Biocontainment Suite Renovation to Enhance Research

描述(由申请人提供)： 本申请申请资金，为马萨诸塞大学医学院(UMMS)动物医学系的动物建造一个新的生物遏制套件(BC)。许多UMMS调查人员得到资助的项目范围从开发针对特定生物恐怖分子的新型疫苗到识别结核分枝杆菌的毒力基因。该学院在传染病免疫学和疫苗开发方面非常深入，特别是在病毒学领域。现有的BC设施不能满足当前的需求。对生物防御研究的浓厚兴趣和需要BC空间的新教师的招聘推动了需求的增加，要求对我们的设施进行全面升级。我们的目标：1.通过开发更大的BC(从1,450平方英尺)来缓解过度拥挤英国《金融时报》到2800平方英尺FT.)。2.通过将BC从当前的中心位置迁移到外围位置来降低意外疾病传播的可能性。3.提供7间实验室，每间均设有生物安全柜，并设有专为不列颠哥伦比亚省而设的通风系统，以提高研究的安全性和生产力。拟建的设施包括一套七个相连的实验室，提供最先进的ABSL-3环境。它将满足现有和未来使用需要ABSL-2/3遏制的传染病体内模型进行研究的需求。新的动物BC设施将刺激密歇根大学医学中心生产性研究的增长，并在对公共卫生和国防至关重要的领域提供资金。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests funds to construct a new Biocontainment Suite (BC) for animals in the Department of Animal Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS). Many UMMS investigators are funded for projects ranging from developing novel vaccines against select bioterrorism agents to identifying virulence genes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The school has great depth in the immunology of infectious diseases and vaccine development, particularly in the field of virology. The existing BC facility cannot meet the current need. Increased demands, fueled by the intense interest in biodefense research and by recruitment of new faculty needing BC space, mandate a comprehensive upgrade of our facility. Our goals: 1. To alleviate overcrowding by developing a larger BC (from 1,450 sq. ft. to 2,800 sq. ft.). 2. To decrease the potential for accidental disease transmission by relocating BC from its current central location to a peripheral location. 3. To enhance research safety and productivity by providing space for seven lab rooms each equipped with a biosafety cabinet, and having a ventilation system specific to the BC. The proposed facility comprises a suite of seven connected laboratories, providing a state-of-the-art ABSL-3 environment. It will meet existing and future needs for research using in vivo models of infectious diseases requiring ABSL-2/3 containment. The new animal BC facility will stimulate the growth of productive research at UMMS, and funding in areas vital to public health and national defense.