Health Sciences Research Building Phase 2 (HSRB 2) is an innovative addition to Emory’s research capacity as it brings together experimental researchers, computationists, and core technologies. This building represents the most comprehensive research facility on the Emory Campus and is nearing completion with occupancy beginning near the end of this year. HSRB 2 represents a significant increase in research space and is an extraordinarily complex building encompassing twelve high containment laboratories, a cyclotron to produce isotopes for radiopharmaceuticals, radio-pharmacy to compound, positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, innovation space, a biorepository for research sample storage, and an animal research facility. A research facility of this level of complexity requires a multi-disciplinary team to execute which included the Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHSO) for all phases: design to operation.
As the final construction phases are completed and we move to the occupancy phase, EHSO will be integral to building commissioning and laboratory relocation. This final phase will rely on EHSO expertise to facilitate the logistics of safely relocating laboratories to this new facility, as well as decommissioning of laboratories vacated by Principal Investigators moving to HSRB 2. Additionally, the cyclotron currently in use at Wesley Woods will required intense EHSO oversight as it is decommissioned and removed.
Once HSRB 2 is occupied, EHSO will continue to support discovery by collaborating with investigators to oversee cyclotron use, provide MRI safety, support protocol evaluation, conduct laboratory operational evaluations, and manage hazardous materials. The addition of the high containment laboratory suite (Biological Safety Level 3 and Animal Biosafety Level 3) represents a 200% increase in capacity and will require intense EHSO oversight starting with protocol evaluation, training for users, vaccines, medical evaluations, and daily oversight of operations.