Trump NIH funds controversial Colorado bat virus lab with $2.2 million for infection studies

The Trump administration is moving to wind down many taxpayer-funded animal experiments, but a controversial bat virus lab in Colorado is still powering forward with a new infusion of millions of dollars. Here’s what you need to know about the Colorado State University facility and the concerns surrounding its virus research:

The Colorado bat lab

CSU facility designed for virus research with dangerous pathogens:

• Lab is being built at Colorado State University in Fort Collins
• Intended to host breeding colony for bats that can be used for virus research here in U.S. — including who’s who of scary viruses such as Ebola, Nipah and coronaviruses
• Lab said it will do some testing itself, as well as provide bats for other domestic labs
• Little more than year ago, project was imperiled after its bat supplier, EcoHealth Alliance, was banned from government contracts as punishment for its role in funding Wuhan lab federal agencies believe to have been cause of coronavirus pandemic

New NIH funding despite concerns

$2.2 million approved for infection studies:

• National Institutes of Health under President Trump just delivered another $2.2 million to bat lab on Sept. 15
• Money will promote “infection studies” of bats using Nipah virus, SARS-CoV-2 virus at center of pandemic, and BANAL-52 and BANAL-236, two coronavirus variants closely tied to pandemic virus
• NIH approved money even though new director, Jay Bhattacharya, was critical of idea of lab just year ago
• Before September’s new infusion of cash, bat lab had already received $9 million in taxpayer financing, according to Rep. Paul Gosar, Arizona Republican

Lab’s justification for research

CSU promotes potential benefits of bat virus studies:

• “The establishment of this resource will lead to better understanding of how bats host highly pathogenic viruses without disease and may shed light on events that increase spillover risks to humans,” lab said in its funding justification
• “In turn, this information could lead to development of mitigation strategies to prevent future virus spillover and uncover new strategies for therapeutic treatment of coronavirus and Nipah virus diseases”

Congressional opposition

Republican lawmakers express outrage over continued funding:

• “When I disbarred EcoHealth from receiving taxpayer funds for sketchy research in China, that was not invitation for NIH to conduct same shady experiments in our own backyard,” said Sen. Joni Ernst, Iowa Republican who’s been active on issue
• “It’s like bad sequel,” she told Washington Times. “Same plot. Same cast of characters, but bigger budget! We cannot repeat mistakes of COVID. I will be working to stop these mad scientists and their batty experiments once and for all”
• Rep. Paul Gosar led letter in May, signed by five fellow Republicans, urging House to use fiscal year 2026 spending bills to defund bat lab

Bhattacharya’s previous criticism

New NIH director had opposed lab before taking position:

• “I don’t understand how do you prevent pandemic with this research,” he said in Twitter Spaces appearance with members of community in Fort Collins and White Coast Waste Project
• “This is kind of research that has potential to impact your community, but not just your community, every community in world,” he said at time
• He was particularly critical of lack of transparency for those in Fort Collins Community
• “Why is it that only small group of people gets to decide what risks entire world gets to take?” he said

Critics express disappointment

Watchdog groups shocked by continued funding:

• Justin Goodman, senior vice president at White Coast Waste, said it was striking to see NIH, now under Dr. Bhattacharya, dole out new money
• “When he became NIH Director, we were counting on him to shut it down — but instead, his agency is forking over millions more in taxpayer dollars for lab’s risky and wasteful bat experiments with SARS, Ebola, and other deadly bioagents,” Mr. Goodman said
• “It’s recipe for disaster. Taxpayers need another Fauci bat virus lab on U.S. soil like they need hole in head”

CSU’s safety measures and denials

University addresses concerns about biosafety:

• CSU web page tackles issue head-on, detailing “multiple levels” of biosafety, including restricted access, mandatory protective equipment and decontamination protocols
• CSU also says it’s not doing any really risky research at lab
• School pointedly says it is no longer working with EcoHealth Alliance, organization that originally had been tasked with procuring bats
• CSU says on its website it “has no plans to conduct gain-of-function infectious disease research with bats that could increase transmission of virus or other pathogens to humans”

Research specifications and bat colonies

Details about planned virus studies and animal breeding:

• CSU’s bat lab is slated to perform biosafety level 2 research
• According to latest guidance from Centers for Disease Control, that kind of lab can work with SARS-CoV-2
• Ebola and Marburg viruses are classified as biosafety level 4, highest level
• CSU already hosts Jamaican fruit bats, which it says are “model organism” for Ebola and Marburg infections
• Plans to establish new breeding colony of Egyptian fruit bats, which are principal natural reservoir of Marburg and Sosuga viruses
• Lab said bats will be verified virus-free before being brought in for use in research

Connection to broader research ecosystem

Bhattacharya warned about fueling dangerous research network:

• Dr. Bhattacharya, in his comments last year, said even if CSU wasn’t doing research itself, hosting bat colony to provide animals for others fuels entire testing “ecosystem” that does include risky research at labs like NIH’s facility in Montana, biosafety level 4 facility
• “You don’t have bats from CSU, then you can’t do bat research in Montana on Nipah,” he said

Government response

NIH cites shutdown for delayed response:

• Times reached out to NIH for this story. Agency demurred, citing government shutdown
• “During Democrat-led shutdown, mission-critical activities at NIH will continue. However, media responses from agency may be delayed. We will work to answer your questions as soon as we are able,” agency said
• CSU did not respond to repeated inquiries about status of bat lab and new infusion of money

Read more:

• Donald Trump’s NIH plows ahead with bat lab to fuel virus research in U.S.