A new lab at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine will soon enable researchers to study infections, diseases and biological threats and to develop vaccines, treatments and cures.
Located on the Grafton campus, the $30.8-million New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory (NERBL) will specifically look at infectious agents that may cause serious or fatal diseases through inhalation. The university received a $23.1-million grant from the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to build the facility, and itself contributed the rest of the total cost, according the Cummings School Web site.
The lab's construction is complete "for all intents and purposes," Tom Keppeler, the associate director of public relations at the Cummings School, told the Daily in an e-mail.
After the final touches are put on the lab, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will begin a commissioning period to ensure the facility operates as designed. The certification review process will last approximately until March; the lab should be fully functional in late spring.
The lab, which is one of 13 of its kind nationally, has been under construction since summer 2007.
These regional labs sprung up as part of the federal government's reaction to the 2001 anthrax scares. In the aftermath, NIAID spearheaded the creation of a national biodefense program.
"Simply put, the federal government is seeking to understand more about infectious agents — many of which exist in the environment — that could be used as biological terror agents," Keppeler said.
Part of the program involves developing facilities to safely work with potential human pathogens and create cures for them. If scientists are successful, the hope is that the agents will become less effective as weapons.
"The NERBL will allow Tufts scientists to better understand pathogens that cause infectious diseases and to work to develop diagnostic reagents and treatments that will help keep the public safe," Cummings School Dean Deborah Kochevar told the Daily in an e-mail.
Over 70 percent of emerging infectious diseases in the last 20 years have been zoonotic in nature, meaning that they can be transmitted from animals to humans, according to Keppeler. Some of these zoonotic infections include Lyme disease, mad cow disease and SARS.
Tufts has been at the forefront of studying such infections, which helped it in the selection process. "Tufts was chosen through a competitive process, based on the strength of our Division of Infections Diseases," Keppeler said. "The division, led by Dr. Saul Tzipori, has particular expertise in food- and water-borne diseases and vector-transmitted infections, such as those caused by mosquitoes or ticks."
The lab is a core part of the Grafton Science Park, which Tufts hopes will attract more businesses to the area. "Roughly 100 acres of land around the NERBL is available as build-to-suit [office], research and industrial space for tenants who are seeking a close proximity both to the laboratory and to the Cummings School, as well as to the infrastructure and transportation benefits here in North Grafton," Keppeler said.
The lab is also available to all regional researchers, not just the Tufts community. Scientists from academic, nonprofit organizations and the private sector can use its facilities.
"It is hoped that the laboratory will draw not only research funding to the university, but also industry looking to utilize the laboratory's scientific capabilities, our faculty's expertise and the research infrastructure on the Cummings School campus," Cummings School Executive Associate Dean Joseph McManus told the Daily in an e-mail.
As an added bonus, Keppeler said the NERBL will be useful in the event of a public health emergency. "Let's say that there is a flu pandemic in New England. The capabilities of the NERBL could be used by CDC [Centers for Disease Control] officials to monitor illness, as well as design and test possible therapeutics," he said.
Unlike some of the other regional labs, the NERBL will stand alone instead of inside a hospital; this "provides a larger, safe and secure laboratory environment to study infectious agents," Keppeler said.
Since researchers will work with delicate chemicals, members of the surrounding community initially raised concerns about safety and security. To alleviate fears, Tufts officials led tours of the laboratory to increase transparency and highlight safety protocols.
"It is important to note that these laboratories will be dealing with very small quantities of these agents — and in a safe, secure environment," Keppeler said.
The security features include on-site police, building alarms monitored around the clock, bulletproof glass at the entrance, iron fencing and the absence of windows in the actual lab space. All personnel will have magnetic photo identification access cards and will undergo FBI background checks and fingerprinting.
