Tuesday, April 8, 2025
4/8/2025
A Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory for Viral Pathogens - Program Summary/Abstract The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan) seeks NIH C06 funding to renovate existing space in the medical school (S) building to construct an in vitro Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory for viral pathogens. As an internationally recognized leader in infectious disease research, UMass Chan has made pivotal contributions to this field, with a strong focus on hazardous pathogens, including both viral and bacterial pathogens. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UMass Chan quickly became one of the leading institutes for research on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our researchers obtained numerous awards from the NIH, other governmental agencies, and private foundations for these studies. Since then, our researchers have also obtained funding for collaborative research programs to study other BSL-3-level viruses of pandemic potential, such as viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) and alphaviruses. C06 funding is critical to continue these important studies. Our BSL-3 Core Laboratories have been strained by the increased usage due to the pandemic and the addition of other BSL-3 viral pathogens, such as VHF. To accommodate this increase, we have used the satellite BSL-3 lab in the Biotech Two building, which will be lost when UMass Chan repurposes this building in 2026. The remaining S7 BSL-3 lab is already operating at capacity for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Yersinia pestis studies and cannot adequately accommodate the researchers studying Risk Group 3 viruses. To proactively address this issue, we seek NIH C06 funding to convert existing space on the 7th floor of the S-building into a second in vitro BSL-3 lab dedicated to research on viral pathogens. The proposed new facility addresses increasing demands on our BSL-3 resources by UMass Chan faculty and other regional investigators. There is strong institutional support for this project and a commitment to fully equip the new lab, including the purchase of advanced imaging equipment currently unavailable in BSL-3. The proposed facility will enhance the safety and resilience of the BSL-3 research core, and maintain the productivity of funded and future research on Risk Group 3 viruses. Our medical school is uniquely positioned to bridge clinical and basic research studies. As a leading site for clinical trials, our researchers have access to patient samples to enhance in vitro and in vivo studies. Our findings can be translated to develop novel prevention and therapeutic strategies leveraging our world-renowned RNA Therapeutics Institute and Institute for Drug Resistance, as well as our partnership with MassBiologics for vaccine and biologic therapy development, making UMass Chan a powerhouse for bench-to-bedside translational research. Robust BSL-3 labs are needed to maintain this excellence and address current and emerging pathogens with pandemic potential.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).