Iowa State University dedicated the first phase of the new Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) and celebrated the start of construction on the second phase in a ceremony Thursday. The Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Dan Grooms, talked about the importance of the diagnostic lab which first opened in 1947.
He says examples of that work are diagnosing COVID-19 during the pandemic, and helping the poultry industry when highly pathogenic avian influenza re-emerged this past year.
Grooms says they’ve responded to the latest outbreak impact on cattle.
He says the lab is also the hub of innovation in animal diagnostic medicine.
The construction of the first phase started in March 2021 and it began operating last month. Phase Two construction is scheduled to begin this spring with a projected completion date of 2026. The 141-million-dollar project includes state and federal funding along with funding from donors and Iowa State University.
