VDL Facility

The Vector Development Laboratory is located on the 10 floor of the Alkek
Building, Main Baylor College of Medicine Campus. To locate the Alkek
Building at the Texas Medical Center, click on our Interactive Map of the
Texas Medical Center. The Alkek Building is number 1 on the Quick Find List.

The VDL itself consists of 4 major sections: (a) a molecular biology section
for the production and analysis of GLP grade plasmid vectors, (b) a cell
culture section for GLP manufacture of virus-vectors, (c) a GLP virus-vector
purification section for gradient and chromatography purification, and (d)
a section for GLP validation and analysis of these vectors. A diagram of the
VDL operating space is shown below. Additional areas, including a cold room
for media storage, allows the VDL to stock media and other tissue culture
supplies sufficient to manufacture multiple vectors per week. The laboratories
within the VDL are fully equipped with all the necessary equipment for
production of gene therapy vectors including ultracentrifuges for purification of adenovirus and AAV vectors, refrigerated floor model centrifuges for plasmid preps and harvesting virus, table-top low speed centrifuges, biological safety cabinets for production of vectors, tissue culture incubators for cell culture, liquid chromatography system for purification of AAV, -20 º C degree freezers, ultra-low freezer maintained at -80 º C, one dedicated for storage of vectors, 7.5-liter bacterial fermentor ( New Brunswick) for small scale plasmid production, chemical safety hood and more.

The VDL laboratories are currently staffed full-time by two senior faculty members, two junior faculty members, four technologists, and two post-doctoral fellows. Several other of the collaborative faculty working on current development projects are housed in other spaces within the CAGT.

Vector management and storage are done using a barcoding system. All vectors are barcoded to ensure identity. When a vector vial is barcoded and this information is transferred to the database tracking system. A sample of a vector barcode is shown below (Figure 4). All vectors are then stored in a specific location within a dedicated -80ºC freezer to await shipping. This freezer is kept locked at all times, with limited keys.