Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory receives stimulus funding for upgrades

The Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory in East Lansing received $430,000 in federal stimulus funding last Friday for system upgrades and building maintenance.

The lab, 3606 E. Mount Hope Road, deals with research of poultry-related diseases.

The funds the lab received will be used for new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, a boiler and electrical distribution systems.

“I’m pleased that this recovery funding will help support the critical disease research being conducted at the Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said in a statement.

“This research is important to ensure Michigan families have access to safe, healthy food.”

Stabenow’s press office did not provide further comment regarding the funding. Aly Fadly, the supervisory veterinary medical officer for the lab, also declined to comment.

Kim Kaplan, a spokeswoman for the Agricultural Research Service, said in the past the lab has been responsible for different scientific accomplishments, including finding a vaccine for Marek’s disease, a major problem related to the poultry industry.

“They also are leading the national research effort to map the chicken genome,” Kaplan said.

“That will help improve disease control and poultry production.”

The lab has formal agreements with MSU’s Investigative Pathology Group and
informal work collaborating with the chicken genome project.

“They’re using a lot of biotechnology along with traditional research techniques to solve practical problems in the control of poultry diseases,” Kaplan said.