UNSW’s Integrated Acute Services Building (IASB) will be home to three new physical containment (PC2 and PC3) laboratories, as well as medical technology ideation, clinical prototyping spaces and other core services to foster the rapid translation of research.
The new PC2 and PC3 multi-user laboratories will operate as core facilities, centrally managed through the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre (MWAC) and providing wet lab spaces for researchers adjacent to hospital services such as patient wards, surgeries, imaging and pathology.
Sample Preparation Laboratory and Biospecimen Services The Biospecimen Processing Lab, will provide PC2 facilities for the collection, processing and short-term cryo-storage of patient specimens, including blood, excised tissue and saliva, to support clinical, translational and basic life sciences research.
The MWAC Biospecimen Services team will be on site to assist researchers through the full lifecycle of research studies, from planning, ethics approval, sample collection, processing, data management and distribution.
Translational Research Laboratory Additional PC2 facilities will provide space and further support for translational research, including opportunities for collaboration with industry partners sharing similar goals to the health precinct. To accelerate innovative research and therapeutics, the MWAC 3D Culture Lab will support the development and dissemination of organoids and explants for disease modelling and pharmaceutical discovery.
PC2+/PC3 Research Laboratory This laboratory will expand UNSW’s research capabilities through a flexible, purpose-built space, maintained and operated to a high containment standard. The location adjacent to relevant in-patient units, clinical services and complementary spaces on the UNSW campus will provide unique opportunities for translational research.
Opening late 2024/early 2025 these laboratories will provide access to instruments, technologies and services, including expert consultation and training, to researchers, clinicians and industry partners to support translational research programs.
Pictured: IASB Level 4 laboratory space.
Published August 2024