VRS operates its own purpose-built BSL-2 and BSL-3 (Containment Level 2 and 3) virology laboratories in Kent, UK. Located within a secure science park and operated by experienced virologists trained to work in high-containment environments, the facilities were designed specifically for virology research.

Opened in late 2022, these facilities allow VRS to work safely with a broad range of viruses and to support projects from routine virology assays through to studies requiring higher levels of containment. Having both BSL-2 and BSL-3 capabilities in-house provides the flexibility to design, adapt and progress studies according to the biological requirements of each project, without the need to transfer work between external premises.

BSL-2 Laboratory
Our BSL-2 laboratory supports a wide range of virology research, including antiviral and neutralisation assays, virus propagation, infectivity studies, virus quantification and bespoke assay development.

Separate and dedicated cell culture and virus culture suites provide clear physical separation between activities, supporting stringent contamination control and maintaining a controlled environment for reliable, reproducible results.

BSL-3 Laboratory
Our BSL-3 facility enables us to work safely with Hazard Group 3 viruses and to support research requiring higher levels of biological containment.

The laboratory incorporates negative air pressure, controlled access, airlocks, and dedicated containment zones, together with the equipment required to perform a variety of virology and cell-based studies.

Having our own BSL-3 facility allows us to take projects beyond surrogate systems and work directly with relevant viral pathogens, where in line with UK biosafety and biosecurity regulations.

Modern instrumentation and data analysis
Our laboratories are equipped with a broad range of instrumentation for quantitative virology and cell-based research, including automated imaging and fluorescence microscopy, qRT-PCR, fluorescence, absorbance and luminescence detection, and protein and nucleic acid analysis platforms. This flexibility allows assays to be developed and read using the most appropriate quantitative approach for the biological question, from imaging-based assessment of viral infection to molecular and biochemical measurements.

These capabilities allow VRS to support studies at different scales, from bespoke assays and focused screening of smaller sample sets to screening programmes involving hundreds to tens of thousands of compounds or samples.

Our experimental capabilities are complemented by proprietary VRS data analysis tools, developed specifically for virology workflows. VRSxp enables quantitative analysis while maintaining structured records of experimental data and associated metadata, helping to preserve the context of each result, and improve consistency, traceability and reproducibility across studies.