The Fort Knox of viruses

It is a common scene in horror movies. Just picture it now: terrorists break into a hermetically sealed laboratory, steal a highly contagious "killer virus," which they unleash on an unsuspecting public and eradicate the entire population with the terrible disease.

Well, the scene may be so common that it no longer achieves the desired, thriller effect.

But it true to an underlying fear - that of uncontrollable science, security leaks in the scientific system.

The fear is not completely irrational.

There are indeed viruses that the public should never, under any circumstances, be exposed to.

And that's why we have high security labs - such as Berlin's newly inaugurated "S4" lab.

It is part of the Robert Koch Institute, and researchers will soon be allowed to work there on viruses labeled as high risk category 4.

Those viruses include Ebola, Lassa fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever to name a few.

Researchers have to stick to strict guidelines when working with such viruses, and part of that is the lab itself and the equipment it provides.

Don't forget your protective suit

At a high security laboratory, work is far from normal.

So you want to pop to the canteen for a quick lunch? Or take a 5-minute coffee break? Well, you can forget it.

There is nothing quick about high security labs.

To enter and leave the S4 lab, researchers are required to pass through four different air locks - under strict surveillance.

During their work, they wear a protective suit connected to an external oxygen supply. And when they clock-off, the researchers disinfect their suits at a special shower unit that collects the wastewater before boiling and filtering it chemically. All this to prevent any viruses from leaking outside.

Working with colleagues is different, too. So there is no room for any secretive work.

For example, if a researcher has to work with needles or scalpels - anything that is sharp and poses a potential risk to their protective suit - they and their work are closely monitored by a colleague.

How high is high security?

The designers of high security laboratories try to cover every possible scenario to make sure facilities such as Berlin's S4 are what they intend to be - high security.

That includes making sure any exit and entry points remain airtight during a power cut. And that it is impossible for viruses to escape via air ducts.

S4 labs have a dedicated supply of oxygen, electricity and water. They are designed to be completely self-sufficient.

Additionally, a constant low pressure prevents air from exiting the laboratory even in the event of a leak. And the air that does leave the laboratory is cleaned by a multi-phase filter system that kills all potentially dangerous viruses.

It seems as if a new era is dawning at the Robert Koch Institute.

When it has completed a series of test-runs, researchers will finally be able to start work at the S4 lab, and conduct research which until now has been impossible in Berlin.

There seems to be a growing need for such work. The World Health Organization (WHO) says ever more dangerous viruses are being discovered.

Take the Lujo virus, which gained worldwide recognition in 2009. And let's not forget Ebola. Both are high risk category 4 viruses. And soon researchers in Berlin will join the worldwide fight against them.