A $103 million biocontainment laboratory is under construction in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Supported by funding from the U.S. Cooperative Threat Reduction program, the facility will include BSL-2 and BSL-3 research areas for the detection and study of biological threats and pathogens. Construction began on the laboratory in March of 2010.
Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) opened its new BSL-3 laboratory in January of 2011 in Guwahati, India. The modern virology laboratory supports rapid detection of infectious disease agents and pathogens. The facility will accommodate post-graduate research in virology and microbiology.
The $32.9 million Wayne T. and Mary T. Hockmeyer Hall was recently constructed at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. The building gives Purdue’s renowned Structural Biology group the space needed to continue to be at the forefront of this field. The 65,690-sf facility includes research laboratories and a BSL-3 suite with embedded electron microscopy.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah will open the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) in January of 2011. The RM100 million project includes a BSL-3 laboratory for infectious disease analysis and research and the Plant Transgenic Containment/Greenhouse facility. The BRI will receive accreditation from the BioSafety Committee of the World Health Organization.
The Department of Defense has awarded South Dakota State University a $1.5 million contract to evaluate biosafety protocol at veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States. The project aims to improve policies and procedures for the security of pathogenic microbes and toxins. The two-year study will be carried out in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories and Science Applications International.
Brock University is building the $111 million Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex in St. Catherines, Ontario. The 176,000-sf project will house Canada's only CL3 biocontainment facility dedicated entirely to research. Designed by architectsAlliance in association with Payette, the complex is being built by EllisDon with Crossey Engineering as electrical and mechanical consultant, MHPM as project manager, and Halsall Associates as LEED consultant.
The University of Maine will begin construction in spring of 2011 on a biocontainment aquaculture research lab in Orono. FISHlab will provide advanced research laboratories for the study of pathogens and the development of vaccines for fish, frogs, lobsters, and sea urchins. The $600,000 facility will support collaboration with industry partners and is expected to reach completion in spring of 2012.
The Federal Experts Security Advisory Panel presented their biosafety recommendations to officials in the U.S. Cabinet in November of 2010. The findings will be released to the public at the same time as a biennial review of the policies that govern the Select Agent Program. The recommendations will offer strategies to improve security at facilities that use potentially dangerous pathogens in research. The assessment is expected to conclude in late 2011.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have embarked on an initiative to develop a national standard entitled “Testing and Performance Verification Methodologies for Biological Safety Level 3 (BSL-3) Laboratories,” known as ANSI/AIHA Z9.14.
Pennsylvania State University will begin construction in 2011 on the $23 million Biological Research Laboratory in University Park. Supporting research on immunology and infectious diseases, the 20,000-gsf ABSL-3 facility will include microbiology and virology labs, animal biocontainment suites, and an insectary. LEED sustainable design certification will be sought for the project. Completion is expected in summer 2012. The project is supported by $14.8 million in federal stimulus funding.
The University of Wyoming dedicated its $24.9 million BSL-3 laboratory in Laramie in November of 2010. Housing research and testing facilities for the study of select agents and pathogens, the lab will provide rapid diagnosis of diseases affecting wildlife, herd animals, and humans. The facility is located at the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory and comprises a 20,000-sf addition housing a 1,280-sf BSL-3 suite, a 2,600-sf BSL-2 suite, and support.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is planning to construct a $42.8 million meat science research facility. Supporting instruction and research for the Department of Animal Sciences, the project will foster collaboration with industry partners including meat companies and food safety agencies. The facility will feature a BSL-2 isolatable pilot plant for the study of meat pathogens and the development of intervention strategies. Occupancy is expected in 2017.
The Health Protection Agency opened the £12 million Influenza Resource Centre (IRC) and UK Stem Cell Bank in October of 2010. Located in Potters Bar in the United Kingdom, the facility will provide vaccine research and development laboratories for the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control as well as a stem cell repository. The project will support pandemic response and was developed in partnership with the Department of Health and the Medical Research Council.
SAFC completed a 50,000-sf expansion of its Jerusalem bioprocessing facility in October of 2010. The project houses cGMP fermentation suites for the production of recombinant proteins and small molecules. The expansion includes a 30,000-sf BSL-2 facility.
The University of Guelph opened the $62 million Pathobiology and Animal Health Laboratory in October of 2010. The four-story, 126,000-sf facility houses teaching and research labs, seminar rooms, offices, and a 120-seat lecture hall. The facility will support research on zoonotic diseases and pathogens and includes a post-mortem diagnostic suite.
