September 30, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, AL — A $15.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will help fund construction of a new research facility at the University of Alabama at Birmingham that will be used to develop the next generation of vaccines, drugs and diagnostic tests for emerging infections such as SARS and West Nile, and for defense against organisms such as pox viruses that might be used in bioterrorist attacks.
"This award recognizes UAB's outstanding research record in virology, bacterial pathogenesis and immunology," said UAB President Carol Z. Garrison. "Acquiring this facility means we can extend our ability to be a research leader in areas that affect the health and well-being of people in Alabama and beyond. We intend to cement our role as a regional and national hub of research activity in these fields."
Following 9/11 and the subsequent anthrax cases, as well as the spread of diseases such as West Nile Virus and SARS, a panel of scientific experts determined that the nation needed additional laboratory facilities specifically designed to conduct research into these diseases and biological agents. Last fall, the NIH issued a call for proposals, seeking applications to support the construction of such research facilities around the nation. Through its system of competitive review, the NIH awarded 11 grants.
"With this award, we will create a facility that will serve as a regional resource for researchers who are investigating these pressing health issues," said Dr. Richard Marchase, senior associate dean for biomedical research at the School of Medicine at UAB and principal investigator for the grant. "That we would be chosen as the site for this facility indicates the regard with which UAB's research program is held."
The facility is known as a Biosafety Level (BSL-3) Laboratory. Laboratories that handle infectious agents are rated on four levels. BSL-1 laboratories handle agents that are considered harmless. BSL-4 labs handle agents that are considered extremely dangerous and life-threatening. BSL-3 labs handle agents that may cause serious or potentially lethal diseases. UAB and its affiliate Southern Research Institute already operate BSL-3 laboratories; their safety record has been flawless.
"The number of emerging infectious diseases continues to grow. The most recent pandemic of Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a perfect example of how quickly a new disease can appear on the international health scene and require rapid and massive amounts of research to attempt to bring it under control," said Dr. Richard Whitley, professor of pediatrics and infectious disease. "These facilities provide a very controlled, publicly safe environment for the scientific investigation into potentially dangerous disease and microbes." Whitley is UAB's principal investigator in a consortium of six Southeastern universities awarded $45 million in early September to fund research into emerging infections and biological agents.
UAB researchers recently received significant grants to continue investigations into infectious disease that affect large numbers of people. UAB is leading a 35-site study to evaluate the effectiveness of a potential new treatment for West Nile virus. This is part of a seven-year, $31 million grant awarded to UAB to support the ongoing research activities of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' Collaborative Antiviral Study Group (CASG). Also, UAB has been awarded a four-and-a-half-year, $16 million grant from the NIAID to lead a multi-center study to develop and test a potential new class of HIV vaccines.
The facility will be approximately 40,000 square feet, with 18,000 square feet of laboratory space. A specific site for the facility has not been selected. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2004.