Biocontainment

The International Microbiome Centre (IMC) at the University of Calgary houses one of the largest germ-free facilities in the world and the only one that has incorporated intra-vital imaging. Constructed in a portion of the basement at the Cumming School of Medicine, the germ-free facility complements the other microbiome platforms—including mass cytometry, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, biobanking, and live cell imaging—by providing a model system in which to study the microbiome. The center provides a sterilized housing environment, where researchers explore the microbiome and its impact through adding bacteria to germ-free models and analyzing what those bacteria do to the animals’ immune systems, organs, and overall health.

Stellenbosch University began construction in January of 2019 on the $75 million Biomedical Research Institute in Cape Town, South Africa. Providing leading-edge research facilities for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, the integrated complex will include a bioinformatics hub, a clinical research unit, a biorepository, conference rooms, and labs for proteomics, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry.

Masonic Medical Research Institute is constructing a large-animal research facility in its existing building in Utica, N.Y. The $15 million project includes the renovation of a 5,500-sf basement to provide lab space for five investigators and a procedural suite for studies on pigs, sheep, goats, and rabbits. The investment will also support the recruitment of up to 30 new employees.

The Pirbright Institute will begin construction in early 2019 on the £50 million Brooksby Building in the United Kingdom. Designed to promote interaction and collaboration between investigators, the 51,000-sf facility will feature sophisticated biocontainment laboratories for the detection, diagnosis, and study of zoonotic diseases and livestock pathogens, as well as providing small animal vivarium space for in vivo research programs. The general contractor for the project is Kier and occupancy is expected by 2021.

The Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre is planning to create a £66 million research and production facility in the United Kingdom. Located in the Oxford Science Park, the project will support the development and manufacturing of vaccines for clinical trials and epidemic threat mitigation, as well as the creation of gene therapy technologies and personalized medicine solutions.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is planning to build a $5 million, 12,490-sf gnotobiotic mouse vivarium adjacent to its existing rodent facility on the East Campus. Providing labs, procedure rooms, a conference room, a staff locker room, and animal holding space, the germ-free facility is being created by the Nebraska Food for Health Center to support research on the human microbiome. Construction will begin in 2019 with completion expected in summer of 2020.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia completed construction of the $75 million Clinical Vector Core in November of 2018. Located on the basement level of the Colket Translational Research Building, the project provides laboratories, offices, four production suites, and cleanrooms for the manufacture of gene therapy agents for clinical trials. The 15,000-sf facility features robust environmental controls and was built at a cost of $44 million. The Clinical Vector Core is part of the Raymond G.

AbbVie signed a long-term lease in November of 2018 for 480,000 sf in the Gateway of Pacific development in South San Francisco. The facility will be located in a 12-story building currently being constructed by BioMed Realty. Gateway of Pacific is being delivered in two phases, with the first phase comprising 555,000 sf of lab, research, office, and amenity space. Completion is expected in late 2019. The second phase will provide an additional 431,000 sf of lab, office, and parking space and is slated for completion in late 2021.

Emory University will begin construction in fall of 2019 on a $260 million biomedical research facility in Atlanta. Designed by HOK, the 300,000-sf facility will provide labs and offices for researchers engaged in the study of immunology, neurology, oncology, cardiology, and biomedical imaging. The project represents an expansion of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center and may include an animal research vivarium and a cage wash. Occupancy is expected in December of 2021. 

Boehringer Ingelheim opened its $81 million global center for veterinary vaccine development in October of 2018. Located in Lyon, France, the four-story, 156,000-sf facility provides research and development laboratories for the creation of animal vaccines for diseases such as rabies and avian influenza. Designed as an international center for biological excellence, the project features scalable production suites and can accommodate 200 employees.

Ajinomoto Althea is building a 57,000-sf pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in San Diego. Accommodating all stages of development from preclinical production through commercial supply, the project will support the manufacture of highly potent drug products as well as Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs). The facility will enable the safe handling and manipulation of compounds with very low occupational exposure limits (OEL) while maintaining aseptic conditions and cGMP compliance.

Chapman University opened the $130 million Keck Center for Science and Engineering in late August of 2018 in Orange, Calif. Housing the Schmid College of Science and Technology, the three-story, 140,000-sf facility accommodates programs in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, math, computational science, food science, psychology, and health science. Spacious teaching and research spaces are grouped strategically by discipline, with students and faculty moving seamlessly between classroom and lab. Designed by AC Martin and built by C.W.

Washington State University broke ground in September of 2018 on the $61.3 million Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman. Built as an addition to the existing Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health, the 62,500-sf project will accommodate the detection and diagnosis of zoonotic diseases and infectious agents such as avian influenza, BSE, foot and mouth disease, West Nile virus, and pandemic flu. The facility will also house teaching labs for programs in veterinary medicine. Completion is expected by January of 2021.

Texas Tech University is planning to build a $90 million facility for the School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo. Located at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, the two-building complex will include a clinical skills training center for large animal procedures. The school will accommodate 60 students per year for a total enrollment of 240 for the four-year program, as well as serving up to 200 graduate students who are not seeking a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Construction could begin as early as fall of 2019 with completion in fall of 2021.

Ross University’s School of Veterinary Medicine opened the $10.5 million Research and Pathology Building in July of 2018 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts. Providing eight laboratories, the 19,000-sf facility offers 13,000 sf of research space, 4,000 sf of student space including a 1,500-sf learning center, and 2,000 sf of pathology space with suites for necropsy and histology. Designed to promote multidisciplinary collaboration and interaction, the building will support the One Health initiative in addressing the interconnectivity of animal, human, and environmental health.