UW Holding Public Forums on Proposed Regional Biocontainment Laboratory

The UW is holding two public forums to discuss its application to the National Institutes of Health for a proposed Regional Biocontainment Laboratory. The forums are scheduled for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23 in Kane Hall, Room 220, on the UW campus, and again on Tuesday, March 1, at the Magnuson Park Community Center Auditorium at NE 70th St. and Sandpoint Way NE, Seattle.

Anyone is invited to attend the forums to ask questions and give views about the proposed project. A panel of experts on will be on hand to discuss biocontainment facilities, the research conducted in such facilities, and safety and security measures.

The first forum will be simulcast live on UWTV Channel 27 and on the Web at http://www.uwtv.org. Questions may be e-mailed to the forum moderator at rbl3@u.washington.edu or posted to the Web comment form at http://depts.washington.edu/rbl3/index.html

The proposed lab would be used for research in emerging infectious diseases. It includes possible lab spaces at Biological Safety Level 2 (BSL-2), as well as BSL-3. BSL-3 labs are used for researching pathogens which may cause serious or potentially lethal disease. The UW has labs at these levels with a history of operational excellence. Research in emerging infectious diseases at the proposed lab would maintain the UW's role as a leader in the field.

The university was selected in 2003 by the federal Department of Health and Human Services as one of eight Regional Centers of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research. That grant provided $50 million in funding for UW-led research.

For more information about the forums or the biocontainment lab proposal, call 206-221-4183, e-mail rbl3@u.washington.edu or visit http://depts.washington.edu/rbl3/index.html