October 24, 2022

Scripps Research awarded NIH grant to enhance biosafety level 3 facility to address viruses of pandemic concern The $3.8 million award will expand the institute's research programs aimed at identifying therapeutics for various RNA viruses.

October 24, 2022

LA JOLLA The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded Scripps Research a grant to upgrade and expand the institute's biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories with the goal of increasing pandemic preparedness.

The funding will provide $3.8 million in funding over two years to update the current 3,500-square-foot facility, enabling Scripps Research's continued critical studies on viruses of pandemic concern, such as coronavirus, Ebola, dengue, Zika and West Nile.

The renovations will provide a new biocontainment suite consistent with BSL-3, which classifies laboratories working with infectious agents or toxins that may be transmitted through the air.

The challenges posed by COVID-19 have shown us that we need to be ready for future pandemics of a similar magnitude, says Juan Carlos de la Torre, PhD, professor of immunology and microbiology, and faculty lead for this award. We're honored to receive this grant. The renovations will vastly improve our capacity, efficiency, and safety to carry on research activities with RNA viruses of pandemic concern.

The new facility will support several research programs, spearheaded by at least eight faculty members spanning immunology, virology, and drug discovery. The investigations will focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms of infection, identifying novel antiviral compounds, and testing potential therapeutics on animal models of disease.

As part of the modernization, the facility will acquire sophisticated new microscopes for high-resolution imaging, as well as cutting-edge equipment to enable immune cell profiling and analysis of gene expression. Structurally, the existing research space and wet lab will be expanded, and the ventilation system will be upgraded.

The upgrade follows the rapid response of the institute during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, where resources were mobilized to support BSL-3 research focused on understanding SARS-CoV-2 pathology, screening for antiviral medicines and vaccine design.

The facility is a critical need and will be a major asset for Scripps Research, de la Torre adds. It will also support many of the valuable partnerships we have with collaborating institutes and pharmaceutical companies.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number G20AI174740. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Infectious Diseases COVID-19 Institute News

LINK:	https://www.scripps.edu/news-and-events/press-room/2022/20221024-g20-g...
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