Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been awarded a nearly $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to construct a state-of-the-art BioSafety Level 3 (BSL3) facility for research involving the COVID-19 virus, anthrax and other dangerous microorganisms. When the renovation of about 3,500 square feet of existing space is completed, the facility will include three BSL3 suites with separate entrances and seven procedure rooms capable of securely containing multiple organisms at the second-highest biosafety level.
“Development of MICRO is an important and exciting next step to support infectious disease research as an institutional strategic priority,” said Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, VUMC’s Chief Scientific and Strategy Officer and holder of the Brock Family Directorship in Career Development.
“The new facility will significantly advance and expand our capacity for discovery in microbial pathogenesis, emerging agents and immunology,” Pietenpol said. “I thank Dr. Skaar for assembling such a qualified team to drive this project and bring new research capabilities to Vanderbilt.”
Crucial to the awarding of the highly competitive C06 grant (# C06OD034125) through the NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) was the support of the VUMC Office of Planning, Design, Construction, the Office of Clinical and Research Safety, the Office of Research and key VUMC faculty members.
Ready more about this grant and the BSL3 Lab on VUMC Reporter.