Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. announced significant lease expansion and extension with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for 92,000 rentable square feet (RSF) at 9 West Watkins Mill Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The NIH increases its total tenancy in Alexandria's Maryland cluster to 227,000 RSF with this strategic expansion. Located in Maryland's dynamic life science ecosystem, Alexandria's 9 West Watkins will be anchored by the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The facility will provide NIAID with laboratory/office space to advance its mission to conduct and support research to better understand, treat and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic and allergic diseases, including critical research on the Zika and Ebola viruses.