An Engine for 24/7 Research: Inside the Plowright Building
A High-Containment Facility Built to Keep Science Moving
Designed to operate continuously without interruption, the Plowright Building in Surrey, England, has redefined what’s possible in high-containment research. From its bio-secure infrastructure to its daylight-filled atrium, the facility supports scientific rigor and human well-being, allowing researchers to stay focused on solving some of the world’s most urgent animal health challenges.
One such challenge is African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV), a deadly disease affecting pigs and wild boar with no current treatment or vaccine. The Pirbright Institute is collaborating with the USDA to identify immune-suppressing genes in the virus, to develop a viable vaccine. As outbreaks continue to spread across Europe and Asia, the ability to conduct rapid, multidisciplinary research within containment is more critical than ever.
We spoke with Dr. Bryan Charleston, director of The Pirbright Institute, about how the Plowright Building is helping accelerate scientific progress and support global disease control efforts.
A Reliable Platform for Global Impact
Q: How does the Plowright Building support your global role in fighting infectious diseases?
A: It’s been absolutely key. Previously, our facilities were unreliable and we struggled to keep them running efficiently. From Day 1, the Plowright Building has provided us with a bio-secure, reliable facility that is there 24/7 for us to carry out important research functions. People like working in the building, which is really important for staff morale, retention and recruitment. The reliability of the building, the way it’s been designed for human welfare and the way it was designed so nearly all of the maintenance can be carried out while keeping the labs live is very advantageous for us. We have older animal facilities that have to be closed on a regular basis for all the necessary planned/preventative maintenance, which is the same as many other high containment facilities. But it is very unusual for us to have to close even part of the Plowright Building. Having that facility there LIVE, all of the time and working reliably is absolutely key. You are no longer thinking about the facility; you’re just getting on with your work.
Designing for Well-Being and Productivity
Q: Has access to daylight and open sightlines changed the staff experience?
A: You can’t put a price on natural light. It just makes people feel happier. And people go inside containment and stay inside for the day. I know other facilities that are a box within a box design and they do struggle a bit to get people to stay inside. People go in, do their bit of work and then come out. But in the Plowright Building, we see people inside all day. Which obviously tells you a lot about how they’re feeling about their workplace. It is also more efficient from a productivity standpoint.
Beyond that, the building — the flows and patterns of people movement and storage samples — works. We don’t get many grumbles or complaints about an awkwardness in the design. It works.
We’re really pleased with the building, genuinely. It’s been a great success. You all know as well as I the number of the high containment buildings that have been put up and have struggled to get working properly and efficiently. The Plowright Building has just worked — from day one.
Collaboration Through Containment
Q: Have you seen more collaboration since moving into the new building?
A: We always collaborated a lot, but it has made it easier. There is certainly an increase in the expertise and a broader range of skills that’s available within the facility. We are no longer solely focused on the virus or viruses or just in the diagnostic labs. And like all scientific endeavors, you need a multidisciplinary approach. No problem is solved by somebody with one particular skillset.
We’ve got very sophisticated bio-imaging facilities that work extremely well — where people can visualize viruses and cells, etc. We’ve just installed the latest next-generation sequencing facilities in containment. Samples will come into high containment and then they can be very rapidly sequenced without the need to undergo different protocols to get them out of high containment and carry out those procedures. That’s absolutely key for the high throughput of research. We’re in a position to help other countries follow their outbreaks and give them advice on control. With FMDV, for example, a sample comes into us and we’ll have it fully sequenced in 24 hours. That would be quite challenging if you didn’t have all of that capacity in high containment. That greater range of expertise being brought into the building is a key benefit.
A Facility That Inspires
Q: Do you give tours? What is the public's reaction to seeing all that goes on in the building?
A: Yes, we regularly give tours. Our range of visitors includes everyone from senior people of funding bodies to senior government agencies to the Royal Family. We have pictures of Princess Anne, who viewed the building in 2016. It is an amazing experience for visitors to walk into the atrium for the first time and hear about the building's functionality. It is truly an impressive facility.
Also of note, the United Kingdom is currently cataloging all of their science infrastructure. In all that they are cataloging, we are unique. We’re the only one that has this capacity.
We’re also providing a lot of expertise to other organizations about how you run and maintain these buildings. So it’s not just around science, it’s around the engineering required to run a high-containment facility, the biosecurity required. We get asked about all of those issues and we provide help and advice.