The Regional Biocontainment Lab (RBL) at the Center for Predictive Medicine is one of the NIAID-supported Biocontainment Laboratories. The Lab provides a valuable national resource and asset to the University of Louisville, the region, and the greater scientific and public health communities. The Lab has been built to the most stringent federal standards.
More information about this resource is available at Center for Predictive Medicine
Main Areas of Focus
- To conduct basic and translational research for pathogens that cause disease in humans.
- To conduct basic and translational research that leads to the development of effective diagnostic biomarkers, vaccines, antivirals and therapeutics for emerging, re-emerging, neglected or rare infectious diseases.
- To train faculty and staff in the specific operations and emergency procedures associated with the RBL.
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 CPM directly for further information.
Support Services
Laboratory and Analytical Support
- Immunology services: The immunology core supports detection of targets using FACSAria, FACSymphony A3, Luminex FM3D, ELISA, and neutralization methodologies.
- Pathology services: Animal Models of Infectious Diseases Core supports gross pathology, histopathology, hematology, and immunostaining.
- Microbiology services: High Throughput Biology Core supports qRT-PCR detection of pathogen and host genes in 96- and 384-well formats, sequencing, screening of small molecules or other biologics such as siRNA. Virus preparation and viral antigen preparation also available.
- Animal Models of Infectious Diseases Core supports classical and modern methods for detection of viruses in animal models such as TCID50, EID50, plaque assay and ELISA.
Ability To Accommodate cGLP or cGMP Studies?
No.
Specialized Areas
- Imaging (CT, PET, IVIS Optical), live confocal microscopy
- Animal Model Development
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- High throughput technologies
Tools
Animal Capabilities, Including Species and Containment Level
Small animal models (ABSL2 and ABSL3 containment levels)
- Mice
- Cotton rats
- Hamsters
- Guinea pigs
- Rats
- Ferrets
- Rabbits
Animal Models, Including Species, Disease, and Delivery Method
- Arenaviruses (Junin, strain Candid #1; LCMV-WE, strain 54; LCMVARM, strain 53b; Mopeia, strain An20410; Mopeia/Lassa reassortant, clone ML29; Tacaribe; Flexal; Pirital; Pichinde) Suckling, Adult Mice, Guinea Pig; Aseptic Meningitis, Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever; Intracranial, Intraperitoneal, Subcutaneous
- Dengue virus, Mice; Dengue Fever; Intracranial, Subcutaneous
- Hantaviruses; Suckling, Adult Mice; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome; Intracranial, Intraperitoneal
- Influenza Viruses (H1N1, H3N2, H5N1, H2N2, H7N9); Mice, Ferret, Guinea, Pig; Flu; Intranasal, Intratracheal
- Chikungunya (CHIKV 181/25), Western and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis viruses (WEEV, VEEV); Suckling, Adult Mice; Viral Encephalitis; Intracranial, Subcutaneous
- Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV); Mice; Viral Encephalitis; Intracranial Subcutaneous
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV); Mice, cotton rats; Pulmonary, Intranasal
- SARS Coronavirus (SARS CoV); Mice, Ferrets; SARS, Intranasal
- SARS Coronavirus Type 2 (SARS-CoV-2); Mice, Ferret, Hamster (Golden Syrian, Roborovski Dwarf); COVID-19, Intranasal
- Yellow Fever 17D; Mice; Yellow Fever; Intracranial, Subcutaneous
- Zika virus; Mice; Zika virus; Intracranial, footpad
- West Nile Viruses (WNV); Mice, Hamsters; Viral Encephalitis; Subcutaneous
- Yersinia pestis; Mice; Plague; Subcutaneous, Intranasal, Intradermal
- Burkholderia; Mice, Hamsters Glanders (mallei), Melioidosis (pseudomallei); Intranasal, intraperitoneal, Intramuscular, Intratracheal, Intubation-mediated intratracheal (IMIT)
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR); Mice; Pulmonary IMIT
Pathogens
- Select Agents
- SARS-CoV
- Influenza viruses (mouse-adapted, HPAI)
- Eastern and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis viruses
- Rift Valley Fever virus
- Francisella tularemia
- Burkholderia spp.
- Yersinia pestis
- Other Pathogens
- MERS-CoV
- Hantaviruses
- RVFV MP12
- Heartland virus
- Dengue virus
- Arenaviruses (Junin, strain Candid #1; LCMV-WE, strain 54; LCMV-ARM, strain 53b; Mopeia, strain An20410; Mopeia/Lassa reassortant, clone ML29; Tacaribe; Flexal; Pirital; Pichinde)
- RSV
- West Nile virus
- Zika viruses
- Chikungunya virus
- Mayaro viruses
- Japanese encephalitis viruses
- Western Equine Encephalitis virus
- Encephalomyocarditis virus
- Enteroviruses 71
- Enteroviruses D68
- Mycobacterium
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR)
- Klebsiella pnuemoniae carbapenemase resistant
- Acinetobacter baumannii
- Salmonella species
Imaging Capabilities
- MOLECUBES Live animal imaging of pathogen infection cycles at ABSL3 in target infected tissues by CAT scan
- Positron emission tomography (PET)
- Optical detection of fluorescence or bioluminescence (IVIS Lumina S5)
- Live cell-based imaging with Zeiss 710/Live 5
- Cytation C10 confocal imager
Major Equipment Available
- Tecan
- Synergy IV
- Luminex
- FACSAria
- FACSymphony A3
- Zeiss 710/Live 5
- MOLECUBES X-cube and b-cube
- IVIS Lumina S5
- Hemavet
- Piccolo
- Metabolic caging system
- Whole-body plethysmography
- Aerosol delivery
- Telemetry
Shared Resources
- The University of Louisville has next generation sequencing, proteomic and metabolomics cores, and transgenic mice facilities.
Contact Information
Director: Kenneth E. Palmer, Ph.D.