Missouri's New $183 Million BSL-2 Biolab Slated for Completion 2026 Raises Lab Leak Concerns
BSL-2 labs can handle bird flu viruses and pose "moderate hazards" to the "laboratory and the community."
The State of Missouri officially broke ground in June for its new Multi-Agency State Laboratory Campus biolab in Jefferson City.
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The new lab raises safety concerns, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a lab leak in Wuhan, China.
The new lab will incorporate five agencies: the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), the Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Department of Conservation (MDC), the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), according to a press release from the state’s Office of Administration.
The 250,000 square foot laboratory comprises a “multi-story building; parking area to accommodate the state workforce in both the new and existing laboratory facilities; and an elevated walkway to connect to the existing State Public Health Laboratory,” the press release details.
With an estimated construction budget of $183 million, the new multi-agency facility was funded through state appropriations of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Set for completion in December 2026, McCownGordon Construction will provide construction-management-at-risk services.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson said construction of the new lab “marks a significant milestone for the State of Missouri.”
Governor Parson indicated the building will represent a “one-stop-shop” that “will allow us to do better in advancing scientific research, fostering innovation, and improving community health.”
The facility “will serve as a hub for cutting-edge discoveries, bringing together the brightest minds to address the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
Office of Administration’s Commissioner Ken Zellers said the “state-of-the-art laboratory is a significant leap forward in our commitment to public health, safety, agricultural production, wildlife, and overall environmental stewardship.”
The biolab will feature “wet and dry diagnostic labs” and “will include BSL-2 suites and specialized venues for working with forensic biology, chemistry, molecular biology, bacteriology, and the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).”
BSL-2 (Biosafety Level 2) laboratories handle moderate-risk infectious agents that can pose health hazards to humans, such as HIV and hepatitis viruses.
While the risk of transmission is lower than in higher biosafety levels, there are significant dangers, including accidental exposure through needlesticks or aerosol generation.
Strict safety measures, including personal protective equipment and containment protocols, are essential to minimize the risk of infection and ensure the safety of laboratory personnel.
“Biohazard Level 2 usually involves microorganisms responsible for mild infections in humans. These organisms are often difficult to contract via aerosolized particles, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, Lyme disease, Salmonella, measles, mumps, HIV, and dengue. Laboratory personnel can perform diagnostic tests on the specimens but must wear gloves, facial protection, and a gown,” according to an explainer published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).
BSL-2 labs pose “moderate hazards” to “the laboratory and the community.”
Eppendorf, a leading German life sciences company, explains:
All activities in a BSL-2 laboratory require higher security standards than in a BSL-1 laboratory. The biological material used in a BSL-2 laboratory consists of bacteria, viruses, and organisms associated with human diseases. The potential pathogenic or infectious organisms subject to BSL-2 standards pose a moderate hazard to healthy adult humans. However, because of their potential to cause human disease, great care must be taken to prevent percutaneous injury, and employees are subject to regular medical surveillance if necessary. The main difference in the work procedures followed in a BSL-1 laboratory and a BSL-2 laboratory is that employees in a BSL-2 laboratory will use a BSC as a primary barrier for potentially hazardous aerosols. These aerosols are generally formed during standard work procedures like mixing, pipetting, and centrifuging, so these activities should be carried out under a BSC. At a minimum, an autoclave has to be present in the lab as a second barrier. Windows open to the outside are not recommended. A sink for washing hands must be placed in direct proximity to the exit door. The laboratory should be easy to clean and decontaminate. Inside the laboratory, special lab coats, gloves, and face and eye protection should be worn. Special precaution must be taken with sharps that can cause injury. Access to BSL-2 laboratories must be restricted.
Environmental Health & Engineering, an environmental, health, and safety consulting firm, points out BSL-2 biolabs work with the following materials:
Viral vectors with gene inserts consisting of oncogenes or genes of unknown function.
Second generation lentiviral vectors that have an increased risk in recombination to generating replication-competent lentiviruses.
Drug-resistant Risk Group Two (RG2) bacteria such as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
RG2 organisms with low infectious doses that can cause serious disease (e.g., Salmonella Typhi, Shigella spp.).
Organisms where certain factors predispose individuals to infection or negative health outcomes (e.g., Zika virus, Listeria monocytogenes).
Low titer O whole blood and small volumes of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), an RG3 agent.
High concentrations (>106 PFU/mL) of RG2 viruses.
Work with greater than 10 liters of a RG2 agent.
Organisms that present certain biocontainment and/or biosecurity concerns (e.g., low pathogenic avian Influenza).
BSL-2 labs can also handle influenza (bird flu) viruses, which is significant because recent reports are warning of an incoming bird flu pandemic.
It was in Missouri just last month that an individual was infected with bird flu.
The patient represents the first infection in a person in the U.S. who didn’t work with poultry or dairy cows, according to NBC News.
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When did all the 3 letter agencies CHANGE their formerly Well Known acromyns????
A BSL-2 is a dental office.