Animal Research

Individually ventilated cage (IVC) systems are the standard for housing laboratory rodents, and, while research publications commonly refer to the use of IVCs in rodent-based studies, there are considerable differences in their mechanical design and operation that make a generalized, catch-all term problematic. This ambiguity has significant implications in certain research fields for ensuring consistency and the need to reproduce findings. As a result, a growing number of researchers are proposing inclusion of key details in the materials and methods section of published manuscripts to clarify the wide array of available IVC technologies, operating configurations, and performance variables.

AstraZeneca opened The Discovery Centre in November of 2021 in the United Kingdom. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron and BDP, the £1 billion R&D facility can accommodate over 2,200 investigators engaged in the creation of next-generation therapeutics and innovative precision medicines. Integrating advanced robotic and AI-driven technologies, the 580,000-sf project is strategically sited on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus to promote collaboration and convergence with neighboring institutions and industry partners. 

The Ohio State University is constructing the $237.5 million Interdisciplinary Research Facility in Columbus. Anchoring a new innovation district, the 305,000-sf building will accommodate biomedical, life sciences, engineering, and environmental science research programs. Designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners and Moody Nolan to foster interaction and collaboration, the five-story structure will provide wet labs, computational labs, core labs, a vivarium, and a variety of support spaces.

Washington State University dedicated the $61.9 million Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in May of 2021. Designed by Perkins&Will, the 61,000-sf facility represents an expansion of the Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health in Pullman. Enabling the detection and diagnosis of human and animal diseases including SARS-CoV-2, avian influenza, BSE, and West Nile virus, the three-story building houses instructional venues, collaboration spaces, a high-bay necropsy suite, and specialized labs for testing, research, and development.

Oklahoma State University broke ground in April of 2021 on the $100 million New Frontiers Agricultural Hall in Stillwater. Designed by PGAV Architects and Studio Architecture, the collaborative building will feature leading-edge environments for experiential learning including interactive classrooms and teaching labs that can serve multiple disciplines.

The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering has announced the 2021 Facility of the Year Awards category winners. The awards include:

Texas Biomedical Research Institute is planning to construct the $10 million Nonhuman Primate Animal Facility in San Antonio. The 45,000-sf building will provide the Southwest National Primate Research Center with additional laboratories and animal housing environments, enabling TBRI to double its population of rhesus macaques. The United States currently faces a shortage of nonhuman primates for biomedical research, with the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the need for animal models to test the safety and efficacy of new therapies, vaccines, and diagnostics.

Caltech dedicated the $210 million Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Neuroscience Research Building in January of 2021 in Pasadena. Designed by SmithGroup to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, the 150,000-sf facility provides wet, dry, and computational research labs for the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. Standing three stories above grade with two basement levels, the structure includes teaching labs, a neurotechnology lab, a 150-seat lecture hall, conference rooms, and offices for investigators and staff.

The needs and architectural considerations for a veterinary diagnostic laboratory (VDL) have evolved toward a greater focus on the value of human-centered design. At its core, the VDL’s purpose to provide diagnostic testing for infectious animal diseases remains the same: Biosafety and biosecurity are a top priority, while designs have evolved to meet today’s demands and anticipated future technological advancements. However, the visionary and technological advancements of recent decades have also resulted in an increased focus on designing with efficiency and quality of workplace in mind.

The most-read Tradeline articles in 2020 reflect how the industry has responded to the COVID-19 crisis with flexibility and adaptability. From virtual site visits and virus-mitigating HVAC solutions to forward-looking models for office work, research programs, and higher education, readers learned about the innovative solutions that peer organizations have adopted to weather the storm and position themselves to thrive in the recovery.

The life sciences industry has become the great hope in real estate, as we face the most significant public health crisis in a century. While other industries have slowed and suffered as a result of sheltering in place and working from home, science facilities have remained operational and even have thrived in prime markets, as the industry continues to search for medical breakthroughs. The downturn in other industries has left buildings vacant. The life science market, on the other hand, continues to experience some of the lowest vacancy and highest employment rates. For life science organizations in the prime U.S. markets, there simply remains a shortage of available research-capable space. Enter the big pivot to science.

Stanford University dedicated the $210 million Biomedical Innovation Building in November of 2020 in Palo Alto, Calif. Designed by ZGF Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the 190,439-gsf facility strategically collocates investigators with expertise in cardiovascular medicine, pediatrics, orthopaedics, immunotherapy, personalized genomics, otolaryngology, and asthma and allergy.

Iowa State University broke ground in October of 2020 on the $75 million Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) in Ames. Located on the campus of the College of Veterinary Medicine, the 72,540-sf structure will provide leading-edge labs and testing suites to enable the prevention, detection, and mitigation of animal diseases including avian influenza, African Swine Fever, and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison opened the $57.1 million Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Building in November of 2020. Designed by Potter Lawson, the 67,540-gsf facility provides the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences with leading-edge environments for research, teaching, and outreach. The two-story structure houses two technology-rich lecture halls, a shared research lab, an expansive atrium, demonstration areas, conference rooms, faculty offices, and a retail meat store.

The University of Massachusetts Medical School is planning to construct the $325 million New Education and Research Building in Worcester. Accommodating 77 principal investigators, the nine-story, 350,000-sf facility will include space for animal research as well as housing an FDA-compliant manufacturing center for clinical trial therapeutics. The project will enable UMass to increase its class sizes help meet the needs of the commonwealth and the nation for physicians, graduate nurses, life sciences researchers, and other health sciences professionals.