Kansas State University Selected As Site Of New Federal BSL-4 Lab Complex

[nhsvs]

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/12/01/daily56.html?ana=from_rss

This is pretty cool. It's a $450 million dollar complex, state of the art, to be located next to the vet school and the existing BSL-3 facility (which opened several years ago). Construction is expected to be finished by 2015. This is going to further enhance K-State's reputation as one of the world's leading research centers for zoonotic diseases.

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[Pandacinny]

Wow! I saw some of the BSL 4 suits at a conference I went to recently and they are crazy. That is pretty cool for Kansas State!

 

[cozycleo]

That is cool!

 

[Fairyblastt]

Hey, how neat! This makes Kansas seem even cooler than before. And sadly, 2015 doesn't seem all that far away either!

 

[DVMorBust]

Very cool! Although I think I need more coffee, because when I saw the subject I was like 'What? A lab for investigating breed-specific legislation? There are levels?'

 

[nhsvs]

^ LOL. Sorry, I should have been more specific. BSL = biosafety level. BSL-4 is defined as follows:

"This level is required for work with dangerous and exotic agents that pose a high individual risk of aerosol-transmitted laboratory infections, agents which cause severe to fatal disease in humans for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, smallpox (there is a vaccine), Marburg virus, Ebola virus, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other various hemorrhagic diseases.When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a biosafety level 4 lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release."

 

[TrocarKarin]

When I first saw the title of this post, the first thing that popped into my head was "hmm, maybe I should re-consider applying to Kansas." Then I read the article, and realized that it wouldn't be built until a year after I (theoretically) should graduate.

 

[No Imagination]

Wow.... Gratz KSU!

What are there, like 5-6 operational BSL-4's in the country?