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
- Blood Chemistry testing
- QIAcuity Digital PCR System
- Typhoon 9400 Bioimager- Imaging and precise quantitation of fluorescent, colorimetric, and radiolabelled nucleic acids
- Echo 650: Acoustic Liquid Handlers
- Virology Core services: High titer virus stock generation (10^8 PFU/ml), TCID50/Plaque assay development, animal (mice) based studies for testing antiviral compounds against SARS-CoV2.
- DNA synthesis: Capacity to design and synthesize specialized molecular probes and primers for diagnostic development and to also rapidly produce these components for approximately 15,000 assays per synthesis run to be used in development and limited distribution for RUO use.
Ability To Accommodate cGLP or cGMP studies?
No.
Tools
Animal Capabilities, Including Species and Containment Level(s)
BSL3: Mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets
Animal Models, Including Species, Disease, and Delivery Method
- Mouse, select agents, aerosol/intranasal
- Mouse, /rabbit, tuberculosis (MDR/XDR TB), aerosol or intranasal
- Mouse, arboviruses, intradermal
- Preclinical mouse model for testing anti-TB drugs and host directed therapies.
- Mouse/hamsters, SARS-CoV-2, intranasal
- Mouse model of post-TB lung disease.
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
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
- Host-directed adjunct therapy
- PK/PD studies of drugs in infected tissues using the ThermoScientific Orbitrap XL MALDI-Mass Spectrometer
- Whitley A35 Anaerobic workstation
- BioTek Cytation C10 Confocal Imaging Reader
- Seahorse XF Pro Analyzer
- 10X genomics Chromium controller.
- Eddy Jet 2W Automatic Spiral Plater for automated bacterial CFU plating
- BD BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960 automated mycobacterial detection system
- Element HT5® Veterinary Hematology Analyzer
- Element DC5X® Veterinary Chemistry Analyzer
- Scireq flexiVent system
- X-CUBE CT Imaging System
- BD FACSymphony™ S6 Cell Sorter:
Tools and Services Under Development
- High titer viral stock generation using CelCradle technology for SARS-CoV-2, dengue
- Avian Flu (non SA H5N1) egg propagation and cell line based titration
- Mouse, canine distemper model for MS, aerosol or intranasal
- Rat, MDR gGram negative and positive bacteria, skin and soft tissue infections
- Mouse, West Nile, mosquito
- Mouse, glanders, IP, intranasal
- Ferret and guinea pig models of aerosol transmission (in development)
- Mouse, influenza A, intranasal
Contact Information
Director: David Alland, M.D.