Bio-Tech: Biotech Facilities

Biotech Facilities

Gengineering isn't something that can be done on the kitchen table – specialized equipment is necessary.

Lab Facilities

These are necessary to fulfill the basic equipment requirements for genetic engineering tasks. Weight and cost are not reduced at higher TLs – instead, sophistication increases. Modifiers are given for both minor and major tasks. Minor tasks are things like genetic testing, or synthesizing a known protein. Major tasks include cloning, chromosome mapping and sequencing, genetic reconstruction, and genetic engineering.

Full Genetics Lab (TL8)

This lab contains sufficient equipment and work space for one researcher and up to four assistants to perform advanced bioengineering. It contains tables, lab counters, and refrigerators, as well as high-tech (and fragile) gear such as several PCR machines, incubators, culture vats, microscopes, and other imaging systems. It provides a +2 (quality) bonus to Bioengineering skill but no bonus if used for complex genetic engineering research projects that need a state-of-the-art lab. A big lab complex will contain multiple labs, allowing several research teams to do work at the same time. $1 million, 20,000 lbs. LC4.

Standard Genetics Lab (TL8)

Found at small biotech companies or average universities, this is a less costly and more compact version of the full lab (above). It provides a +1 (quality) bonus to Bioengineering skill. $200,000, 4,000 lbs. LC4.

Small Genetics Lab (TL8)

A work table or counter, fridge and basic genetic engineering equipment. This is typical of community colleges, reclusive geniuses, and amateur bioterrorists. It is basic equipment (no modifier to skill). $50,000, 500 lbs. LC4.

Suitcase Genetics Lab (TL9)

A miniaturized, man-portable genetics lab. For all but the most simple tasks, it is improvised equipment (-5 to skill). It takes 10 minutes to pack or unpack. $12,000, 20 lbs. LC4.

Hellkitchen (TL9)

This is a suitcase genetics lab optimized for producing biological weapons. It contains the necessary precision scientific equipment (including a miniaturized gene-splicing and PCR machine), cell cultures, and genetic engineering computer software to transform an ordinary kitchen into a biowarfare laboratory. A hellkitchen counts as a suitcase lab for most tasks, but as a small genetics lab for developing disease cultures and similar bioweapons. It can also manufacture additional doses of a germ from an existing or modified culture at a rate of one dose per hour; an unmodified skill roll should be required to set this up.

The hellkitchen is so compact because it lacks even rudimentary safety features; any critical failure results in some form of disaster (e.g., the user becoming infected or releasing a plague). This applies whether trying to modify a disease or find a cure for one. Packing or unpacking it takes 10 minutes. $50,000, 20 lbs. LC2.

Containment Tubes (TL9)

These resemble giant, vertical test tubes, large enough for a person to stand upright in, resting atop a base platform containing a life-support system and powerful vacuum pumps. They are used for containing human-sized specimens. Any super-scientist’s lab will have a few of these for holding captured supers or experimental subjects!

The tubes are sealed, but are connected to an external air conditioner that recycles the air within them. They can also be pumped empty of air in 30 seconds. Canisters may be attached to the tubes to allow gases or liquids to be pumped into them (e.g., sleep gas, nerve gas, germs, or proteus virus), or to maintain a different atmosphere within the containment tube. A gas canister suitable for flooding the tube (requires five doses of whatever gas or other agent is used) is 5 lbs. and $300. It can hold 100 doses of gas.

Access to the tube is provided by a transparent sliding door, which causes part of the tube to slide open. The door's lock cannot be picked from inside the tube. Opening or closing the door, or controlling life support in the tube, is accomplished using either controls on the base or an external computer terminal. The containment tube itself is made of a plexiglas-like material with DR 30 and HP 55 (it is also Brittle). Increase DR at higher TLs: DR 45 at TL10, DR 60 at TL11, DR 90 at TL12.

Each containment tube is $20,000, 400 lbs., LC4. It runs off building power.

For double cost, the containment tube can have twice the DR; at four times cost, three times the DR. Containment tubes for beings larger than humans are possible; multiply cost, weight, volume and power requirement by relative weight compared to an average human. Growth tanks, forced-growth tanks, and chronowombs may be outfitted as containment tubes; add half the weight, cost and volume of the tube to the weight, cost and volume of the growth tank or womb. This is useful if growing dangerous beings.

Lab Biohazard Precautions

Biotech labs are rated for the level of biohazard safety that is practiced in them:

P1 – Ordinary microbiological lab procedures, such as using absorbent mats to catch spills and ultraviolet lamps to kill contaminants, and wearing protective gloves.

P2 – As above, but restricting access (i.e., a lock and a "Keep Out" sign). This is the highest level possible for a suitcase lab or hellkitchen (above).

P3 – As above, but lab air pressure is lower than its surroundings, so that airborne microorganisms blow in rather than out. Triple the size, weight, and cost of the lab facility. Any critical failure that would result in the escape of biohazardous material should be confirmed by a second failure; if this second roll succeeds, the accident merely contaminates the lab itself.

P4 – Sealed lab. Lab workers change clothes and shower, and there will be an airlock between the lab and the outside world. May have security guards. Multiply size, weight, and cost by 10. A critical failure that would result in the accidental escape of biohazardous material should be confirmed by a second critical failure (e.g., something else went wrong, like the airlock door malfunctioned). Deliberate sabotage can still circumvent these precautions!

Maximum-security labs are relatively rare. In 2005 there were four P4 laboratories in the United States (with six more planned) and 50 laboratories at P3 (with 19 more planned).