UC7AI180307

Resources, Workforce Development, and Animal Models for the Rutgers RBL - Overall Abstract

The Rutgers University Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) serves as a central facility to perform biosafety level three (BSL3) therapeutic, pathogenesis, and diagnostic research on high threat biological agents with a focus on Mycobacterium tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2, as well as other Category A, B, and C pathogens.

The RBL serves academic and commercial entities within Rutgers University, the Northeast United States and nationally, while also engaging globally with companies and academic institutions through collaborations and research contracts.

This proposal will provide support that enhances the RBL's ability to fulfill its research and biothreat response/pandemic preparedness missions while also supporting an expanding faculty/staff. We propose to accomplish these goals by improving the RBL facilities, support services, BSL3 practice development and implementation, and special services offerings though the execution of three aims:

Aim 1. Establish a Facility Management, Maintenance and Operations (FMMO) Core.
Aim 2. Establish a BSL-3 Practices Core (Practice Core).
Aim 3. Establish a Biocontainment Research Support Service Core devoted to developing animal models of BSL3 pathogens and associated support services (Animal Models and Related Services, or AMRS Core).

The FMMO Core will provide BSL3 and ABSL3 services, management and oversight, for routine animal husbandry, microbiology and virology services in support of investigators grant funded research projects while ensuring efficient operations and maintenance of the BSL3 facilities and providing trained staff to support the BSL3 building systems and equipment.

The Practice Core will develop and maintain standard operating procedures and training for research in the RBL BSL3 laboratories including best practices, emergency response, waste management, shipping, husbandry, select agent-specific practices, and inventory. It will also develop and conduct biosecurity and disaster drills and liaise with other BSL3 laboratories within the RBL network as well as local, state, and federal health agencies to coordinate operations and plan for joint responses to new infectious disease threats.

The AMRS Core will develop critical animal models including those of SARS-CoV2 and highly pathogenic influenza virus transmission, COVID-19 PASC, pulmonary impairment after TB (PIAT), and drug treatment models, and then support grant funded investigators in the performance of these models along with the advanced instrumentation needed to analyze these infected models and their tissues/cells in a BSL3 environment.

Together, these three cores will significantly enhance the near- and long-term abilities of the RBL to address critical biothreats and emerging infectious diseases requiring study in a BSL3 laboratory setting, while also increasing our capacity to respond to the next public health emergency or pandemic.

Rutgers The State University Of New Jersey

TO ASSIST PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO ESTABLISH, EXPAND AND IMPROVE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND RELATED AREAS, TO CONDUCT DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH, TO PRODUCE AND TEST RESEARCH MATERIALS. TO ASSIST PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO CONDUCT DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH, TO PRODUCE AND TEST RESEARCH MATERIALS, TO PROVIDE RESEARCH SERVICES AS REQUIRED BY THE AGENCY FOR PROGRAMS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES, AND CONTROLLING DISEASE CAUSED BY INFECTIOUS OR PARASITIC AGENTS, ALLERGIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES AND RELATED AREAS. PROJECTS RANGE FROM STUDIES OF MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANTIGENIC STRUCTURE TO COLLABORATIVE TRIALS OF EXPERIMENTAL DRUGS AND VACCINES, MECHANISMS OF RESISTANCE TO ANTIBIOTICS AS WELL AS RESEARCH DEALING WITH EPIDEMIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS OR COMMUNITY POPULATIONS AND PROGRESS IN ALLERGIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES. BECAUSE OF THIS DUAL FOCUS, THE PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES BOTH BASIC RESEARCH AND CLINICAL RESEARCH. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM EXPANDS AND IMPROVES PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. THE SBIR PROGRAM INTENDS TO INCREASE AND FACILITATE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM STIMULATES AND FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARDS SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTISTS DURING THE FORMATIVE STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS. INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS (NRSAS) ARE MADE DIRECTLY TO APPROVE APPLICANTS FOR RESEARCH TRAINING IN SPECIFIED BIOMEDICAL SHORTAGE AREAS. IN ADDITION, INSTITUTIONAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS ARE MADE TO ENABLE INSTITUTIONS TO SELECT AND MAKE AWARDS TO INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE TRAINING UNDER THE AEGIS OF THEIR INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAM.

93.855 - Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) [HHS - NIH]

Newark, New Jersey 071073001 United States

Single Zip Code

Limited Competition: Resources and Workforce Development for the Regional Biocontainment Laboratories (UC7 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (RFA-AI-22-075)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 214% from $3,970,689 to $12,462,803.