In 2002, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provided funding for the construction of National Biocontainment Laboratories (NBLs) and Regional Biocontainment Laboratories (RBLs) at research institutions across the country.

The NBLs will serve as a national and regional resource for research on biodefense and emerging infectious disease agents that require BSL-4/3/2 biocontainment, while the RBLs will serve as a regional resource for research requiring BSL-3/2 biocontainment. These laboratory facilities will be designed and built using the strictest federal standards and incorporate multiple layers of safety and security to protect laboratory workers and the surrounding environment.

The NBLs and RBLs will complement and support the research activities of NIAID's Regional Centers of Excellence (RCE) for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research. The biosafety labs also will be available and prepared to assist national, state, and local public health efforts in the event of a bioterrorism or infectious disease emergency.

The two NBLs are located at Boston University and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Nine RBLs are at the following locations: Colorado State University; Duke University; Tulane University; University of Alabama, Birmingham; University of Chicago; University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; University of Missouri; University of Pittsburgh; and University of Tennessee.

NIAID Biodefense Research