MANHATTAN, Kan., Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Biosecurity Research Institute now under construction will provide scientists with a secure location to study dangerous and threatening pathogens.
Near completion on the Kansas State University campus, the comprehensive biosafety level 3 facility is designed to assist in the study of such pathogens and pests as avian flu, brucellosis, soybean rust, salmonella and E. coli.
Institute Director Jim Stack says the pace of globalization has increased dramatically during the last few decades. "As a result ... pathogens and vectors are mixing at greater frequencies resulting in the emergence of new diseases and the geographic redistribution of recurring diseases, said Stack. "The pace of the world has quickened; disease detection, diagnosis and response must keep pace."
The $54 million facility will be the only containment research and training facility within the United States that integrates plant pathology, food safety, entomology, veterinary medicine and molecular biology.
The building will have special air filtering systems to prevent release of materials from the research space. All waste will be processed to kill even the hardiest microorganisms and scientists will wear personal protective equipment and follow research protocols that minimize the potential for exposure, Stack said.
