# Improvements to the Regional Biocontainment Research Facilities at the University of Missouri

> **NIH NIH G20** · UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA · 2022 · $2,340,729

## Abstract

The objective of the parent G20 grant is to provide state of the art, highly safe and secure 
biocontainment facilities and services to faculty, student and staff researchers at the MU Laboratory for 
Infectious Diseases, one of 12 NIH/NIAID Regional Biocontainment Laboratories. The LIDR/MURBL is 
currently host to more than 60 researchers. Our research community is successful in grant funding with 14 
Principal Investigators currently active in federally and privately funded grants/contracts. The current ABSL3 
facility supports aerosol challenge of rodents, but larger animal challenges cannot occur due to a lack of 
appropriate containment housing. The goal of this G20 supplement project is to expand the capabilities of 
the MURBL to serve the biodefense and emerging infectious disease research for the region. Towards this 
objective, we propose to renovate the east suite of the ABSL3, including the installation of a specialized 
ante room and effluent decontamination system, to allow for the housing of large animals in biocontainment. 
These upgrades would serve the immediate needs of MU faculty of the RBL who are conducting 
translational research on SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, and hepatitis B virus. 
Aim 1: Add open caging capabilities to the ABSL3 at LIDR for housing swine and other large animals
following challenge with respiratory viruses that are pathogenic to humans. We propose to build open 
caging capacity in the ABSL3 at LIDR for housing up to 10 pigs or other large animals that have been 
experimentally infected with various human pathogens. The request includes funds for remodeling in the 
anteroom as well as the animal holding room/building effluent system to permit effluent decontamination, and 
necessary HVAC upgrades. 
Aim 2: Purchase and install equipment for whole animal imaging following infection. We propose to add 
capabilities for whole animal imaging, which will allow for reduction of research animals used at LIDR.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10631453
- **Project number:** 3G20AI167403-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Christian L. Lorson
- **Activity code:** G20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $2,340,729
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-09-23 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10631453

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10631453, Improvements to the Regional Biocontainment Research Facilities at the University of Missouri (3G20AI167403-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10631453. Licensed CC0.

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