Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness refurbishment to future-proof labs

Geelong labs used in the fight against Covid are getting a future-proofing facelift that will position Australia’s CSIRO as a world leader in research.

A refurbishment project is aiming to future-proof extensive high-containment laboratories at Geelong’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), where scientists have investigated Covid during the pandemic.

The project is also looking to ensure the continuation of CSIRO’s capability to prevent and respond to exotic and emerging animal and zoonotic diseases.

Engineering, design and advisory company, Aurecon, has been appointed by CSIRO to design new laboratory spaces as part of the refurbishment.

ACDP is a high-containment PC4 facility built to allow scientific research into highl infectious agents.

Prof S.S. Vasan from the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

Aurecon and major partners HDR and Wood have formed the BioDesign Collaborative to deliver the project.

The facility’s design will aim to bring people-centred design to the forefront, providing labs with access to natural light to support the wellness of staff as well as to attract new talentand collaborators.

The spaces will be configurable to match future research demands and technology, while maintaining the facility’s multiple levels of security and biocontainment.

Built in 1985, ACDP’s PC4 laboratories are part of a network of high-biocontainment facilities worldwide.

Key projects in Australia’s fight against Covid have been conducted at ACDP, including preclinical trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in 2020.

The BioDesign Collaborative is leading the design for an extensive refurbishment of the existing facility, including a new laboratory wing to replace existing laboratory space.

Design company Aurecon has been appointed by CSIRO to design new lab spaces for the ACDP in Geelong.

With a direct link between the new wing and the existing facility, it will combine the existing robust, layered containment labs with contemporary lab design.

ACDP director Professor Trevor Drew said the pandemic had reinforced the critical role the centre plays in protecting Australia from emerging infectious diseases in animals and humans.

“With the increase in zoonotic diseases around the world, this refurbishment will help to ensure ACDP can continue to deliver critical human and animal disease research and diagnostics for Australia into the future,” Prof Drew said.

Aurecon chief executive William Cox said the project was internationally significant, and would continue to position CSIRO as a world leader in understanding and mitigating the impacts of complex animal and human diseases, particularly emerging infectious disease threats.

The ACDP refurbishment project will consult with leading infectious disease researcher around the world. 

The refurbishment is expected to be operational by 2027.

Originally published as Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness refurbishment to future-proof labs