The Rutgers University Regional Biocontainment Laboratory is one of the NIAID-supported Biocontainment Laboratories. The RBL is a highly secure facility designed to provide an ultra-safe work environment for scientists and support staff, as well as the public at large.
More information about this resource is available at Rutgers University Regional Biocontainment Lab
Main Areas of Focus
- To advance the national biomedical research agenda by addressing a basic understanding of pathogen biology and promoting the development of new vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics against existing and emerging infectious agents.
- To aid public health laboratories in the event of an infectious disease emergency.
Who Can Use This Resource
- Investigators in academia, not-for-profit organizations, industry, and government studying biodefense and emerging infectious diseases may request the use of biocontainment laboratories.
How To Get Started
- Please contact the RBL directly for further information.
Support Services
Laboratory and Analytical Support
- Immunology services: BD Accuri C6 Flow Cytometer, BD FACScalibur, Nikon fluorescent microscope
- Pathology services: Available following fixation
- Microbiology services: Routine target organ burdens by agar culture and real-time PCR for genomic equivalents; 5 color Agilent Real-Time Spectrofluorometer; CLSI MIC testing for antibiotics
Ability To Accommodate cGLP or cGMP studies?
No.
Tools
Animal Capabilities, Including Species and Containment Level(s)
BSL3: Mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, ferrets
Animal Models, Including Species, Disease, and Delivery Method
- Mouse, pneumonic plague, aerosol or intranasal
- Mouse, bubonic plague, subcutaneous
- Mouse, anthrax, aerosol or intranasal
- Mouse, rabbit, tuberculosis (MDR/XDR TB), aerosol or intranasal
- Mouse, tularemia, intranasal, intradermal
- Mouse, glanders, IP, intranasal
- Hamster, glanders, IP, intransal
- Mouse, avian flu, intranasal
- Mouse, West Nile, mosquito
- Mouse, influenza A, intranasal
- Mouse, Chikungunya virus, intradermal
- Guinea pig, Influenza A, intranasal
- Mouse, canine distemper model for MS, aerosol or intranasal
- Rat, MDR Gram negative and positive bacteria, skin and soft tissue infections
- Ferret, flu, SARS
Pathogens
Category A Select Agent Clearance:
- Bacillus anthracis
- Yersina pestis
- Francisella tularensis
- Burkholderia mallei
- Burkholderia pseudomallei
- Brucella abortus
- Brucella melitensis
- Botulinum neurotoxin-producing species of Clostridium
- Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus
- Monkeypox virus
- SARS
- YFV
- H5N1 flu (pending)
Category C and Other Pathogens:
- MDR/XDR-Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Dengue
- Other pathogens: MSSA, MRSA, VISA, M. tuberculosis (drug sensitive), Aspergillus spp., Candida spp., HIV, Cryptococcus spp., Plasmodium spp., canine distemper virus, H1N1 influenza A, vaccinia virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, varicella zoster virus, human cytomegalovirus
Imaging Capabilities
Perkin Elmer FMT 1500 in vivo Whole Animal Imager
Specialized Areas or Major Equipment Available
- Extensive aerosol infection models
- Real-time PCR (PCR/NASBA/Molecular Beacons) for nucleic acid diagnostics
- Vaccine challenge
- PK/PD studies of drugs in infected tissues using the ThermoScientific Orbitrap XL MALDI-Mass Spectrometer
Contact Information
- Director: David Alland, MD