As one of two National Biocontainment Laboratories constructed under grants awarded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health (NIAID/NIH), the Galveston National Laboratory (GNL) enables progress in our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying the spread of infectious diseases and the pathogenesis of the diseases they cause. Researchers are also involved in development and testing of medical countermeasures to combat high consequence pathogens– all within a safe and secure research environment.
More information about this resource is available at University of Texas Galveston National Laboratory
Main Areas of Focus
- To assist in the development of an improved means for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of potentially life-threatening diseases caused by naturally emerging and purposefully disseminated infectious agents.
- To carry out cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research into the causes, modes of transmission, and mechanisms of infectious diseases.
- To train the next generation of scientists through the UTMB Graduate School of Biomedical Science and the John Sealy School of Medicine, as well as provide opportunities for post-doctoral students and early career investigators who will be needed to address the continuing challenges of emerging infectious diseases.
Who Can Use This Resource
- Investigators in academia, not-for-profit organizations, industry, and government studying biodefense and emerging infectious diseases may collaborate with UTMB scientists on studies that require the safety and security of BSL3 and BSL4 biocontainment laboratories.
How To Get Started
- Please contact the laboratory directly for further information.
Support Services
Laboratory and Analytical Support
- Basic and translational research for diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics, including both in vitro and in vivo for pathogens that require high containment.
- UTMB Institutional Office of Regulated Nonclinical Studies provides scientific support and regulatory oversight during the planning and conduct of in vitro and in vivo nonclinical studies where derived data are intended to support applications for research or marketing permits for products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, including products submitted via the Animal Rule pathway.
- Immunology services: Human monoclonal antibodies for therapy, breeding of transgenic and knockout mouse lines from common strain backgrounds and transfer onto preferred strain backgrounds (speed congenics), genotyping of transgenic and knockout mouse lines, tissue repository/tissue sharing/cryopreservation including the development and characterization of primary cell lines (for example, MEFs), experimental surgery services, health monitoring, monoclonal antibody production services.
- Pathology services: Support for all histology needs on human or experimental animal tissues, cell culture blocks, monolayers, or smears; protocol development for immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence ; user training for laser capture microdissection or cyrotomy ; IHC‐guided LCM‐sample preparation for downstream analysis; pathologist consultation; perform histology testing to complement/validate novel imaging studies; cell culture services, including mycoplasma testing; scientific supply room for media, sera, and enzymes; and dangerous goods shipping and receiving services. Specialized equipment includes: tissue processor embedding station, and automated stainer; microtome and cryotome automated immunostainer; cytocentrifuge; light and epifluorescent microscopes; laser capture microdissection system; and tissue arrayer.
- Microbiology services: Clinical microbiology laboratory support and laboratory and analytical support and expertise available from the Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Microbiology and Department of Pathology faculty.
- The World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses (WRCEVA) is a collection of over >8,000 virus strains, encompassing 21 viral families. These viruses, along with associated antigens and antibodies, represent a critical resource that the WRCEVA distributes to the research and surveillance community free of charge to facilitate the response to new and continuing outbreaks.
Ability To Accommodate cGLP or cGMP Studies?
cGLP capabilities are in place.
Specialized Areas
- Aerobiology Services Core: Expert accredited aerobiology staff supporting all animal model aerosol exposure needs of GNL investigators, collaborators, and other CDC‐registered investigators worldwide under negotiated Confidentiality Disclosure Agreements and Material Transfer Agreements, funded via collaborative grants, contracts, and subcontracts with UTMB.
- ABSL‐3 Aerobiology: Baker Class III single sided biosafety cabinet line with Madison aerosol chamber attached and containing Biaera computer‐controlled platform that controls/monitors airflow, pressure, humidity, and temperature during aerosol procedures. The aerosol platform is also integrated with DSI real‐time plethysmography for accurate aerosol delivery to large animal models such as NHPs and rabbits. The Class III biosafety cabinet, which is connected to a Class II biosafety cabinet for transfer of material in and out of the Baker Class III cabinet accommodates whole-body and head-only exposure chambers for use with the various animal models.
