UNL is moving forward with construction of a new veterinary diagnostic center on East Campus.

A groundbreaking event is planned for 4 p.m. April 29 on the northwest side of the current Veterinary Diagnostic Center. A reception will follow in the Ken Morrison Life Sciences Research Center.

The Veterinary Diagnostic Center is Nebraska’s only accredited veterinary diagnostic lab. It develops cutting-edge testing methods and supports food safety and biomedical research. The center works directly with public health officials locally and nationally to diagnose animal diseases, which can lead to human illnesses. And, the lab also processes samples submitted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to monitor and prevent the spread of wildlife diseases such as rabies and chronic wasting disease.

The Veterinary Diagnostic Center, which also serves as a teaching space for UNL students, is a national center of excellence for testing of certain diseases in livestock.

The current center was built in 1975 and is insufficient to meet modern needs, said Don Reynolds, director of UNL’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Center shortcomings include space limitations, poor ventilation and building design that carries increased risk for cross-contamination of contagious pathogens and pathogen exposure.

“We need to modernize to ensure that we protect animal health in the state of Nebraska,” Reynolds said.

In 2012, the Nebraska Legislature approved legislation to build a new center. Total cost of the project is $44.7 million, of which $4.1 million is coming from private funds. The remaining $40.6 million will be appropriated over 10 years in financial bonds.

The new facility will allow UNL to better serve students in the program, as well as veterinarians, producers and public health officials that use its services.

The new center is projected to open by the end of 2017.

The April 29 groundbreaking will be attended by Chancellor Harvey Perlman; Brian Hastings, president of the University of Nebraska Foundation; and Ronnie Green, Harlan Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UNL and vice president for agriculture and natural resources for the University of Nebraska.