The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) operates high-containment laboratories to study some of the most virulent threats to public health, including the COVID-19, Ebola, and Zika viruses. As the threat of these existing and emerging pathogens are discovered, the CDC has an increased need for continuous high-biosafety level (BSL) containment laboratory space to help maintain appropriate biocontainment environments.

The new High-Containment Continuity Laboratory (HCCL) increases the CDC’s research capacity to support its public health mission, helping communities prepare for, detect, and respond to public health hazards. A highly flexible biological laboratory comprised of BSL-4 and BSL-3E laboratories, the 160,000 SF, multi-story research building houses space for 80 laboratory researchers and support space.

Once complete, the HCCL will be one of three facilities in the world designed and certified to facilitate diagnostic research on specific, select viruses.

The project was designed by Page, Flad Architects, WSP, and HERA laboratory planners.