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Issue 52 | May 2009
The Burnet Institute's Bruce Loveland
explains his table's 'cognitive map',
outlining the issues related to arbovirus
research and the circumstances that
would stimulate or suppress demand for
AAHL-based specialised PC3 facilities,
while ACERAs Terry Walshe looks on
Fast forward to 2040. Assuming increasing globalisation, climate change and technological advances, what will be the major disease threats facing Australia? Will pathogens like Dengue, HIV, foot and mouth disease virus, Hendra or as yet unknown viruses be problems, and if so, what facilities, staff, skills research and resources will Australia need to tackle these issues?
These were some of the questions posed to key professionals all working in areas related to physical containment level three (PC3) animal and human pathogens, at a scenario planning workshop held in early April.
The 25 representatives - from organisations including the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, James Cook University, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Westmead Hospital, University of South Australia, Burnett Institute, BioGeelong and Monash University - were providing valuable input for an Australia-wide PC3 laboratory user needs review.
In 2006, CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) was successful in attracting $8.5 million of National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) funds to expand the high biocontainment space at the facility and make it available to researchers around Australia.
AAHL Director Martyn Jeggo, said the approved project planned to make available 1000 square metres of existing enhanced PC3 (liquid effluent is treated) space within AAHL and to construct an additional 700 square metres of standard PC3 (no liquid effluent treatment) and around 400 square metres of PC4 space.
Nearly three years on and Australia's profile of existing or planned PC3 research facilities has changed. Now three States, including Victoria, are planning or building new PC3 facilities of their own.
There have also been some regulatory changes. Post Australia's outbreak of equine influenza, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) now requires liquid effluent treatment if a facility is to be approved to operate at quarantine containment level three (QC3).
'Before commencing design and construction of the new standard PC3 facility at AAHL we wanted to assess the current and potential users of PC3 facilities in Australia', Martyn said.
'To determine the most effective investment of funds at AAHL, we contracted the Australian Centre of Excellence in Risk Analysis (ACERA) to conduct this review. We want to enhance State Government investments, rather than compete with them.'
The review consisted of:
Martyn said the information gathered from both the stock take and the workshop was extremely valuable and will help determine the national need and what specialised biocontainment facilities are best constructed at AAHL.
Learn more about the AAHL Collaborative Biosecurity Research Facility, including access to the facilities with this additional article, AAHL Collaborative Biosecurity Research Facility: enabling world-class biosecurity research.
Twenty five representatives from PC3-related organisations participated
in a scenario planning workshop last month
