Punjab University to establish BSL 3 lab to do research on COVID 19

Lahore : Punjab University will establish Bio Safety Level 3 (BSL 3) laboratory to do research on various aspects of COVID 19 and an advertisement has been published inviting bids in this regard.

In a press statement, PU Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad said that the laboratory would be set up at the Centre for Applied Molecular Biology on war footings. He said that PU administration would provide the most advanced and state-of-the-art technical equipment to the scientists to work on COVID 19.

He said that the latest safety gadgets and related material would be provided to researchers and lab staff in order to provide them a safe environment. He said that PU scientists would do research on various elements of COVID 19 including its control, prevention and treatment. He said that BSL 3 was applicable to clinical, diagnostic, teaching, research or production facilities, where work would be performed with agents that might cause serious or potentially lethal disease through inhalation, to the personnel, and may contaminate the environment.

CAMB Incharge Dr Aleena Sumrin said that the BSL 3 at CAMB/PU would not only provide the laboratory personnel the specific training in handling pathogenic and potentially lethal agents specifically COVID 19 and like agents, under supervision of scientists competent in handling infectious agents and associated procedures but state of the art facility to work on their treatment and prevention.

She said that all the work will be performed in a bio-contaminated environment using appropriate engineering controls.