New funding will let VIDO establish high-level containment for disease research

VIDO is getting an upgrade.

The University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) announced new funding this week to establish high-level containment capacity.

The $8.1-million investment from the Canada Foundation for Innovation means VIDO will be home to the highest level of disease containment — Level 4 — making it the only non-government facility in the nation to reach that level.

VIDO director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts said the new funding will enable work with dangerous pathogens to take place safely.

Research team at the University of Saskatchewan’s VIDO-InterVac. (University of Saskatchewan/Submitted)

“By strengthening Canadian research capacity for containment of Level 4 diseases, VIDO will help enable scientists to develop solutions for any infectious disease,” Gerdts said in a statement.

“It will significantly expand Canada’s ability to work with high consequence pathogens and help support Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy.”

Currently, the only Level 4 containment facilities in Canada are the federal government’s National Microbiology Laboratory and the Canada Food Inspection Agency’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, both of which are located in Winnipeg.

VIDO was recently awarded $53.9 million in operation funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the new infrastructure investment will help the organization grow, VIDO said in a statement.

“A key part of the upgrade process included numerous consultations with the community to improve awareness and gain support for the international importance of these containment research facilities,” VIDO noted.