Facility Upgrade for the New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory

项目摘要 新英格兰地区生物安全实验室（NERBL）于2007年在塔夫茨大学成立 卡明斯兽医学院（TU CSVM）北格拉夫顿马校区。这个设施最初是 用于BSL 2和BSL 3条件下新发传染病的研究;支持动物 ABSL 3模型研究;并允许当地和区域调查人员进入生物防护设施， 在其国内机构中无法获得。在过去的13年多里，NERBL有效地发挥了 为TU的研究人员以及包括行业在内的各种外部利益相关者提供重要资源 提案国然而，若干制约因素已开始阻碍其使命的增长和可持续性。这些 包括过时和/或不起作用的实验室设备、效率低下和动物饲养场的工作流程 空间，以及代表安全和运营问题的老化建筑系统。因此，中央 此应用程序的目的是升级我们现有的设施，特别是其基础操作 系统，并采用最先进的技术实现饲养场和实验室空间的现代化。到 为了实现这一目标，我们将：1）升级楼宇自动化系统，HVAC执行器/过滤器/阀门，设施 照明和电气系统，以及通信平台; 2）现代化和扩大动物园， 通风的机架系统，其容纳用于小动物的一次性笼子，以降低成本并改善 购买一个生物气泡控制系统，以方便使用较大动物的研究， 实施遥测技术，以远程监测动物; 3）用现代化设备取代陈旧的实验室设备 安全壳内高通量的对应物，允许每个BSL 3实验室配备齐全， 功能独立，从而最大限度地提高研究成果，工作流程和用户安全;以及4）提高关键 具有技术升级的实验室安全系统，为净化和废物处理提供冗余 失活这些具体目标的完成将确保NERBL继续推进新兴的 未来十年的传染病研究。我们将扩大调查人员的访问权限， 通过利用先进的实验室方法和动物模型，以安全，可靠和技术上的 良好的环境。

PROJECT SUMMARY The New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory (NERBL) was established in 2007 on the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (TU CSVM) North Grafton MA campus. This facility was originally designed for research on emerging infectious diseases under BSL2 and BSL3 conditions; to support animal model ABSL3 studies; and to allow local and regional investigators access to biocontainment facilities that were not available within their home institutions. Over the past 13+ years, the NERBL has effectively served as an important resource for researchers across TU as well as a variety of external stakeholders, including industry sponsors. However, several constraints have begun to hamper growth and sustainability of its mission. These include outdated and/or non-functional laboratory equipment, poor efficiencies and workflow in the vivarium spaces, and aging building systems that represent safety and operational concerns. As such, the central purpose of this application is to upgrade our existing facility, particularly its foundational operating systems, and to modernize the vivarium and laboratory spaces with state-of-the-art technologies. To accomplish this, we will: 1) Upgrade the building automation system, HVAC actuators/filters/valves, facility lighting and electrical systems, and communication platforms; 2) Modernize and expand the vivarium with new ventilated rack systems that accommodate disposable caging for small animals to reduce costs and improve efficiencies, purchase a bioBUBBLE containment system to facilitate studies using larger animals, and implement telemetry for remote monitoring of animals; 3) Replace obsolete laboratory equipment with modern counterparts for high throughput in containment, permitting each BSL3 laboratory to be fully equipped and functionally independent, thereby maximizing research output, workflow, and user safety; and 4) Improve critical laboratory safety systems with technology upgrades that provide redundancy for decontamination and waste inactivation. Completion of these specific aims will ensure that the NERBL continues to advance emerging infectious disease research for the next decade. We will expand access for investigators performing cutting-edge studies by leveraging advanced laboratory methods and animal models in a safe, secure, and technologically sound environment.