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Positioning Mason's Regional Biocontainment Laboratory for Effective Pandemic Preparedness

Award Number: UC7AI180261
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/18/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2028

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Positioning Mason's Regional Biocontainment Laboratory for Effective Pandemic Preparedness - OVERALL CORE ABSTRACT George Mason University (GMU) Biomedical Laboratory (BRL) is one of 12 Regional Biocontainment Laboratories (RBLs) established through NIAID support in the early 2000s to serve as Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) facilities to conduct cutting edge pathogen research and serve as resources to rapidly address emerging infectious disease outbreaks. The BRL serves as a center for scientific collaboration to 1) generate advanced knowledge of pathogen biology and host interaction mechanisms, and 2) evaluate diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities to the nation’s BSL-3 research infrastructure, including the GMU BRL facility. GMU learned that there are gaps and opportunities to enhance safe BRL operations management to more effectively face sudden disease outbreaks and support a more robust pipeline of innovations for response to future pandemics. This proposal outlines activities for three cores to enhance the BRL facility, increase high containment training, and provide additional BSL-3 research services for pre-clinical innovation. The GMU RBL will 1) Implement a comprehensive BSL-3 facilities preventative maintenance and upgrade plan to ensure continuity of operations, compliance with federal regulations, and a safe and secure facility; 2) Enhance safety and quality of BSL-3 laboratory practices; and 3) Create two new research cores in high containment. The expanded Microphysiological Systems (MPS) core will enable organ-on-a- chip (OOC) and organoid models for lead optimization, safety assessment, off target effects, toxicity, and efficacy analysis. The Advanced Animal Research (AAR) core will support pre- clinical studies starting with in vivo exposures and countermeasure testing and transitioning to advanced animal imaging, spatial tissue, and cellular analysis. Together, the cores will accelerate vaccine and therapeutic drug discovery and improve understanding of the transmission and pathogenesis of infectious agents as well as host response.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2025	2024	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	2	4/17/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $2,528,800 )
2024	2024	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	2	6/27/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$2,528,800
														Subtotal = $2,528,800

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $2,495,244 )
2023	2023	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	8/18/2023	NEW	$2,495,244
														Subtotal = $2,495,244

Grand Total All Awards = $5,024,044

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Positioning Mason's Regional Biocontainment Laboratory for Effective Pandemic Preparedness

Award Number: UC7AI180261

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/18/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2028

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