ABSL-3 FACILITY

Clinical Research Facility (CRF), Annex-I, II Floor
CSIR – Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad

"Advanced Animal Biosafety Research for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases"

Clinical Research Facility – CRF Building
Enabling safe, secure, and world-class research on Risk Group-3 pathogens through state-of-the-art containment infrastructure

About the Facility

State-of-the-art high-containment research for Risk Group-3 pathogens

The Animal Biosafety Level-3 (ABSL-3) Facility at CSIR-CCMB is a state-of-the-art high-containment research facility designed for conducting studies involving laboratory animals infected with Risk Group-3 pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Japanese Encephalitis and SARS-CoV-2 under stringent biosafety and biosecurity conditions.

The facility incorporates advanced engineering controls to maintain a safe working environment, including a dedicated Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that ensures a controlled negative-pressure environment with directional (unidirectional) airflow from clean to contaminated areas.

A centralized Building Management System (BMS) provides continuous (24×7) monitoring and control of critical operational parameters, including differential pressure, temperature, relative humidity, HVAC performance, and alarm systems. The BMS facilitates real-time surveillance, data logging, and prompt notification of any deviations from predefined operational limits, thereby ensuring uninterrupted compliance with biosafety requirements.

All laboratory operations are supported by validated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), trained personnel, emergency response protocols, and comprehensive biosafety and biosecurity practices.

Our Mission

“To provide a nationally recognized, safe and secure research platform for high-containment animal experimentation while promoting scientific excellence in infectious disease research.”

Facility Layout

Approximately 5,000 sq. ft. of high-containment research space

The Animal Biosafety Level-3 (ABSL-3) Facility spans approximately 5,000 sq. ft. and is designed to support studies involving Risk Group-3 pathogens under stringent biosafety and biosecurity conditions.

The facility features a central corridor that provides controlled access to two dedicated laboratory wings—one for bacterial research and the other for viral research. This layout facilitates segregation of research activities while ensuring efficient workflow and containment.

Each laboratory wing comprises:

  • A Molecular Biology Laboratory for sample processing and molecular analyses.
  • An Animal Holding Room equipped for housing laboratory animals under controlled environmental conditions.
  • A Procedure Room for animal handling, infection studies, sample collection, and experimental procedures.

The rooms within each laboratory wing are interconnected through pass boxes, enabling the safe transfer of materials without compromising containment. The primary entrance to each room opens into the central corridor, allowing controlled personnel movement while maintaining the directional airflow and pressure differentials essential for ABSL-3 operations.

The facility has been designed to ensure safe workflow, effective containment, and compliance with national and international biosafety standards for high-containment animal research.

Certified ABSL-3 Containment
SPF Mouse Facility
Animal Infection Rooms
Negative Pressure HVAC
Biosafety Cabinets (Class II)
Personnel Emergency Shower-Out
Pass Box & Waste Decontamination
Pass-through Autoclaves
Effluent Decontamination System (EDS)
24×7 Building Management System
CCTV Surveillance
RFID Access Control

Research Areas

Focused research themes supported by the facility

Emerging Viral Diseases
Tuberculosis
Zoonotic Diseases
Vaccine Evaluation
Antiviral Drug Testing
Immunology
Host-Pathogen Interaction
Molecular Pathogenesis
Aerosol Infection Studies
Animal Models of Infectious Diseases

Equipment

Specialized instrumentation available for high-containment research

Individually Ventilated Cage (IVC) System
Animal Inhalation Chamber
Real Time PCR
CO2 Incubator
Mini Bead Beater
PCR Machine
INNOVA 44 Refrigerated Incubator Shaker
Inverted Fluorescence Microscope
Biosafety Cabinets
Pass-through Autoclaves
Cage Changing Station
Micro Plate Reader
CO2 Incubators
Refrigerated Centrifuges
Deep Freezers (−80°C)
Liquid Nitrogen Storage
Building Management System
Environmental Monitoring System

User Services

Comprehensive support for researchers and collaborators

Animal Challenge Studies
Animal Housing
Pathogen Infection Studies
Vaccine Efficacy Studies
Therapeutic Evaluation
Necropsy Support
Biosafety Consultation
Training Programs
Facility Access for Collaborative Research

Safety & Compliance

Operating under national biosafety guidelines and institutional approvals

The IBSC reviews and approves all research protocols involving Risk Group-3 pathogens prior to initiation, and periodically monitors ongoing work for continued compliance with institutional and national biosafety guidelines.

The IAEC oversees the ethical use of laboratory animals in accordance with CPCSEA guidelines, ensuring the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) are applied to every approved animal study.

Validated Standard Operating Procedures govern entry/exit, animal handling, sample processing, decontamination, and waste management within the containment zone. SOPs are reviewed periodically and available under Downloads.

Documented procedures cover spills, exposures, power/HVAC failure, and other containment breaches, with clear escalation paths to facility and institutional emergency response teams.

RFID-controlled access, CCTV surveillance, and inventory tracking of biological agents safeguard the facility against unauthorized access, loss, theft, or misuse.

Personnel working in the facility undergo periodic health monitoring and are enrolled in an occupational health surveillance program appropriate to the pathogens handled.

All users complete mandatory biosafety and facility-specific orientation training, with refresher sessions and competency checks before independent working access is granted.
Safety and Compliance

The facility operates in accordance with applicable national biosafety guidelines and institutional approvals to ensure the highest standards of safety and ethical research practices.

Downloads

Essential documents, forms and standard operating procedures

User Manual
Download
Facility Rules
Download
Entry SOP
Download
Exit SOP
Download
Waste Management SOP
Download
Emergency Procedures
Download
User Request Form
Download
Training Registration Form
Download

News & Announcements

Latest updates from the ABSL-3 Facility

Upcoming Biosafety Training

Registration open for the next scheduled biosafety and facility orientation training program.

New Equipment Installation

Additional specialized equipment has been installed and validated for research use.

Facility Availability

Current scheduling status and available slots for collaborative animal studies.

Collaborative Research Opportunities

Open calls for joint projects utilizing the ABSL-3 containment infrastructure.

Recent Publications

Latest peer-reviewed research outputs involving work conducted at the facility.

Contact Us

Get in touch with the ABSL-3 Facility team

Dr. Sachin Singh

Dr. Sachin Singh

Facility In-charge
Biosafety and Biosecurity Officer; Scientist-E