Resources, Workforce Development, and Animal Models for the Rutgers RBL

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Overall ABSTRACT The Rutgers University Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) serves as a central facility to perform biosafety level three (BSL3) therapeutic, pathogenesis, and diagnostic research on high threat biological agents with a focus on Mycobacterium tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2, as well as other category A, B, and C pathogens. The RBL serves academic and commercial entities within Rutgers University, the Northeast United States and nationally, while also engaging globally with companies and academic institutions through collaborations and research contracts. This proposal will provide support that enhances the RBL’s ability to fulfill its research and biothreat response/pandemic preparedness missions while also supporting an expanding faculty/staff. We propose to accomplish these goals by improving the RBL facilities, support services, BSL3 practice development and implementation and special services offerings though the execution of three aims: Aim 1. Establish a Facility management, maintenance and operations (FMMO) core. Aim 2. Establish a BSL-3 Practices core (Practice core). Aim 3. Establish a biocontainment research support service core devoted to developing animal models of BSL3 pathogens and associated support services (Animal models and related services, or AMRS core). The FMMO core will provide BSL3 and ABSL3 services, management and oversight, for routine animal husbandry, microbiology and virology services in support of investigators grant funded research projects while ensuring efficient operations and maintenance of the BSL3 facilities and providing trained staff to support the BSL3 building systems and equipment. The Practice core will develop and maintain standard operating procedures and training for research in the RBL BSL3 laboratories including best practices, emergency response, waste management, shipping, husbandry, select agent-specific practices and inventory. It will also develop and conduct biosecurity and disaster drills and liaise with other BSL3 laboratories within the RBL network as well as local, state and federal health agencies to coordinate operations and plan for joint responses to new infectious disease threats. The AMRS core will develop critical animal models including those of SARS-CoV2 and highly pathogenic influenza virus transmission, COVID-19 PASC, pulmonary impairment after TB (PIAT), and drug treatment models, and then support grant funded investigators in the performance of these models along with the advanced instrumentation needed to analyze these infected models and their tissues/cells in a BSL3 environment. Together, these three cores will significantly enhance the near- and long-term abilities of the RBL to address critical biothreats and emerging infectious diseases requiring study in a BSL3 laboratory setting, while also increasing our capacity to respond to the next public health emergency or pandemic.