- ABSL‐4 Aerobiology: Germfree Class III double‐sided biosafety cabinet line with Madison aerosol chamber attached and containing a Biaera computer-controlled platform that controls/monitors airflow, pressure, humidity, and temperature during aerosol procedures. The aerosol platform is also integrated with DSI real‐time plethysmography for accurate aerosol delivery to NHPs. The Class III biosafety cabinet, which accommodates whole-body and head-only exposure chambers for use with the various animal models, is connected to the BSL‐4 suit lab via a rapid transfer port into the BSL‐4 suit laboratory via a rapid transfer port.
- The Aerobiology Services Core also has experience testing environmental products, such as mobile air purification systems designed for use in hospitals, medical clinics or schools with high potential for transmission of airborne viruses.
- Imaging Services Core: Technology updates occur frequently. Please contact GNL for specific current equipment and imaging services. UTMB has a Biomedical Imaging Network that supports campus research.
- Insectary Services Core: Maintains numerous species of ticks and mosquitoes from around the world for use in vector and pathology studies. Key functions of the core are: development of safe, secure techniques and protocols to work with pathogens in arthropod vectors (ticks and mosquitoes); training of personnel (UTMB & others) at BSL3 and BSL‐4; Infection of arthropods; maintenance and containment of infected arthropods; safe disposal of infected arthropods; facilitate biodefense researchers in vector competency studies, basic vector biology, electron microscopy and vaccine evaluation techniques. Has an active U.S. Department of Agriculture arthropod import permit to receive arthropods from around the globe to conduct research at UTMB.
Tools
Animal Capabilities, Including Species and Containment Level(s)
- Nonhuman primates (ABSL2, ABSL3, ABSL4)
- Mouse (ABSL2, ABSL3, ABSL4)
- Hamster (ABSL2, ABSL3, ABSL4)
- Rat (ABSL2, ABSL3, ABSL4)
- Guinea pig (ABSL2, ABSL 3, ABSL4)
- Ferret (ABSL2, ABSL3, ABSL4)
- Rabbit (ABSL2, ABSL3, ABSL4)
- Sheep (ABSL4)
- Goat (ABSL4, ABSL2)
- Swine (ABSL4)
Animal Models, Including Species, Disease, and Delivery Method
A=aerosol, IN=intranasal, S=subcutaneous, O=oral, IP=intraperitoneal, T=transthoracic, IC=intracerebral, ID=intradermal, IM= intramuscular, IT= intratracheal, IV=intravenous, M=mosquito, IN=intranasal, INH=intrahepatic, INR=intratracheal
- Bacillus anthracis: mouse (A,IN,S), guinea pig (A,IN), rabbit (A,IN), NHP (A,IN,S)
- Yersinia pestis: mouse (A,IN,S), NHP (A,IN,S)
- Francisella tularensis: mouse (IP)
- Lassa Fever: guinea pig (IN), NHP (IN)
- Guanarito virus – Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever: mouse (A,S), guinea pig (IN, T)
- Junin: guinea pig (IN), NHP (IN)
- Hantaviruses – Andres, Catamas, Choclo, Maporal: hamster (IN,T,IM)
- Rift Valley Fever virus: mouse (S), mosquito, NHP (S)
- Dengue: mouse (IC,IN,IT), mosquito, NHP (S,IN);
- GB‐V: NHP (INH)
- Ebola virus: mouse (A, IC,IN), guinea pig (A, IC,IN), NHP (IN, IC)
- Marburg virus: guinea pig (IN), NHP (IN)
- Burkholderia pseudomallei: mouse (A,IN), humanized‐mouse (A,IN), NHP (A,IN)
- B. mallei: mouse (A,IN), humanized‐mouse (A,IN), NHP (A,IN)
- Rickettsia prowazekii: guinea pig (IN,A), mouse (A,IN), NHP (A,IN,S,IV)
- Chapare virus: NHP (S,IN,IM)
- Chikungunya virus: mosquito, NHP (A,IN,S,M)
- Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus: mosquito, NHP (A,I,S,IN,M)
