Flexible and responsive

This client is one of the country's leading independent, nonprofit biomedical research institutions, specializing in genetics, virology, and immunology. Its researchers are currently involved in more than 200 projects focusing on diseases including diabetes, AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, tuberculosis, and cardiovascular illnesses. Funded by government and corporate grants and contracts, as well as private donations, it operates a maximum-containment laboratory where scientists can safely study deadly pathogens.

Flad recently completed a comprehensive master plan including the assessment of approximately 100 structures on 200 acres, along with multiple research departments that make up this client's organization. The master plan targets the institution's facilities while also addressing operations and culture for a holistic view of the entire organization. The vision for the future, as articulated by the lab's leadership, is to maintain and enhance the organization as the preeminent infectious disease research institution, enabling it to attract new researchers, partners, programs, and funding.

The master plan creates a vibrant, modern, collaborative, and connected research community; optimizing all physical assets and infrastructure for high-performance, efficient operations, and energy use. The walkable, safe, and compelling site offers clear circulation that separates pedestrians and service. Amenity space, including dining and conference spaces for staff and visitors, contributes to a high-quality workplace and overall well-being. The plan calls for the removal of suboptimal and severely under-performing space and providing physical and technological connections to enable the highest levels of internal and external partnerships and outreach. Above all, the plan aligns vision, program, phasing, and capital, and is both flexible to accommodate changes in research and culture while being responsive to economic and strategic research shifts.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the institution was well equipped and quick to respond. State-of-the-art containment labs ranging from BSL-2 to BSL-4 levels gave the institution a unique ability to safely and efficiently conduct research on emergent infectious diseases. Highly skilled teams of research virologists immediately began initiating studies on SARS-CoV-2 in a collective effort to advance human therapies against the novel coronavirus.

Flad's work in developing the institution's strategic master plan identified the need for expanded high containment facilities with enhanced infection disease capability. A new BSL-3 lab was recently completed, and further plans include a replacement of their BSL-4 facility, along with the development of new research labs and collaboration spaces. Their expanded campus will enable a bridging of people and innovation across the institution's entire spectrum of research focus while aiding in the mission to continue advancing human health.