A Reversible BSL-2 Operational Platform for Advanced Synchrotron Studies of Biological Samples

Abstract

The application of advanced synchrotron techniques to biological systems is frequently constrained by the limited availability of biosafety-compliant experimental environments, as most beamlines and shared research laboratories were not originally designed to operate under biological containment conditions. Consequently, many synchrotron-based studies rely on fixed, sterilized, or otherwise modified samples, restricting investigations under near-native conditions and limiting accessible experimental workflows. Here, we present a reversible Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) operational platform that enables advanced synchrotron-based measurements involving biological materials requiring biosafety containment without permanent infrastructure modification. The platform integrates spatial zoning, personnel qualification, controlled access, triple-containment sample transport, beamline-adapted operational procedures, and validated decontamination and restoration protocols into a unified operational framework that can be deployed and removed on demand. Implemented, validated, and institutionally approved at the SIRIUS fourth-generation synchrotron, the platform has enabled routine operation of multiple beamlines under reversible BSL-2 conditions for experiments involving human-derived and other biological samples. By preserving facility flexibility while enabling measurements under conditions closer to the native biological state, this approach expands the experimental capabilities of synchrotron facilities across spectroscopy, imaging, coherent scattering, and nanoscale characterization. The proposed methodology provides a practical and transferable pathway for integrating biosafety-compliant workflows into advanced photon science infrastructures worldwide.