KANSAS CITY , Mo. and FREDERICK, Md., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To address the growing demand for expertise in laboratory services, Midwest Research Institute (MRI) announced today the launch of its Center for Biological Safety and Security (CBS2) -- a center staffed by an internationally recognized team of certified biosafety and security specialists who are dedicated to provide a diverse range of specialized laboratory consulting services from design, to operations, to management.
An increased national and international demand for high level biosafety laboratories needed for research in a variety of industries, including biodefense, agriculture, food safety, and vaccine development, has created the need for highly trained and experienced biological safety personnel who are able to provide diverse technical support capabilities. MRI's CBS2, strategically located in Frederick, MD, near the hub of the nation's biological defense research, addresses the demand and provides laboratory consulting services to government, private industry and academic clients.
"Through this Center, MRI is providing an industry unique approach in meeting the complex needs of global clients. Our strategy integrates two technical disciplines, biosafety and security of biological facilities, tailored to help clients improve overall laboratory performance and efficiency," said Michael Helmstetter , Ph.D., Senior Vice President of MRI's Research Operations.
"Safety and security are core values at MRI," Helmstetter added. "The opportunity exists for us to provide others with services to ensure safe and secure practices when conducting leading edge biological research." With more than 60 years of experience in scientific research, including 15 years managing Biosafety Level-3 and Agriculture Biosafety Level-3 laboratories, MRI has earned a reputation for delivering services with excellence in quality, integrity and safety.
MRI's highly credentialed CBS2 Team provides comprehensive technical support in areas such as:
-- Laboratory assistance from design to operations -- Laboratory commissioning -- Training and laboratory documentation development and implementation -- Comprehensive biological security; assessments and training -- Biosurety compliance -- Regulatory compliance -- Safety program developmentIn conjunction with the creation of CBS2, MRI is moving from its existing office space in Frederick to larger offices also located in Frederick. The CBS2 can reach back to over 250 MRI biological scientists to provide added capacity to meet expanding customer needs.
About Midwest Research Institute
MRI, a not-for-profit research organization with 1,800 employees nationwide, performs contract research and laboratory consulting services for clients in government, industry, and academia. Established in 1944, MRI is one of the nation's leading independent research institutes conducting research in the areas of national security and defense, life sciences, food and agriculture, transportation safety, energy, and environment. With headquarters in Kansas City , MRI also has facilities in Palm Bay, Fla., Frederick, Md., and Rockville, Md. MRI has managed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo., for the U.S. Department of Energy since 1977. The Institute's mission is to benefit society by providing solutions to national problems through scientific research, technology development, and technical services. MRI also promotes science education for youth by supporting Science Pioneers, which holds one of the largest science fairs in the country, and the FIRST Robotics Competition. For more information, visit www.mriresearch.org
SOURCE Midwest Research Institute
