The agenda included a visit to the site of the new laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research, which will include Latin America’s first maximum biological containment (BSL-4) facilities and the only labs of this kind in the world connected to a synchrotron light source, Sirius.
Legend: Representatives from HHS, NIH/Fogarty and the U.S. Embassy and Consulate visit the CNPEM training lab (Photo credit: Outreach/CNPEM)
In August, an NIH delegation led by Dr. Peter Kilmarx, Deputy Director of the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States visited the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials The visit focused on exploring future partnerships within the scope of Project Orion, the new laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research which will include Latin America’s first maximum biological containment (BSL-4) facility and the only laboratory of its kind connected to a synchrotron light source, also known as Sirius.
During the visit, Dr. Kilmarx called the establishment of Orion a landmark in the study of agents that cause infectious diseases which will position Brazil as a leader in this type of research. “I think that Brazil will really be a leader in terms of investigating and developing solutions for a broad spectrum of health threats,” he said. As for the connection to Sirius, he highlighted how the groundbreaking idea of connecting a BSL-4 laboratory to a synchrotron light source could help advance research on pathogenic agents. “It will be a unique opportunity to examine the detailed microscopic structure of these pathogens. Having this level of capacity here in Brazil, something that has not yet been done in the world, is essential considering the numerous health challenges like emerging viruses and infectious diseases. Having this infrastructure is extremely important. I am thinking about other divisions of NIH that need to learn about this project and help strengthen these collaborations,” he added.
CNPEM Director General Antonio José Roque da Silva emphasized that establishing partnerships with institutions that have experience in the areas where Orion will work on is one of the pillars of the project, which from the start has been founded on dialog between different actors. “Orion is a strategic structure not only for domestic research and development but to strengthen global competencies, which are essential so that we can respond more quickly and effectively to challenges in the area of public health and pathogens. NIH recognizes the importance of Project Orion, and with this we have the chance to collaborate and learn from the experiences of one of the world’s leading public health agencies,” he noted.
Dr. Kilmarx had leadership positions in the U.S. government response to the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak in western Africa. Ebola is the best-known class 4 virus. This same biosafety risk class also includes other viruses like Sabiá (which was identified in Brazil and is responsible for causing a severe hemorrhagic fever) one of several arenaviruses like the Junin, Guanarito and Machupo viruses that circulate in Latin America. The level 4 containment lab will make it possible to research class 4 pathogens; it will be constructed on the ground floor of the Orion building, and the biosecurity measures required for this level of containment will extend into the other floors.
Delegation
The delegation that visited CNPEM’s facilities also included Fogarty/NIH Regional Program Director for the Western Hemisphere Kevin Bialy, U.S. Officer for Environmental, Scientific, Technology and Health Affairs Darryl Turner, Scientific Affairs Assistant to the U.S. Embassy Alessandro Shimabukuro, and Public Health Specialist for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS/Brazil) Dailani Carrijo.
Legend: Delegation visited the site where Orion will be built (Credit: Outreach/CNPEM)
NIH
The Fogarty International Center at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is dedicated to advancing the NIH mission by supporting and facilitating global health research conducted by U.S. and international investigators, building partnerships between health research institutions in the U.S. and abroad, and training the next generation of scientists to address global health needs. NIH is part of the US federal government’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Project Orion
Project Orion will be a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research and will include Latin America’s first maximum biological containment level facilities (BSL-4), the only laboratory of its kind in the world connected to a synchrotron light source, Sirius. Currently under construction in the city of Campinas, São Paulo on the CNPEM campus, this project will combine analytic techniques and advanced competencies in bioimaging which will be open to the scientific community and public agencies. By permitting advances in knowledge on pathogens and related diseases, Orion will support health surveillance activities and policies, as well as the development of diagnostic methods, vaccines, treatments, and epidemiological strategies. Orion will support national sovereignty in facing health crises and has the potential to benefit various areas such as health, science and technology, defense, and the environment.
The implementation of Project Orion is overseen by the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), a social organization linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). The project is part of the federal government’s New Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) and funded with resources from the National Scientific and Technological Development Fund (FNDCT) and MCTI, with support from the Ministry of Health (MS). The New PAC also involves carrying out the second phase of Project Sirius with an investment of approximately R$ 800 million, which will include constructing ten new research stations and optimization of the facilities.
The Orion initiative is part of the federal government’s New Industry Brazil (NIB) stimulus policy and will serve as an instrument of national sovereignty, competence, and security in the fields of science and technology for research, defense, and human, animal, and environmental health. Orion was also planned to strengthen the Health Economic-Industrial Complex (CEIS), an initiative coordinated by the Ministry of Health and intended to meet priority demands from the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS).
About CNPEM
CNPEM is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment with activities within different fronts of the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the MCTI, CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently developing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation.
