HTRL Infectious Disease Core Facility
The Howard T. Ricketts Laboratory (HTRL) is a regional biocontainment laboratory with several designated biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) and level 3 (BSL-3) suites, which are used to perform infectious disease research. The HTRL is on the campus of Argonne National Laboratory and is managed by the University of Chicago and its Biological Sciences Division under the leadership of Dominique Missiakas, Professor of Microbiology.
In addition to hosting several research groups, the HTRL serves as a training platform for scientists, enables rapid responses and research on Risk Group 2 (RG2) and RG3 infectious disease threats, including new and re-emerging agents, Select Agent pathogens, and biological toxins, and insures that knowledge is shared with the scientific community and public, in a timely manner. Research for external users can be performed under a collaborative agreement or as a fee-for-service.
Management and Funding
The facility is managed by its Director, Dr. Missiakas, and operated by a team of engineering, biosafety, facility and research staff. Management of BSL-3 operations at the HTRL is supported by a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) UC7 award (AI180312). Management of BSL-2 research is supported by the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division.
Capabilities
- Microbiology, bacteriology and virology, pathogen identification, propagation and susceptibility
- Molecular biology, extraction and purification of macromolecules including DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, polymers
- Immunology including ELISA, ELIspot, Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting
- Microscopy including high resolution miscroscopy
- Aerobiology
Available Pathogens
Biosafety Level 2
| Species | Strains/Isolates |
| Bacillus anthracis / B. cereus | Sterne, ATCC14579, ATCC10987, G9241, Elc4, CDC684 |
| SARS-CoV-2 | WA, Delta, Omicron, BA.1, BA.5, XBB, Mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 (MA10) |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Various Methicillin-resistant/sensitive S. aureus strains (Newman, USA300, USA400) |
| Yersinia pestis | KIM D27 (BSL2+) |
Biosafety Level 3
| Species | Strains/Isolates |
| Bacillus anthracis | Ames |
| Influenza A | H5N1 |
| MERS-CoV | Hu/Jordan-N3/2012 |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | CDC1551, HN878, H37Rv |
| Yersinia pestis | CO92 |
Service Prices
Service (Risk Group 2) |
Internal Rate |
External Rate |
| Virology | $671 | $926 |
| Crystal Violet Assay | $385 | $531 |
| Spike IF Assay | $515 | $711 |
| Spike IHC Assay | $528 | $729 |
| RNA extraction | $554 | $765 |
| Quantitative RT-PCR | $738 | $1,018 |
| Vivarium procedures | $47 | $65 |
Service (Risk Group 3) |
Internal Rate |
External Rate |
| Virology | $113 | $156 |
| Crystal Violet Assay | $12 | $17 |
| Spike IF Assay | $50 | $69 |
| Spike IHC Assay | $63 | $87 |
| RNA extraction | $462 | $638 |
| Quantitative RT-PCR | $691 | $954 |
Support Staff
Animal Resource Center (ARC)
The research and care of animals are overseen and approved by several groups at the University of Chicago: the Animal Resource Center , the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). The Animal Resource Center is also AAALAC accredited.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is a self-regulating entity that, according to U.S. federal law, must be established by institutions that use laboratory animals for research or instructional purposes to oversee and evaluate all aspects of the institution’s animal care and use program.
Biosafety
The Howard T. Ricketts facility is designed, managed, and operated to protect laboratory workers and the surrounding community from accidental exposure to any infectious agents. The Ricketts Lab provides needed biocontainment space to researchers and promotes the advancement of knowledge in the disciplines of biodefense and emerging infectious diseases.
Director of Biosafety and Biosecurity Responsible Official : John C. Bivona, RBP
For more information, visit the University of Chicago Office of Research Safety webpage
Engineering
Engineering is vital to the operation and maintenance of HTRL due to the stringent safety, containment, and environmental control requirements these facilities demand. Engineers ensure that critical systems—such as directional airflow, HEPA filtration, negative pressure environments, and redundant power supplies—are designed, installed, and maintained to meet biosafety standards and regulatory compliance
Research
All research that is conducted at the HTRL is regulated by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). The IBC is charged with the responsibility for review, approval and surveillance of all research protocols at the University of Chicago involving the use of biohazardous materials including recombinant DNA, agents infectious to humans, animals or plants, and other genetically altered organisms and agents. Visit the Institutional Biosafety Committee webpage for more information.
Research groups hosted at the HTRL:
Dominique Missiakas – Lab Website
Jueqi Chen – Lab Website
Shabaana Khader – Lab Website
Esser-Kahn Lab – Lab Website
Administration
Administration is essential to the successful operation of HTRL, as it provides the organizational structure, oversight, and policy enforcement necessary to maintain safety, compliance, and efficiency. Administrative leadership ensures that all personnel are properly trained, access is controlled, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are developed, implemented, and regularly reviewed.
Executive Director: Dominique Missiakas
Research Manager: Anastasia Tomatsidou
Executive Administrator of the Department of Microbiology UChicago: Sri Frazee