Salk Institute-Government Services Division

The Salk Institute Government Services Division (GSD) was a specialized subsidiary of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, primarily focused on vaccine production and biodefense contracts for the United States government. It is most notable for managing the production of the Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (AVA), the only FDA-licensed vaccine for anthrax, under contract for the Department of Defense. Operating primarily out of facilities in Lansing, Michigan, the division bridged the gap between academic research and large-scale biological manufacturing. In 1998, the Salk Institute divested the division, selling its assets and contracts to BioPort Corporation, which later became Emergent BioSolutions. The division played a critical role in maintaining the U.S. strategic national stockpile of vaccines during the 1990s.