Colorado State University Opens New Veterinary Research Wing

Colorado State University has opened a new veterinary research wing at its Fort Collins campus, expanding laboratory and clinical research capacity for a veterinary medicine program widely regarded as one of the strongest in the country.

The new facility adds specialized research space for studying animal infectious diseases and orthopedic treatments, areas university officials say have outgrown the veterinary program's previous research facilities as faculty research activity has expanded over the past decade. "Our research output had genuinely outpaced our physical space," said veterinary college spokesperson Dana Whitcombe. "This wing lets faculty pursue research projects we simply didn't have room for before."

Expanding Both Research and Clinical Training Capacity

Beyond dedicated research labs, the new wing includes expanded clinical training space for veterinary students, allowing the program to accommodate a modest increase in enrolled students without compromising the hands-on clinical training that has been central to the program's reputation. University officials say the additional clinical capacity was a key factor in the facility's design, given consistently high application volume relative to the program's enrollment capacity.

The facility also includes new space for the university's veterinary teaching hospital, which treats animals from across the region while providing clinical training opportunities for students. Hospital officials say the expanded space will allow the hospital to handle a higher caseload without extending patient wait times, which had grown longer as demand for the hospital's specialized services increased in recent years.

Funding a Major Capital Project

The research wing was funded through a combination of state capital construction funds, university bonds, and a fundraising campaign that drew significant support from veterinary program alumni now practicing across the country. University officials say alumni giving to the project reflected strong loyalty to a program many credit with launching successful veterinary careers.

University officials say the new wing positions the veterinary program to compete more effectively for federal and private research grants, since modern laboratory facilities are often a factor in grant funding decisions for research-intensive academic programs.