Another step in the research process for the BRI and the NBAF

In case you missed it the exciting announcement last week about K-State’s Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI), check out this article from Capital Press Agriculture. The article discusses the steps the BRI had to go through to receive permission to do research, how the research will speed up response times in case of a biological attack, and how this is a huge step forward in the partnership with the NBAF.

Here are some highlights:
“To become approved to study select agents, Pat Roberts Hall — home to the BRI — has been scrutinized from top to bottom. Federal inspectors must have an intimate understanding of how the building’s infrastructure works and review the laboratory’s safety, security, medical surveillance and the facility’s standard operating procedures.

“This is a critical mission,” Thornton said. “The NBAF won’t be finished until 2016 and so the extent of which we can initiate some of that research now to protect American agriculture.”

“The BRI is rated as a third-level biosafety facility. That means it can house research on indigenous or exotic agents that can cause severe or fatal diseases to animals and humans, but for which vaccines or other treatments exist…

“…This research gives us the opportunity to react as quickly as possible to any new threat that arises,” said Jamie Johnson, director for the NBAF project. “There is no capability in the country that can do this work for large animals.

“NBAF will put in a better position to understand and respond to those diseases. Along with the roughly 30,000 square feet of research space, the BRI also has 10,000 square feet dedicated to training and education…

“The research capabilities of K-State’s Biosecurity Institute were a significant reason the Department of Homeland Security chose Manhattan as the future home of the NBAF…

“The city and university are expected to complete site preparation work by September, when the 45-acre site will be deeded over to DHS. Construction on the NBAF lab is set to begin in early 2011.”

You can read the whole article here.