The State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology VECTOR of Rospotrebnadzor (), also known as the Vector Institute, is a biological

research center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentric ...

under Rospotrebnadzor in Koltsovo,

Novosibirsk Oblast Novosibirsk Oblast () is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast) located in southwestern Siberia. Its administrative center, administrative and economic center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of N ...

, Russia. It has research facilities and capabilities for all levels of

biological hazard A biological hazard, or biohazard, is a biological substance that poses a threat (or is a hazard) to the health of living organisms, primarily humans. This could include a sample of a microorganism, virus or toxin that can adversely affect huma ...

, CDC levels 1–4. It is one of two official repositories for the now-eradicated

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...

virus, and was part of the system of laboratories known as the

Biopreparat The All-Union Science Production Association Biopreparat (, , ) was a Soviet agency created in April 1974, which spearheaded the largest and most sophisticated offensive biological warfare program known. It was a vast, ostensibly civilian, netw ...

. The facility was upgraded and secured using modern cameras, motion sensors, fences and biohazard containment systems. Its relative seclusion makes security an easier task. Since its inception there has been an army regiment guarding the facility. At least in

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

times the facility was a nexus for

biological warfare Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare, is the use of biological toxins or Pathogen, infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, insects, and Fungus, fungi with the intent to kill, harm or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an ...

research (see

Soviet biological weapons program The Soviet Union covertly operated the world's largest, longest, and most sophisticated biological weapons program, thereby violating its obligations as a party to the Biological Weapons Convention of 1972.Leitenberg, M., Zilinskas, R., & Kuhn, ...

), though the nature of any ongoing research in this area is uncertain. As of April 2022 the Vector Institute is the Russian site for the

WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and has 6 regional offices and 15 ...

H5 Reference Laboratory Network, which responds "to the

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...

needs arising from avian influenza A (

H5N1 Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 (A/H5N1) is a subtype of the influenza A virus, which causes the disease avian influenza (often referred to as "bird flu"). It is enzootic (maintained in the population) in many bird populations, and also panzoo ...

) infection in humans and

influenza Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These sympto ...

pandemic A pandemic ( ) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic (epi ...

preparedness."

History

Organized in 1974, the center has a long history of

virology Virology is the Scientific method, scientific study of biological viruses. It is a subfield of microbiology that focuses on their detection, structure, classification and evolution, their methods of infection and exploitation of host (biology), ...

, making impressive Soviet contribution to

research.

Genetic engineering Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of Genetic engineering techniques, technologies used to change the genet ...

projects included creation of viruses that manufacture toxins as well as research on bioregulators and various peptides that function in the nervous system. In the post-Soviet times the center made research and development contributions in many projects like a vaccine for

Hepatitis A Hepatitis A is an infectious liver disease caused by Hepatitis A virus (HAV); it is a type of viral hepatitis. Many cases have few or no symptoms, especially in the young. The time between infection and symptoms, in those who develop them, is ...

influenza vaccines Influenza vaccines, colloquially known as flu shots or the flu jab, are vaccines that protect against infection by influenza viruses. New versions of the vaccines are developed twice a year, as the influenza virus rapidly changes. While their ...

, vaccines for the Ebola virus, antiviral drugs with nucleotide analogs, test-systems for diagnostics of

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

and

Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the '' hepatitis B virus'' (HBV) that affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. It can cause both acute and chronic infection. Many people have no symptoms during an initial infection. ...

and other development. It is one of the two laboratories worldwide that are authorized to keep smallpox.

COVID-19 vaccine development

In March 2020 it was reported that Russian scientists have begun to test vaccine prototypes for the new coronavirus disease (

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

), with the plan of presenting the most effective one in June, a laboratory chief at Vector Institute said. The prototypes have been created and the testing on animals began. In July 2020, research by the centre found that the

SARS-CoV-2 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the respiratory illness responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus previously had the Novel coronavirus, provisional nam ...

virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed in room temperature water within 72 hours, helping further research about the disease during the pandemic.

Tasks

The main tasks of the centre, according to VECTOR, are: * Basic research of causative agents of especially dangerous and socially important viral infections, and their genetic variability and diversity, pathogenesis of viral infections. * Ensuring constant readiness for implementing diagnostics of especially dangerous infectious agents. * The development and introduction into healthy practice of diagnostic curative and preventive medicines. * Post-graduate training, and scientific training of higher qualification in the field of Virology, molecular biology and biotechnology through graduate school and higher education.

Accidents

On 30 April 1988, a doctor died two weeks after accidentally pricking himself through two layers of rubber gloves with a needle contaminated with the

Marburg virus Marburg virus (MARV) is a hemorrhagic fever virus of the '' Filoviridae'' family of viruses and a member of the species '' Marburg marburgvirus'', genus '' Marburgvirus''. It causes Marburg virus disease in primates, a form of viral hemorrhag ...

. In 2004, a researcher at VECTOR died after accidentally pricking herself with a needle contaminated with the

Ebola virus ''Orthoebolavirus zairense'' or Zaire ebolavirus, more commonly known as Ebola virus (; EBOV), is one of six known species within the genus ''Ebolavirus''. Four of the six known ebolaviruses, including EBOV, cause a severe and often fatal vira ...

. On 17 September 2019, a gas explosion occurred at Vector. One worker suffered third-degree burns, and the blast blew out window panes. The lab has highly contagious forms of bird flu and strains of hepatitis. The explosion happened in a decontamination room that was being renovated by a contractor.

Notes

References

External links

State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology VECTOR homepage

About the center

at

Globalsecurity.org GlobalSecurity.org is an American independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that serves as a think tank, and research and consultancy group. Focus The site is focused on national and international security issues; military analysis, sys ...

{{authority control 1974 establishments in the Soviet Union Biological warfare facilities Biosafety level 4 laboratories COVID-19 vaccine producers V Medical research institutes in the Soviet Union National public health agencies Research institutes established in 1974 Soviet biological weapons program