What did the University propose and who else is involved?

The University of Chicago proposed that a Regional Biocontainment Laboratory be built and operated at a site leased from the federal government at Argonne National Laboratory. The university also led, with Northwestern University, the formation of a consortium of leading research institutions in the upper Midwest into the Great Lakes Regional Center of Excellence. The University coordinates the research and support by the Great Lakes RCE members which are: Argonne National Laboratory, Battelle Memorial Institute, Illinois Institute of Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute, Illinois State University, Loyola University of Chicago, Mayo Clinic, Medical College of Wisconsin, Michigan State University, National Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Department of Interior, Northwestern, Ohio State University, University of Chicago, University of Cincinnati, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota - Duluth, the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Toledo, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wayne State University, and Wright State University..
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Who is responsible for this initiative at the University of Chicago?

Scientists and administrative leaders at the University, including the president and the Board of Trustees, collectively recognized this opportunity to participate significantly in advancing our nation's ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases, and in assisting regional agencies to prepare for and respond to any large scale infections arising from natural, accidental, or malicious acts. While specific scientists brought the opportunity to the attention of University officials, the proposal is institutional, not personal.Dr. Keith Moffat, the University of Chicago's Deputy Provost for Research and Member of the University of Chicago Board of Governors for Argonne National Laboratory, was designated as the Principal Investigator. Professor Olaf Schneewind, Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology, is Principal Investigator for the related Great Lakes Regional Center of Excellence and Chief Scientist for the Ricketts Laboratory. Joseph Hamm is university project manager for design and construction of the Ricketts Laboratory.
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Why was Argonne chosen as the location for the RBL?

There are many reasons why Argonne is an ideal site for the proposed regional laboratory.

• Argonne already has unique facilities and capabilities to support infectious disease research.
• The Advanced Photon Source (APS), the most brilliant source of hard X-rays in the western hemisphere.
• The Structural Biology Center at the APS, which allows exceptionally rapid analysis of the structures of proteins relevant to disease (thus allowing timely design of vaccines and treatments). [See anthrax protein structure illustrated on the Home Page]
• The Midwest Center for Structural Genomics, an Argonne-led consortium of seven research institutions that focuses on application of robotics for rapid selection, generation, purification, and crystallization of proteins, along with high-speed computational and imaging methods.
• Mathematics and Computer Science Division, offering extraordinary capabilities in computational analysis and modeling of protein structures and their functions.
• Center for Nanoscale Materials (nearing groundbreaking), which links emerging knowledge about nano-scale materials to biological research (At the nano-scale, where sizes are measured in nanometers, properties of materials often differ from what we normally expect. One billion nanometers equal one meter or about 39 inches).
• Argonne has extensive expertise in managing large, specialized research facilities; and each year Argonne supports thousands of researchers from many U.S. states and foreign countries, who come to use these facilities.
• Access to Argonne's site is tightly controlled and site security is excellent.
• Argonne has been operating for more than 50 years, including the use of hazardous materials, and has an excellent safety record. In fact, Argonne is a major resource of technologies for the proper handling of hazardous materials and for environmental cleanup.

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While there are advantages to associating this new facility with Argonne, did the proposal analyze using current technologies to maintain close collaboration between Ricketts and Argonne without being in the same site?

One of requirements established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was to construct a physical facility to promote "interaction between scientists and promote a collaborative work environment." Accordingly, the proposal described a situation to facilitate timely, interactive face-to-face communication about results and plans among personnel at the Ricketts Laboratory and the scientists at the 26 institutions in what is now the Great Lakes RCE, and among the scientists at the various related Argonne facilities. A large portion of such communications will occur at the Ricketts Laboratory, as scientists from all involved institutions gather at the central research facility and conduct experiments requiring specialized personnel, equipment, and protection.
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What is the timeline for building the Ricketts Laboratory?

Milestones in the construction timeline for the Ricketts Laboratory include:

• November 2005: Completion and approval of construction documents
• March 2006: Begin site clearing and preparation
• December 2007: Complete construction
• March 2008: Complete commissioning, move-in, and demonstrate operational readiness

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What are some of the specifics of the RBL plan?

The Ricketts Laboratory is to contain 38,800 gross square feet (? net square feet) of laboratory and support space and cost about $30 million. It would be located near the building that houses Argonne National Laboratory's Biosciences Division. It is being designed by Flad & Associates, an architectural firm with more than 20 years of experience building biocontainment and other specialized scientific facilities, and Affiliated Engineers, Inc.

The architectural and functional design will provide multiple levels of containment and access control. The design and operational plans will ensure that all potentially infectious materials, including work clothing, are sterilized by heating or chemical treatment before leaving the building. This is to prevent exposure of adjacent facilities or the public to pathogens being studied. All exhaust air from the areas where BSL-3 pathogens are handled will pass through two highly efficient filters to capture microbes that may become airborne during handling in specially designed biosafety cabinets. The exhaust system includes spare filters and fans to allow continuous operation that will not be uninterrupted by maintenance activities.

Only part of the Ricketts Laboratory is designed for Biosafety Level 3 work. The lab will be compartmentalized according to the level of risk required for the performance of job duties. There will be general office space for administrative and facilities staff who will support the operation of the laboratory, and Biosafety Level 2 work for research requiring lower levels of biosafety.
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What is architect Flad and Associate's background in this area?

Flad & Associates is one of the most experienced and prolific designers of biocontainment facilities in the country. Flad has designed infectious disease laboratories for corporate, academic, non-profit and government clients throughout North America, including San Francisco, California; Oakland, California; Seattle, Washington; Ames, Iowa; St. Louis, Missouri; Rochester, Minnesota; Madison, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; Memphis, Tennessee; Gainesville, Florida; Tampa, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; New York City, New York; Rochester, New York; and Toronto, Canada.
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Who is Howard T. Ricketts?

Dr. Howard T. Ricketts (1871-1910) was a University of Chicago microbiologist who did research on infectious diseases in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He isolated the organisms, later named for him (Rickettsia), that cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever and typhus. In honor of his achievement in scientific endeavor, as well as his lifelong interest in public health, the University of Chicago has named the planned Regional Biocontainment Laboratory for Dr. Ricketts.
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