Workshop Description

CABS-ACSB and Merrick are pleased to co-present the Strategic Biocontainment Laboratory Planning and Operations Workshop. This comprehensive, hands-on workshop is designed for professionals involved in the planning, renovation, operation, and management of high-containment laboratories and research facilities. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical elements required to establish and sustain a secure, efficient, and compliant biocontainment facility.

Through interactive discussions, case studies, real-world scenarios, and practical exercises, this course will cover:

• Biocontainment Fundamentals – A historical perspective, key design considerations, and core biosafety and biosecurity principles.
• Facility Planning & Design – Space allocation, workflow optimization, sustainability, and environmental impact mitigation.
• Regulatory Compliance & Documentation – International and federal biosafety/biosecurity standards, as well as best practices for writing SOPs, facility manuals, emergency response plans, and compliance records.
• Operations & Infrastructure – Effective maintenance strategies, safety procedures, access controls, and performance verification processes.
• Institutional & Community Engagement – Strategies for gaining buy-in from leadership, fostering collaboration with facility staff, and managing public relations.
• Workforce & Training Strategies – Approaches for staffing, workforce skills assessments, and developing training programs to ensure personnel competency.
• Financial & Business Planning – Budgeting for operational and facility costs, revenue projections, rate structuring, and long-term capital planning.

This course is ideal for biosafety officers, laboratory managers, facility directors, architects, engineers, researchers, and institutional leaders responsible for high-containment operations.

Course Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Strategic Planning & Design of High-Containment Facilities

• Identify the essential components of a high-containment facility, including space utilization, biosafety levels, and specialized containment features.
• Understand the facility design process, from conceptual planning to final construction and commissioning (concept, 30%, 66%, and 100% design stages).
• Incorporate sustainability and environmental impact considerations into facility planning, including LEED certification and energy-efficient solutions.

2. Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Develop a working knowledge of international and federal biosafety/biosecurity regulations, including WHO, BMBL, Canadian Biosafety Standards, NIH, and CDC guidelines.
• Establish compliance programs that address facility safety, research security, and occupational health requirements.
• Apply risk assessment methodologies to evaluate and mitigate hazards associated with high-containment research activities.

3. Facility Operations & Performance Optimization

• Implement best practices for high-containment laboratory operations, including workflow planning, air handling systems, and decontamination procedures.
• Develop and manage infrastructure maintenance programs, including performance verification and security planning.
• Establish access control and emergency response strategies to enhance facility security and protect personnel.

4. Documentation & Compliance Recordkeeping

• Understand the strategic objectives and principles of quality-assured controlled documents in a high-containment environment.
• Develop SOPs, facility-level manuals, response plans, and regulatory compliance documents tailored to the facility’s needs.
• Manage documentation for regulatory oversight, accreditation, and ongoing facility audits.

5. Institutional & Public Engagement Strategies

• Navigate the complexities of engaging senior leadership, researchers, and support staff to ensure operational success.
• Develop public relations strategies for effectively communicating with local authorities, emergency responders, and the surrounding community.
• Address crisis management scenarios, including emergency response coordination and public perception challenges.

6. Workforce Planning & Training

• Perform workforce skills and staffing needs assessments for high-containment laboratories.
• Develop staffing plans that align with operational, maintenance, and research program requirements.
• Design and implement training programs that ensure staff competency and regulatory compliance.

7. Financial & Business Planning for Long-Term Facility Sustainability

• Analyze and project operational and facility maintenance costs.
• Develop revenue and funding strategies to meet annual and long-term financial requirements.
• Establish a rate structure and operational plan that includes depreciation, capital replacement planning, and predictive maintenance strategies.

By the end of this workshop, participants will have the knowledge and practical tools necessary to successfully plan, operate, and manage high-containment laboratories that meet the highest standards of safety, security, and efficiency.

Who should apply:

• Individuals with leadership of management role accountability for planning, managing and delivering a program or service support function (e.g. biosafety, facilities ops and maintenance, workforce training and development, animal care and husbandry, research planning/delivery, director and agency level individuals responsible for biocontainment program facilities/mission, etc.) in a high biocontainment research facility
• Facilities operators
• Engineers & Architects associated with biocontainment facilities
• Biosafety Officers
• Regulators

All aspects of the workshop will be conducted in English. There are only 20 spaces available for this course.

The cost to attend is $3,500.00 CAD. Please contact us if you have questions or need more information.

Applications will close August 15, 2025 and all applicants will be advised of their status no later than August 22, 2025.

Venue and Accommodations

The Strategic Biocontainment Laboratory Planning and Operations Workshop will be held at the Courtyard Toronto Downtown. A block of rooms has been reserved and details wil be sent to the selected applicants.

Course Application

Apply Now!

Cancellation policy

Due to the nature of this course, once registration fees are submitted they are non-refundable.

Draft Program

Opening Reception

Monday, November 17, 2025 Opening Reception

Time	Description
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m	TBD

Day 1, Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Time	Description
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Workshop

Day 2, Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Time	Description
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Workshop

Day 3, Thursday, November 20, 2025

Time	Description
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Workshop
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.	Social Dinner

Day 4, Friday, November 21, 2025

Time	Description
8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.	Workshop