The Mason Spirit

In June, Mason opened the Biomedical Research Laboratory (BRL) on the Prince William Campus. Here, Mason researchers will be able to advance their groundbreaking work on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases, which will ultimately help fight bioterrorism threats.

The new Biomedical Research Laboratory on the Prince William Campus.

The construction of this biocontainment laboratory, one of only 13 in the country, was funded in part with grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a part of the National Institutes of Health. The $50 million, 52,000- square-foot facility is located on a secure, 10-acre site adjacent to the campus, and features more than 20,000 square feet of lab space.

“The dedication of Mason’s BRL is another giant step forward in growing our biotech industry and revving up Virginia’s economic engine,” said U.S. Senator Mark Warner at the facility’s dedication.

Charles Bailey, executive director of Mason’s National Center for Bio-defense and Infectious Diseases, agreed that this facility is quickly becoming an economic driver for Mason and the region.

“The laboratory and campus have already served as magnets for out-of-state biotechnology companies interested in moving to Northern Virginia,” said Bailey. “By bringing new research jobs to Prince William County, we hope that the facility will lead to significant economic growth.”

The BRL is managed by Mason’s National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases in the College of Science. It contains highly sought-after biosafety level-3 (BSL-3) laboratories where research will focus on newly emerging diseases.