Biocontainment

Texas Biomedical Research Institute broke ground in December of 2021 on a $15 million nonhuman primate complex in San Antonio. Part of the Southwest National Primate Research Center, the four-building expansion will feature three large structures offering indoor and outdoor housing environments. An 18,000-sf animal care facility will provide a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic, pathology labs, and a staff meeting hub.

Pennsylvania State University opened the $98.5 million Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building in December of 2021 in University Park. Designed by HOK, the 105,000-sf facility provides the College of Agricultural Sciences with a state-of-the-art vivarium, a general-purpose classroom capable of accommodating 100 students, a 48-seat seminar room, and faculty offices.

BeiGene is planning to break ground in 2022 on a pharmaceutical manufacturing and research center in Hopewell, N.J. Located on the Princeton West Innovation Campus, the integrated complex will provide 400,000 sf of dedicated space for commercial-stage production of innovative cancer therapies. Offering up to 16,000 liters of biologics capacity, the facility will also include clinical R&D labs and collaborative office environments. IPS is the architect and engineer for the project, which will be built by DPR Construction.

Rocky Mountain Laboratories began construction in December of 2021 on a $93 million animal research vivarium in Hamilton, Mont. Accelerating the detection and mitigation of emerging infectious diseases, the 120,000-sf structure will provide climate-controlled environments for rodents, ticks, bats, and other species. The technology-rich building will also house an analytical lab and collaborative workspaces for researchers and staff.

Moderna is partnering with Alexandria Real Estate Equities to create a 462,000-rsf headquarters and research facility at the Alexandria Center development at One Kendall Square. Accelerating the discovery and development of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, the collaborative structure will feature leading-edge R&D labs, sophisticated offices, and engaging gathering spaces.

Tonix Pharmaceuticals broke ground in August of 2021 on the 45,000-sf Advanced Development Center in Dartmouth, Mass. Enabling the production of clinical-stage vaccines for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, the BSL-2 facility will utilize single-use bioreactors and purification suites for optimal efficiency and flexibility. The cGMP center will also offer state-of-the-art research, development, and analytical suites. Approximately 70 scientists, technicians, and manufacturing staff will work in the turnkey building. 

Ivanhoé Cambridge and Lendlease will break ground in summer of 2022 on a 320,000-sf life sciences facility in Boston. Designed by SGA, the nine-story building will provide state-of-the-art labs, offices, and collaboration spaces for biomedical and pharmaceutical tenants. Offering BSL-1 and BSL-2 research environments, the amenity-rich structure will include a multipurpose ground floor, a parking garage, and numerous outdoor areas.

Precision NanoSystems is constructing its global headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia. Located in the four-story Evolution Block building, the 75,000-sf leased facility will feature a GMP biomanufacturing center for the production of genetic medicines and RNA-based therapeutics. The federal government has contributed CAD$25.1 million in funding towards the project's construction to increase the nation's domestic supply of COVID-19 vaccines and prepare for future pandemics.

Washington State University dedicated the $61.9 million Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in May of 2021. Designed by Perkins&Will, the 61,000-sf facility represents an expansion of the Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health in Pullman. Enabling the detection and diagnosis of human and animal diseases including SARS-CoV-2, avian influenza, BSE, and West Nile virus, the three-story building houses instructional venues, collaboration spaces, a high-bay necropsy suite, and specialized labs for testing, research, and development.

The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering has announced the 2021 Facility of the Year Awards category winners. The awards include:

Vibalogics is creating a 110,000-sf facility for the production of oncolytic viruses, viral vector vaccines, and viral vector gene therapy products in Boxborough, Mass. Supporting late-phase clinical and commercial manufacturing operations, the highly flexible structure will include 2,000-liter bioreactors, multiple cGMP production suites, offices, warehouse space, and labs for research, development, and quality control. The $150 million project involves the renovation of an existing R&D building previously occupied by Cisco Systems.

Texas Biomedical Research Institute is planning to construct the $10 million Nonhuman Primate Animal Facility in San Antonio. The 45,000-sf building will provide the Southwest National Primate Research Center with additional laboratories and animal housing environments, enabling TBRI to double its population of rhesus macaques. The United States currently faces a shortage of nonhuman primates for biomedical research, with the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the need for animal models to test the safety and efficacy of new therapies, vaccines, and diagnostics.

Caltech dedicated the $210 million Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Neuroscience Research Building in January of 2021 in Pasadena. Designed by SmithGroup to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, the 150,000-sf facility provides wet, dry, and computational research labs for the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. Standing three stories above grade with two basement levels, the structure includes teaching labs, a neurotechnology lab, a 150-seat lecture hall, conference rooms, and offices for investigators and staff.

The needs and architectural considerations for a veterinary diagnostic laboratory (VDL) have evolved toward a greater focus on the value of human-centered design. At its core, the VDL’s purpose to provide diagnostic testing for infectious animal diseases remains the same: Biosafety and biosecurity are a top priority, while designs have evolved to meet today’s demands and anticipated future technological advancements. However, the visionary and technological advancements of recent decades have also resulted in an increased focus on designing with efficiency and quality of workplace in mind.

Thermo Fisher Scientific is expanding its global production capacity for vaccines, medicines, and biologic therapies. Construction will begin in mid-2021 on a 130,000-sf facility in Greenville, N.C. Slated for completion in 2022, the standalone structure will accommodate two live-virus filling lines. The project is part of a $500 million investment in the site that will add six new lines in existing buildings to support commercial-scale liquid vial filling and the creation of lyophilized materials.