Responding to RFA-RR-09-007, this application seeks funding to renovate portions of the 6th, 7th, 8th floors, and roof level of the University of Massachusetts Medical School's (UMMS) research wing. The renovation plan will consolidate, enlarge, and enhance the University's existing BSL-3 laboratory, transforming it into a BSL-3 suite with dedicated mechanical systems at an estimated project cost of $5,711,979. In addition to renovating 1,171 GSF of the current BSL-3 laboratory, the plan includes the renovation of 2,383 GSF of adjacent space, currently occupied by 3 separate laboratory groups. This will create a 3,554 GSF multi-room BSL-3 suite on the 7th floor, to host 3 laboratory workrooms, a fluorescence microscope dark room, and a shared equipment room, all served by a common gowning room, a dress-in, exit-out shower, and airlocks. Mechanical system renovations to the 6th and 8th floors and roof level will accommodate a new Biokill kill tank effluent decontamination system, mechanical controls, and a prefabricated mechanical unit, dedicated to serving the new BSL-3 laboratory suite. This application also includes both the purchase of and reuse of numerous pieces of scientific equipment.
| Porath, Hagit T; Knisbacher, Binyamin A; Eisenberg, Eli et al. (2017) Massive A-to-I RNA editing is common across the Metazoa and correlates with dsRNA abundance. Genome Biol 18:185 |
