Not Wasting Space

Boston University plans to open part of its new biomedical research building this fall, reports The Boston Globe. The building's construction was completed in 2008, but its opening ran into opposition due to plans for it to house biosafety levels-3 and 4 research. "It was delayed by the various court actions and various regulatory actions that have happened over the past several years; there's no question those postponed opening of any part of the lab," says Stephen Burgay, senior vice president for external affairs at the university. The labs opening in the research building will conduct biosafety level-2 research, including studies of the tuberculosis bacterium. Burgay notes that BU hopes to eventually open the other biosafety levels, and environmental risk assessments are underway. "The resolution of that is sometime down the road," he says, adding that "it makes sense to put this lower safety level space to use rather than to let it sit there empty."