CENTRE FOR ANIMAL HEALTH STUDIES

TANUVAS Biocontainment Animal Disease Laboratory (TANUVAS-BCADL)

Biosafety has been a major concern among medical and biomedical settings due to the possible harmful nature of pathogens. Laboratory associated infections has also been a major issue due to the lack of biosafety precautions. A biosafety level is a set of biocontainment procedures essential to handle dangerous biological agents. The levels of biosafety are designated in ascending order (BSL-1 to BSL-4), by the degree of protection provided to personnel, the environment and the community. Transboundary and emerging diseases needs strict biosafety measures thus, needing biosafety level 3 or 4 for handling these deadly pathogens. Special microbiological practices enhance worker safety, environmental protection and address the risk of handling agents requiring increasing levels of containment.

BSL - 3 Laboratories

Biosafety level-3 facilities are commonly used for research and diagnostic work involving various microbes which can be transmitted by aerosols and / or cause severe disease in human / animals.

TANUVAS – BCADL

TANUVAS has established a unique facility namely, "Biosafety level-3 (BSL 3) Laboratory with Small Animal Experimentation Facility" through the funding from Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives (TANII) of the Government of Tamil Nadu. This facility is named as TANUVAS-Biocontainment Animal Disease Laboratory. This is the ‘first-of-its-kind’ facility in a State run Veterinary University in India.

Certification of TANUVAS – BCADL

The TANUVAS-BCADL facility is a certified BSL-3 laboratory in India and has been awarded with the “Certification of BSL 3 lab” by the RCGM, Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, New Delhi during December 2021.

OBJECTIVES

To undertake diagnostic services for identified BSL-3 viral and bacterial pathogens, subject to required regulatory approvals
To undertake research on identified BSL-3 viral and bacterial pathogens including animal trials subject to required regulatory approvals
To undertake regulatory quality assurance services for vaccine / drug manufacturers
Capacity building in the area of biosafety applications for students, researchers and stake holders

Facilities Available

The BSL-3 laboratory has an overall foot print of 2835 sq ft.
The core laboratory consists of two units namely, Virology Laboratory Unit and Small Animal Experimentation Unit – 558 sq ft (31 ft x 18 ft)
The remaining area includes service areas such as shower entry areas, airlocks, corridors, effluent treatment areas etc.

Animal experimentation unit

The animal experimentation unit is designed to handle the animals - Rodents (Rat, Mice and Guinea Pig) and Poultry species (chicken, quail and duck)
Individually ventilated caging system is available for conducting experiments on laboratory rodents under biocontainment
Experiments can be conducted in 100 rats or 100 mice or 40 guinea pigs at a time
Experiments can be conducted on 40 birds (in two groups) using chicken isolators

Pathogens that can be handled in this laboratory (subject to regulatory approval)

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (Molecular/ Sero diagnosis only)
Avian influenza virus (Molecular/ Sero diagnosis only)
Swine influenza virus (Molecular/ Sero diagnosis only)
Rabies virus (All type of research / diagnostic work)
Brucella species (All type of research / diagnostic work)
Anthrax (All type of research / diagnostic work)
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (All type of research / diagnostic work)

Potential users of TANUVAS – BCADL

Biological / Vaccine manufacturers
National / State regulators for testing
State / Central Government laboratories and institutions
TANUVAS In-house research

How to utilize/ access TANUVAS – BCADL

The interested institutions / researchers may send an expression of interest (EoI) for utilizing the facility by providing information on the nature of work to be carried out, pathogens to be handled, duration of the study, experimental animals involved, sampling of animals etc. TANUVAS - BCADL will provide details about the costing and terms and conditions for utilizing this facility on a case-to-case basis.

BCADL UTILITY CHARGES (Rs.)

S. No.	Category	Details	BCADL Utility charges (Rs.)/ Day (Excl. input requirements and GST)
S. No.	Category	Details	Day/ person	Upto One week	Two weeks	Four weeks	More than a month
				(Day 1 to 7)	Concession: @5% (Day 8 to 14)	Concession: @10% (Day 15 to 30)	Concession: @15% (From Day 31)
1	In-house research	TANUVAS faculty	5000	5000	4750	4500	4250
		TANUVAS students	2000	2000	1900	1800	1700
		VIF Incubatees from TANUVAS	2000	2000	1900	1800	1700
		Other Incubatees	5000	5000	4750	4500	4250
2	Union Government/ Other State Research & Educational Institutions	Faculty/ Research scholars	7000	7000	6650	6300	5950
2		Students	4000	4000	3800	3600	3400
3	Private Colleges, Educational & Research Institutions	Faculty/ Research scholars	8000	8000	7600	7200	6800
3	Private Colleges, Educational & Research Institutions	Students	5000	5000	4750	4500	4250
4	Private industries	Personnel from Pharma/ Vaccine/ Biologicals industry	10000 & 500/ Additional Assistant	10000 & 500/ Additional Assistant	9500 & 400*/ Additional Assistant	9000 & 300*/ Additional Assistant	8500 & 200*/ Additional Assistant
* Flat concession rate is provided for additional assistant which is not calculated as per the rate of concession given under each column for other category

BCADL - TRAINING/ DEMO/ EXPOSURE VISIT CHARGES (Rs.)

S. No.	Category	Duration	Training/ Demo/ Exposure visit charges/ person/ Training (Excl. of GST)
1	Training - General category	5 days duration	10000
2	TANUVAS students	5 days duration	2500
3	Students from other Govt. and Private College/ Educational Institutions	5 days duration	5000
4	Pre usage qualification training of person who proposed to use the BCADL facility	One day	2000
5	TANUVAS student - Demonstration of BCADL activities cum exposure visit	One day	NIL
6	Others - for demonstration of BCADL activities cum exposure visit	One day	2000

FACULTY

Dr. A. Ramesh, Biosafety Officer cum Professor
Dr. M. Madhanmohan, Assistant Professor

The Director
Centre for Animal Health Studies, TANUVAS,
Madhavaram Milk Colony, Chennai – 600051.
Phone: +91-44 – 25555151 | +91-95005 63853
E-mail: dcahs@tanuvas.org.in | bsl3lab@tanuvas.org.in