In 1967, the first anaerobic laboratory for biomedical research was built in Building 3 on the NIH's Bethesda campus. This quarter of a million dollar facility demonstrated the NIH's strong commitment to the research programs led by Thressa and Earl Stadtman. Thressa's research on methane biosynthesis and selenium biochemistry particularly benefited from this unique facility. Until the closing of Building 3 in 2002, the anaerobic laboratory served numerous researchers at NIH as well as visiting scientists from around the world.The anaerobic laboratory was furnished with the usual laboratory equipment, but it was filled with a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen, instead of ordinary air. An "oxygen-free" atmosphere is crucial in dealing with bacteria that are killed in the presence of oxygen or with biological compounds that are inactivated when exposed to air. This unique facility allowed researchers to conduct multi-step experiments with various instruments, including manipulations that were extremely difficult in conventional anaerobic "glove boxes." Because of the danger of working in an anaerobic atmosphere, a researcher must wear a special mask fitted with an air-delivery tube while an observer outside monitors a two-way communication system.
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Floor plan of the anaerobic laboratory
Video: Michael Poston on the anaerobic laboratory.
Running time: 3:00 minutes Small (56k modem) Large (ISDN/DSL)
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Inside the anaerobic laboratory
Respirator mask used iside the anaerobic laboratory Fermenter Room
