BSL-3 Practices Core

Project Summary: The Rocky Mountain Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RMRBL) must maintain excellence in biosafety and biosecurity to fulfill its charge of responding to public health and potential bioterrorism emergencies. Updating, modernizing, and continuously improving the biosafety and biosecurity program at the RMRBL ensures that researchers can effectively contribute to the important mission of the RBL network. This BSL-3 Practices Core will facilitate the long-term goals for sustaining high quality biosafety and biosecurity in the RMRBL through three overarching aims. Aim 1- Continuous evolution of biosafety and biosecurity for a dynamic research environment is critical for protecting researchers, the community, and the environment. Efforts supported by this funding will include modernizing current training using universal design principles and evidence-based teaching strategies for improved retention. New feedback mechanisms will be developed to promote regular updates to training based on ever-changing research needs. Emergency response and crisis management training will be amplified so personnel are better equipped to automatically react according to standard operating procedures. This includes coordinating with external emergency management partners for live scenarios and table-top exercises. Aim 2- Enhancing biosecurity through modernization of physical and administrative infrastructure will bring current RMRBL biosecurity systems up to date and provide a robust framework for a comprehensive biosecurity program. Keeping up with rapid changes in information technology and global interconnectedness is an increasing challenge. Through this project, the RMRBL biosecurity program will undergo physical security upgrades and administrative support expansion. Considering the increased public awareness of high containment laboratory research, proactive changes to the RMRBL biosecurity program will facilitate adaptation in the face of a changing regulatory environment. This is essential for constant readiness in line with the mission of the RBL network. Aim 3- Strengthening administrative controls for alignment with biosafety and biosecurity best practices will build safety culture among RMRBL personnel. In synergy with Aim 1, standard operating procedures (SOPs), plans, policies, practices, and inventory systems will be strategically reviewed and updated with an emphasis on researcher comprehension and ease of use. Developing consistent feedback mechanisms for users about the effectiveness of administrative controls will increase buy-in. New ideas for improving RMRBL processes will be gathered during personnel exchanges with other RBL network biosafety teams. Additionally, biosafety and biosecurity best practices will be reinforced through systematic investigation of the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies. In sum, this core will ensure that biosafety and biosecurity at the RMRBL is contemporary and flexible to adequately support the mission of the RBL network.