UW gets earful at meeting on biolab

At a forum last night, community members blasted the University of Washington's proposal to build a level-three biolab.

About 60 people attended the forum, the first of two being held by UW, to hear about its application to build a bio-defense and infectious-disease laboratory on its south campus near Portage Bay.

A level-three lab, one step below the most hazardous, would study highly lethal diseases for which there are treatments but rarely vaccines, such as rabbit fever and the bubonic plague.

It would not research the most-dangerous diseases, such as Ebola. The UW, which already has 30 level-three laboratories on campus, plans to consolidate the labs into one building.

In late December, the School of Medicine submitted a $25 million grant application to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. The school won't find out whether it wins the grant until September, and the school would need to raise at least $20 million more to build the lab.

University President Mark Emmert plans to use the public comments to make his recommendation to the UW Board of Regents in June. Though the grant application already specifies a location, the university has formed a new committee to explore sites for the lab.

Last night, UW representatives explained why the university was interested in building the lab. Emerging diseases are threatening public health, said John Coulter, executive director of UW Health Sciences.

"If there were an epidemic or bioterror attack, the Pacific Northwest would have a regional resource," Coulter said. He added that research is critical because infectious diseases, such as avian flu, continue to emerge.

Coulter emphasized that there has never been a public release of a disease-causing agent from a level-three lab, though there is a risk to the researchers. In Boston, researchers accidentally became infected with rabbit fever in October, though it was several months before it was disclosed to the public.

Last night, neighboring residents and university employees alike criticized the UW. Many suggested that the university build the lab elsewhere, perhaps outside Seattle.

"You indicate these pathogens are naturally occurring in our environment, and yes they are, but to invite them to be concentrated in the University District adjacent to a freshwater body like Portage Bay, which is adjacent to Lake Washington and Lake Union where I live, is insane as far as I can figure," said Brian Ramey, of the Eastlake neighborhood.

Paul Willard of the University District said he didn't understand why researchers wouldn't drive 20 miles to an off-campus lab to protect the public if the research was that important.

"We understand there are 30 labs already here," Willard said. "But our fear is that this one — because it's so big — it's going to have a big bull's-eye on it, especially if people know the community is so scared of this place, which we clearly are."

Others questioned the risk of human error.

Jean Buskin, a biochemistry researcher at the UW, said, "The thing I worry the most about is people standing on swivel chairs to reach for things."

Current and retired professors also spoke out against the lab.

"I certainly approve of research — I did it for 35 years," said William Weitkamp, professor emeritus of physics. But Weitkamp said he doesn't approve of this kind of research on campus: "I think there's a very serious credibility gap here, and I don't know how to mend it."

Weitkamp echoed several speakers who wondered why the university had not involved the public earlier.

The next public forum is scheduled for March 1 at 7 p.m. at Magnuson Park Community Center.

Sharon Pian Chan: 206-464-2958 or schan@seattletimes.com