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Another level closer

Posted by stephanie rogers on June 3, 2021 in News

Cox West Wing Level 2 Bio Secure lab is back up and running nearly three years after a fire destroyed the interior of the west wing of the facility.

"The reopening of our Biological Safety Level 2 laboratory (BSL) is great news,” said Associate Dean Research Dr. Chris Cutler.  “Multiple researchers in our departments of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, and Animal Science and Aquaculture utilize our BSL2 facility, so its reopening is critical in getting their research back on track”

The Bio Secure lab in Cox West Wing deals with Level 2 bio safety hazards and is complete with incubators, clean benches with special hoods and filters and -80 and -20 freezers and an autoclave. An autoclave uses steam under pressure to kill harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores on items that are placed inside a pressure vessel.

“This is an essential facility for our Faculty, offering important safeguards designed to protect laboratory personnel, as well as the surrounding environment and community when working with pathogenic or infective organisms that pose a moderate health hazard,” Cutler added.