Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute of Florida

The Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute of Florida (VGTI), an offshoot of the VGTI at Oregon Health and Science University, is dedicated to developing vaccines and immunotherapies to combat diseases such as AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, and diseases associated with emerging viral infections such as Dengue fever and pandemic influenza. The three-story, 101,000-sf facility contains 11,000 nsf of vivarium/containment space with integrated procedure and in-vivo imaging spaces, nine bioscience research lab groups, specialty support labs, offices, and conference space. The labs utilize a modular design to make them flexible and adaptable to changing research needs.

The small-animal vivarium contains three ABSL-2 rooms, each with its own procedure room. A fourth holding/procedure suite is ABSL-3. In addition to the imaging suite, the vivarium contains special histology/pathology and shared instrument/procedure rooms. The vivarium is served by dedicated corridors and a secure loading dock, and office and staff support space are located outside the barrier.

The facility is certified LEED Gold. Designed energy efficiency is 28.8 percent greater than code requires, water efficiency is 40 percent greater, and actual electrical energy efficiency is 50 percent greater than designed.