Understanding how bats respond to viruses can open up new possibilities in helping find new ways to treat both humans and animals because bats have a remarkable ability to carry a virus and not get sick from it. This is why researchers want to study bats – understanding bat immune responses to a virus could unlock new medical treatments to help save the lives of humans and animals, including bats.
5 things to know
- This research is important. Bats hold unique, critically-important clues to understanding why and how people and animals get sick when exposed to disease-causing organisms known as pathogens.
- CSU is the best place in the world to do this research. The university is one of few places already studying bats and infectious diseases, and has done these studies for 20 years.
- There are no studies occurring in the new building. The building is only used to house bats, which are healthy bats without diseases. CSU’s bat colony has lived on the Foothills Campus for 20 years.
- CSU is an expert in infectious disease research. CSU has studied infectious diseases since the 1960s and has a long track-record of expertise, safety, and compliance. Ebola, Marburg or Nipah viruses will not be studied in the new building or in any CSU building. CSU does not and cannot possess these viruses. Our facilities are not built to research these viruses. Research partners in other states may study these viruses.
- Bats are contained within the building at all times. The building has multiple layers of security. Inside, bats live behind several layers of locked doors inside a room that provides them with big areas that mimic their natural habitat.