Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

RBL Resources For Researchers

The Tufts New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory (RBL) is available to regional investigators—including scientists from academia, not-for-profit organizations, industry and government—studying biodefense, infectious diseases, and emerging infectious diseases requiring biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories or animal (ABSL-3) accommodations. With increasing competition for limited funding opportunities, Tufts New England RBL personnel will be happy to provide letters of support, descriptions of facilities and other details necessary for inclusion in funding proposals.

Researchers at the RBL are actively engaged in independent and collaborative work investigating diseases caused by NIAID BSL-3 Priority Pathogens. Ongoing studies involve:

  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • SARS-2 coronaviruses
  • Influenza viruses
  • Poxviruses
  • Arboviruses
  • Enteric microbes
Current RBL investigators at the Cummings School, members of its highly regarded Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health (IDGH), have expertise in multiple Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease (BEID) categories; in particular, the biology, pathogenesis, immunopathology, pathophysiology, transmission, prevention, treatment and diagnosis of a wide spectrum of NIAID priority pathogens.  Consultation with IDGH scientists is available to support the work of outside investigators.

Additional specific expertise includes:

  • Vaccine development and evaluation, including thermostable, micro-needle and needle-free delivery methods.
  • Development of animal models for the evaluation of vaccine candidates and therapeutics.
  • Development and preclinical evaluation of therapeutic and prophylactic agents.
  • Food and water security, involving development of sensitive detection methods for microorganisms.

Research activities are conducted under BMBL 6 Containment Recommendations

Researcher Profiles

Sam Telford III, Sc.D.

Sam Telford III, Sc.D.

Professor & Director of NERBL
Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health
Ecology and epidemiology of vector-borne infections, particularly those transmitted by ticks; vector-pathogen interactions; wildlife parasitology; biosafety and biodefense; public health interventions; arbovirology; tropical medicine and diagnostic parasitology
Jonathan Runstadler, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Jonathan Runstadler, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Chair of Infectious Disease and Global Health
Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health
Virology, emerging infectious diseases, and disease ecology; comparative genetics, immunogenetics, and genetic mechanisms of infectious disease and health; comparative medicine, evolution of immune function, and host/pathogen interaction; veterinary and human public health; veterinary immunology and virology; genetic diversity
Saul Tzipori, D.V.M., Ph.D., D.Sc., FRCVS

Saul Tzipori, D.V.M., Ph.D., D.Sc., FRCVS

Professor
Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health
Enteric infections and the host response; this includes viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens of veterinary and medical importance causing acute or chronic diarrhea in the immunocompetent or the immunodeficient host; Therapy for cryptosporidiosis, Vaccine delivery systems, Monoclonal antibodies to HUS prophylaxis botulism antidote; Botulism antidotes and anti-toxins; Cryptosporidium genome sequencing

Draper Laboratories

The Tufts New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory currently hosts researchers from Draper Laboratories/biotechnology, a nonprofit research and development organization. At the NERBL, Draper researchers are evaluating its PREDICT96 system, an advanced in vitro drug screening and discovery technology for SARS-CoV-2 and other NIAID priority pathogens.

two female scientist wearing biosafety gear
Draper built and successfully demonstrated the first organ-on-chip model of the human lung capable of accurately assessing the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics in a high-throughput system. Pictured are Rebeccah Luu and Christine Fisher, both scientists at Draper. Credit: Draper

For more information about the New England RBL and how we can assist in your research, email us at nerbl@tufts.edu.