By Barbara Pfeffer Billauer
On May 25, 2023, merely six weeks before the Wuhan Biosafety lab lost its NIH funding amid the controversy of possible lab leaks and connection with COVID-19, the United States proudly opened the doors of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), the 14th biosafety level 4 lab in the U.S., and the first here that is capable of handling large animals.
The purpose: to research highly contagious diseases affecting animals and humans, such as foot and mouth disease. The NBAF will also feature a Biologics Development Module (BDM) to develop pilot vaccines and other countermeasures, and accelerate technology transfer to industry.
The location of this lab? Manhattan. Don’t be alarmed; it’s only Manhattan, Kansas, albeit adjacent to Kansas State University.