# Facility Upgrade for the New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory

> **NIH NIH G20** · TUFTS UNIVERSITY BOSTON · 2021 · $3,322,940

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory (NERBL) was established in 2007 on the Tufts University
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (TU CSVM) North Grafton MA campus. This facility was originally
designed for research on emerging infectious diseases under BSL2 and BSL3 conditions; to support animal
model ABSL3 studies; and to allow local and regional investigators access to biocontainment facilities that were
not available within their home institutions. Over the past 13+ years, the NERBL has effectively served as an
important resource for researchers across TU as well as a variety of external stakeholders, including industry
sponsors. However, several constraints have begun to hamper growth and sustainability of its mission. These
include outdated and/or non-functional laboratory equipment, poor efficiencies and workflow in the vivarium
spaces, and aging building systems that represent safety and operational concerns. As such, the central
purpose of this application is to upgrade our existing facility, particularly its foundational operating
systems, and to modernize the vivarium and laboratory spaces with state-of-the-art technologies. To
accomplish this, we will: 1) Upgrade the building automation system, HVAC actuators/filters/valves, facility
lighting and electrical systems, and communication platforms; 2) Modernize and expand the vivarium with new
ventilated rack systems that accommodate disposable caging for small animals to reduce costs and improve
efficiencies, purchase a bioBUBBLE containment system to facilitate studies using larger animals, and
implement telemetry for remote monitoring of animals; 3) Replace obsolete laboratory equipment with modern
counterparts for high throughput in containment, permitting each BSL3 laboratory to be fully equipped and
functionally independent, thereby maximizing research output, workflow, and user safety; and 4) Improve critical
laboratory safety systems with technology upgrades that provide redundancy for decontamination and waste
inactivation. Completion of these specific aims will ensure that the NERBL continues to advance emerging
infectious disease research for the next decade. We will expand access for investigators performing cutting-edge
studies by leveraging advanced laboratory methods and animal models in a safe, secure, and technologically
sound environment.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10394468
- **Project number:** 1G20AI167404-01
- **Recipient organization:** TUFTS UNIVERSITY BOSTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Sam R Telford
- **Activity code:** G20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $3,322,940
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-15 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10394468

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10394468, Facility Upgrade for the New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory (1G20AI167404-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10394468. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*