Posted: March 2, 2020

A new building to house Animal Science and Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences.

A new Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences Building will help Penn State become a national leader in research and education on animal and human health topics.

"With the risks to animal and human health posed by environmental toxins and pathogens-- including avian flu and African swine fever--and the need to maintain a safe and plentiful food supply, we must have the facilities that enable us to find solutions to some of our most vexing problems," said Rick Roush, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. "This new building will foster collaboration and innovation, help us to attract and keep researchers of the highest caliber, and give our students the most stimulating learning environment we can provide."

In September 2019, the Penn State Board of Trustees approved the final plans and authorized the expenditure of $98.5 million to construct the building, and the project commenced in October 2019.

The 105,000-square-foot building will house research laboratories, instructional facilities, and offices for the Animal Science and the Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences departments. The building will be located on the site of the Henning Building, which has been demolished.

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The departments complement each other, and both are well known for their outstanding undergraduate instruction, including placements into veterinary schools, Roush noted. He said their co-location will provide further opportunities for synergy in their research and academic programs.

Each department will have dedicated research space, but collaboration zones will maximize efficiencies, promote cross‐departmental collaboration, and provide the departments with greater flexibility in assigning laboratory space.

The building will feature a state‐of‐the‐art vivarium on the ground floor to support the University animal resource program. Plans also call for a much-needed general-purpose classroom, undergraduate work spaces, seminar rooms, faculty offices, and lab and building support spaces.

Alumni and friends have an opportunity to make a lasting impact by offering a gift to name a space within the new building. The college's development team is available to connect potential donors' passions with a gift designed to meet their priorities and create a lasting legacy in this dynamic new space. For more information, please contact the Development Office.

--Chuck Gill