WASHINGTON, July 1 (UPI) -- The following is an informal list of existing, planned or proposed biodefense labs collected by United Press International. Some locations have more than one laboratory.
UPI is seeking any further information on laboratory projects not listed. If you have such information please e-mail [email protected].
West:
1. Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, Mont.: Owned by the National Institutes of Health. Planning a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory.
2. University of California at Davis, Ca.: Proposing a BSL 4 laboratory.
3. Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland: Proposing a BSL 4 laboratory.
4. The National Centers for Disease Control, Fort Collins, Colo.: Does some biodefense research and is updating a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory.
5. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, Calif.: Planning a new BSL 3 lab. They have a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory.
6. Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, a United States Army facility: Planning to upgrade a BSL 3 laboratory with a new aerosol chamber.
Southwest:
7. The Biodefense Center at the University of Texas, Galveston: Will complete a BSL 4 Laboratory on Aug. 22, 2003. It operates two BSL 3 labs.
8. Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research: Operates a BSL 4 Lab in San Antonio.
9. Texas Technology University in Lubbock, Texas: Opened a Biodefense Center and considered building a BSL 4 lab on a nearby former Air Force Base in conjunction with the City of Lubbock. The plan has not gone forward.
10. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.: Completing a BSL 3 biodefense lab.
South:
11. Georgia State University at Atlanta: Operates a BSL 4 laboratory.
12. George Mason University, Manassas Va.: Operates a BSL 3 bioaerosol chamber that can do full-body primate exposure.
Middle Atlantic:
13. Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md. National Institute of Health: Planning a new BSL 4 lab.
14. United State Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Md.: Operates 10,000 square feet of BSL 4 space and 50,000 square feet of BSL 3 lab space and a 15-bed research ward.
15. United State Army, Army Medical Corps: Reported the new Fort Detrick facilities will house Biosafety Level 2, 3 and 4 laboratories.
16. An Interagency Biodefense Campus is being planned at Fort Detrick to include Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Agriculture and the NIH: It is not clear if it will include a laboratory.
17. The University of Maryland: Seeking $200 million from NIH to build a BSL 4 lab at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, a military post in Maryland.
18. Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, a United States Army facility: Built in 2000 on a different section of Aberdeen Proving Ground, this facility contains a BSL 3 lab. At a meeting on Dec. 16, 1999, the army assured area residents they would not build a BSL 4.
19. Battelle Memorial Institute, a major science and technology contractor for the government: Opened a new biotech center, constructed with private funds, near Aberdeen Proving Ground in March, 2003. The facility includes a BSL 3 laboratory that can do biodefense research.
Northeast:
20. Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, N.Y.: Proposing a BSL 4 laboratory at an industrial park outside of Rome, N.Y.
21. Plum Island Animal Disease Center: The Department of Agriculture operates a BSL 3 lab.
22. Boston University: is seeking NIH dollars to build a BSL 4 lab in Boston's South End.
23. Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.: Operates three BSL 3 laboratories and has applied to NIH for funds to increase the capacity of one of them.
Middle West
24. The University of Illinois at Chicago: Seeking NIH funding for a BSL 4 Lab in downtown Chicago.
25. The University of Chicago: Proposing to build a BSL 3 laboratory 20 miles south of the downtown Chicago lab at the Argonne National Laboratory campus.
26. Battelle Memorial Institute: Operates a second BSL 3 laboratory at its West Jefferson, Ohio science center which can do biodefense work.
27. Environmental Protection Agency: Designated its National Risk Management Research Center in Cincinnati in Sept. 2002 for Homeland Security Department Research. It reportedly contains a BSL 3 lab.
28. Midwest Institute in Kansas City, Mo.: Planning to upgrade a laboratory to a BSL 3 level to accommodate biodefense needs.
29. St. Louis University: Seeking an NIH grant to upgrade its laboratory to a BSL 3 status in connection with Washington University, the Midwest Research Institute, and Case Western Reserve University. The lab would be on the St. Louis, Mo., campus.
30. Kansas State University: Operates two BSL 3 labs and is planning to use $40 million in state bonds to build a 60,000 square BSL 3A laboratory, which will be as safe as a BSL 4. Seeking $20 million from NIH.
Hawaii:
31. Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu: Constructing a BSL 3 Modular Lab.
