped-beijing-lab-twice-50137 SARS escaped Beijing lab twice]"</ref> In January 2018 U.S. embassy officials in Beijing warned about safety risks at the Wuhan lab researching infectious diseases, including [[coronavirus]]es from bats. One of two "Sensitive but Unclassified" [[U.S. State Department]] cables warned about biosecurity and management problems at the lab.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/us-officials-sounded-alarm-about-wuhan-lab-years-before-coronavirus-outbreak</ref>

The lab was founded in 1956 as the Wuhan Microbiology Laboratory. It has received a total of $7.4 million in grants from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a U.S. agency led by Dr. Anthony Fauci.<ref>Tacopino, Joe, "[https://nypost.com/2020/04/29/dr-fauci-backed-controversial-wuhan-lab-studying-coronavirus/ Dr. Fauci backed funding for controversial Wuhan lab studying origin of coronavirus]", ''New York Post'', April 29, 2020.</ref> In 2015, the lab was upgraded to biosafety level 4 (BSL–4) with the help of French engineers. It is first such lab in China. SARS escaped from a [[Beijing]] lab twice in 2004 and the upgrade was intended to address this problem.<ref>"[https://www.the-scientist.com/news-analysis/sars-escaped-beijing-lab-twice-50137 SARS escaped Beijing lab twice]"</ref> In January 2018 U.S. embassy officials in Beijing warned about safety risks at the Wuhan lab researching infectious diseases, including [[coronavirus]]es from bats. One of two "Sensitive but Unclassified" [[U.S. State Department]] cables warned about biosecurity and management problems at the lab.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/us-officials-sounded-alarm-about-wuhan-lab-years-before-coronavirus-outbreak</ref>

At the time of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the WIV was run by Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee Changcai HE, a CCP [[apparatchek]]. Changcai HE was the chairman of the corporate trade union of Wuhan Branch from January 2004 to September 2013, and the Corporate Secretary of the Party at Wuhan Branch from October 2005 to July 2013. Since August 2013, Changcai HE has been the deputy director general of Wuhan Institute of Virology.<ref>http://english.whiov.cas.cn/About_Us2016/Directors2016/</ref>

At the time of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the WIV was run by Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee Changcai HE, a CCP [[apparatchik]]. Changcai HE was the chairman of the corporate trade union of Wuhan Branch from January 2004 to September 2013, and the Corporate Secretary of the Party at Wuhan Branch from October 2005 to July 2013. Since August 2013, Changcai HE has been the deputy director general of Wuhan Institute of Virology.<ref>http://english.whiov.cas.cn/About_Us2016/Directors2016/</ref>

Dany Shoham, a former Israeli military intelligence officer who studied Chinese biological warfare, said the Wuhan Institute of Virology is linked to Beijing's covert [[bioweapon]]s program. He said the secure Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory at the institute was engaged in research on the Ebola, Nipah and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses.

Dany Shoham, a former Israeli military intelligence officer who studied Chinese biological warfare, said the Wuhan Institute of Virology is linked to Beijing's covert [[bioweapon]]s program. He said the secure Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory at the institute was engaged in research on the Ebola, Nipah and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses.