K-State’s BRI serves as transition location for pathogen studies

Pathogen research conducted at New York’s aging Plum Island Animal Disease Center is being phased out and transitioned to the Kansas State University Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI). BRI is a comprehensive biosafety level 3 ag facility providing scientists a secure location to study pathogens and pests that threaten animal- and plant-based agricultural systems.

Most of the government research currently conducted at Plum Island, which is set to close, eventually will be carried out at the new National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan. Projections are for NBAF to be fully operational by 2018. In the meantime, BRI, sitting adjacent to the NBAF site, will serve as a “springboard” to get research projects going as soon as NBAF is complete, according to K-State Associate Vice President for Research Stephen Higgs. He said this will ensure there is no lag in research and training on pathogen intervention strategies.

“That’s important because we cannot afford to have a period where there’s not work being done on these diseases should one of them happen to come to America,” said Higgs.

An insectary recently completed at BRI will allow scientists to study diseases spread by insects. Examples of diseases in this category include Rift Valley fever, which primarily affects livestock, but can infect humans; and bluetongue, which affects ruminants.

Although no definitive date has been set for when federal research will begin at BRI, the university and USDA researchers based in Manhattan are procuring necessary approvals for the initial projects.

For more information visit www.kla.org.