BU Medical Center shows off Biolab
South End News
Issue Date: 10/25/2007, Posted On: 10/25/2007
by Lou Manzo
Much of the controversy surrounding the BioLab concerns the presence of the level 4 laboratory, where some of the most dangerous pathogens in the world will be studied. Boston University Medical Center provided the South End News with a tour of the BioLab, which included a walk through the BSL-4 containment areas.
The BSL-4 lab occupies multiple floors in the center of the building and “floats” according to Dr. Jack Murphy, chief of molecular medicine at BU. All electrical equipment and piping is independent from the rest of the structure and no beams run vertically through the lab. Sixteen inches of reinforced concrete, pressurized rooms, custom made electrical boxes and multilayer epoxy paint were just some of the safety precautions BUMC officials showed off. Backup generators will provide power for a minimum of 96 hours in the event of a citywide power failure.
On the first floor, there will be a permanent practice BSL-4 lab, complete with pressurized chambers. The lab will mimic the real BSL-4 lab just a few floors above but will not be used for experiments. The mockup will be an invaluable safety and training tool, according to Murphy.
“Some people think they can work in level 4 but then they get in a suit and they’re claustrophobic,” Murphy said. “We weed those people out.”