- Western Equine Encephalitis virus: mosquito, NHP (A,IN,S,M)
- Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus: mosquito, NHP (A,IN,S,M)
- Japanese Encephalitis virus: mosquito
- Hepatitis A virus: NHP (O)
- Influenza A virus: NHP (IN)
- Kyasanur Forest disease: Tick, NHP (S,IN)
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis: mouse (A), NHP (A)
- Nipah virus: hamster (A), NHP (IN,INR)
- Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever: Tick, NHP (S,IN,IND)
- O'nyong‐nyong virus (ONNV): mosquito, NHP (A,IN,S,M)
- Rickettsia rickettsii: Tick, NHP (A,IN,S); SARS‐CoV: NHP (IN)
- West Nile virus: mosquito, NHP (S,IN)
- Yellow Fever Virus: mosquito, NHP (IN)
- Powassan virus: mouse (ID, S, tick)
- Crimean‐Congo hemorrhagic fever virus: mouse (S, tick)
- Tickborne encephalitis virus: tick, NHP (A)
- SARS
- MERS
- SARS-CoV-2
- H5N1 (recent bovine outbreak strains)
Pathogens
Only Select Agents are listed.
- Cercopithecine herpes virus 1
- Coxiella burnetii
- Crimean‐Congo hemorrhagic fever virus
- Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus
- Ebola virus
- Francisella tularensis
- Lassa fever virus
- Marburg virus
- Monkeypox virus
- Reconstructed 1918 Influenza virus
- Rickettsia prowazekii
- Rickettsia rickettsii
- Flexal
- Guanarito
- Junin
- Machupo
- Sabia
- Bacillus anthracis
- Brucella abortus
- Brucella melitensis
- Burkholderia mallei
- Burkholderia pseudomallei
- Hendra virus
- Nipah virus
- Rift Valley fever virus
- Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus
- Akabane virus
- Avian influenza virus
- Japanese encephalitis virus
- Central European tick‐borne encephalitis
- Far Eastern tickborne encephalitis
- Kyasanur forest disease
- Omsk hemorrhagic fever
- Russian Spring and Summer encephalitis
- Yersinia pestis
- Vesicular stomatitis virus (exotic)
- Virulent Newcastle disease virus
Imaging Capabilities
- Specialized Equipment: Confocal microscopy (BSL4), Upright combined confocal and multiphoton microscopy (BSL2, BSL3), IVIS Spectrum Whole body bioluminescence/fluorescence imaging (BSL2, BSL3, BSL4), PET–CT Imaging (BSL2 in transition to BSL3).
- Software/Image Processing: Variety of image processing software capabilities (Imaris, Metamorph, Volocity) and support expertise.
- Research Support Capabilities: Additional imaging capabilities available on campus, including imaging project consultation, image contrast probe and sample preparation consultation, advanced cellular, tissue and whole-body imaging, whole organ (brain, lung) optical clearing (CLARITY) for advanced microscopy of deeply located targets.
Shared Resources
Extensive campus resources include, but are not limited to:
- Cryo EM facilities
- Additional campus BSL3 and BSL4 space
- Optical Microscopy Core
- Biomedical Imaging Network
- Programmatic cores concentrating on proteomics, genomics, flow cytometry and cell sorting, bioinformatics, biostatistics, structural biology
- Transgenic mouse laboratory
- Tissue culture core facility
- Medical waste incinerator
- Animal Resource Center
- International Biosafety Training Center developed to meet the biosafety training needs for internal and external audiences for BSL2/3/4 and ABSL 2/3/4 work, customized training onsite or on location, and a biocontainment operations training program that prepares individuals to operate and maintain a biocontainment laboratory
- Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery
Contact Information
Director: Gary Kobinger, Ph.D.