ARI-R2: Renovation of the North Carolina State University Phytotron for Improved Environmental Control and BSL-3 Containment

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。四层楼的NCSU（北卡罗来纳州州立大学）Phytotron建于1968年，大部分建设（约150万美元）和前八年的运营资金由NSF提供，其次是NCSU提供的33年维护和人员配备。经过42年的连续运行，NCSU Phytotron迫切需要升级，以满足目前和日益增长的对模型和相关植物，昆虫和小动物的受控环境研究的需求。该奖项提供资金，以提供关键的基础设施升级包括：（1）翻新和升级核心环境系统，特别是更换冷水机和泵，重新绝缘冷冻水和乙二醇线路，以接受最近连接到大学冷冻水线路。在温室和温室地板上涂上环氧树脂涂层;（2）用敏感的数字CO2控制器替换调节各个环境室环境条件的控制器;（3）将一个屋顶温室和相邻的植物暗室改造成BSL-3设施，用于对选定的病原体和其他外来高风险病毒、细菌、真菌和线虫植物病原体进行资助研究。由于北卡罗来纳州立大学是一个首屈一指的植物生物学机构，这个NSF资助的遗产是一个宝贵的大学范围内的设施，用于许多联邦资助的研究项目，是各级培训和研究的焦点。未来，基础设施的改造将使Phytotron成为一个关键的公共大规模高通量植物表型分析设施。NC State研究生，本科生以及来自非研究I大学的夏季REU计划学生和其他代表性不足的群体的外展计划使用Phytotron在作为榜样和导师的多元化教师的指导下进行独立的研究项目。改造将立即产生科学影响，因为NCSU的研究人员将进行更敏感的全球气候变化研究，并从世界各地的合作者那里获得病原体和微生物，这些合作者居住在经过认证的中央BSL-3设施中，以满足或超过联邦和州遏制指南。NCSU Phytotron翻新将保持北卡罗来纳州广泛和强大的综合当代生物学社区，并大大提高NCSU在这些领域的合作潜力和竞争力。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The four-story NCSU (North Carolina State University) Phytotron built in 1968 with most of the construction (~$1.5M) and first eight years of operating funds provided by the NSF, followed by 33 years of maintenance and staffing provided by NCSU. After 42 years of continuous operation the NCSU Phytotron is in dire need of upgrades to meet present and growing demands for controlled environmental research with model and relevant plants, insects and small animals. This award provides funds to provide critical infrastructure upgrades include: (1) renovating and upgrading the core environmental systems specifically replacing chillers and pumps, re-insulating chilled water and glycol lines to accept the recent connection to university chilled water lines. Applying epoxy coating to chamber and greenhouse floors; (2) replacement of controllers modulating the environmental conditions for individual environmental chambers with sensitive digital CO2 controls; and (3) conversion of one rooftop glasshouses and adjacent plant dark room into a BSL-3 facility for funded research with select agents and other exotic high risk viral, bacterial, fungal and nematode plant pathogens. As NC State is a premier plant biology institution, this NSF-funded legacy is an invaluable University-wide facility that is used in many federally funded research projects and is a focal point for training and research at all levels. Into the future the infrastructure renovations will allow the Phytotron to be a key public large-scale high-throughput plant phenotypic analyses facility. NC State graduate, undergraduates as well as summer REU program students from non-Research I universities and other outreach programs for underrepresented groups use the Phytotron for independent research projects under the direction of a diverse faculty who serve as role models and mentors. The renovations will have immediate scientific impacts as NCSU researchers will undertake more sensitive global climate change studies and acquire pathogens and microbes from collaborators around the world housed in the centralized BSL-3 facility certified to meet or exceed federal and state containment guidelines. The NCSU Phytotron renovations will maintain NC States broad and robust integrated contemporary biology community and greatly increase the collaborative potential and competitiveness of NCSU in these fields.