BIO-LIFE BSL 2/3 LABS 

Estimated Project Cost:  $4,000,000

Project Description:  The College of Science & Technology (CST) wishes to construct a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) facility to convert existing non-laboratory space to BSL-2 laboratories and to renovate and upgrade existing outmoded laboratories to BSL-2 level that will meet NIH/OSHA/ASM/CDC recommendations  Renovations and construction will take place in approximately 9,500 square feet of the Biolife Building.  The BSL-3 facility will be the first facility on the Main Campus of Temple University that provides this degree of containment and it will allow high containment (BSL-3) research.  The research supported by this renovated space will focus primarily on infectious disease agents, including HIV, and cancer biology and bioterrorism.  To fund this renovation and construction, CST obtained a highly competitive grant for $2,000,000 from the National Institutes of Health.  The grant must be matched with $2,000,000 from Temple University for a total project cost not to exceed $4,000,000.

Justification:  Although the Center for Neurovirology and Cancer Biology and the Center for Biotechnology have broad peer reviewed funded research programs in infectious disease agents, there are no BSL-2 laboratories or a BSL-3 facility on the Main Campus.  This deficiency significantly limits research potential in infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and other areas.  These areas will be a major focus of NIH funding in years to come.  The centers have strong research programs using molecular approaches to study various aspects of disease agents, HIV, and cancer biology.  The construction of a BSL-3 facility will make possible a major planned expansion of research on HIV-I and other pathogens.  This expansion builds on existing NIH funded, peer reviewed research programs, and will enhance our ability to seek and obtain additional research support for which BSL-2 and BSL-3 level facilities are required.  The provision of BSL-2 laboratories will substantially expand and enhance the Centers' ability to conduct research on pathogenic human specimens.  The BSL-3 facilities will be used by additional investigators in CST, other schools in the University, and those in HSC.