The overall goal of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) Institute is to make fundamental discoveries that lead to the prevention and control of the world's emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Infectious diseases are the single most modifiable cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality affecting large sectors of the global population and exacting a particularly heavy toll on infants, children and adults in their most productive years, with devastating effects on families and local and global economies. Using the full spectrum of cutting edge research technology platforms assembled in one location with innovative faculty and strategic domestic and international collaborators the NEIDL Institute seeks to address critical and fundamental knowledge barriers to the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases through the efforts of collaborating research teams. The NEIDL Is built on the philosophy that making available in high containment the discovery toolboxes of modern scientific disciplines to experts in immunology, microbiology, genetics and infectious diseases with a singular focus on infectious diseases discovery research will be the most exciting and productive framework for early stage research that will ultimately lead to the development of vaccines, treatments and control measures for emerging infectious diseases. A comprehensive array of research technologies and infectious disease models can be brought to bear on the most critical emerging infectious diseases including influenza (including highly pathogenic and epidemic strains), tuberculosis (including multi- and extensive drug resistant strains), mosquito and tick insect transmitted infectious diseases (including hemorrhagic fever and encephalitis viruses), and antibiotic resistant pathogens. The state of the art approximately 192,000 sq ft facility is designed with the highest attention to safety and security. The NEIDL facility houses high containment BSL-4 research laboratories and associated support laboratories, mechanical, clinical research and administrative spaces. The Institute is comprised of eighteen cores which represent five functional areas, all of which support the BSL-4 laboratories. These Cores are grouped under 5 areas that include facility maintenance and operations, biosecurity, environmental health and safety regulations and requirements, regulatory compliance, and integrated research support services.

Public Health Relevance

Together with a highly trained workforce the NEIDL facilities provide the infrastructure for discovery research that addresses major issues in emerging infectious diseases that are of significant concern to global public health.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
National Biocontainment Laboratory Operation Cooperative Agreement (UC7)
Project #
1UC7AI095321-01
Application #
8131329
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1)
Program Officer
Boyd, Nancy G
Project Start
2014-06-01
Project End
2016-05-31
Budget Start
2014-06-01
Budget End
2015-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Boston University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02118
Hume, Adam J; Ames, Joshua; Rennick, Linda J et al. (2016) Inactivation of RNA Viruses by Gamma Irradiation: A Study on Mitigating Factors. Viruses 8: