Officials say the lab in UGA’s Animal Health Research Center is one of the most expensive the college has ever built.

It cost 60 million dollars due to construction problems a decade ago.

For the past 4 years the lab has been doing vaccine research for diseases like SARS and avian flue but not on large animals.

That will change says Sheila Allen, dean of UGA’s veterinary college.

She says upgrades to a large animal area will cost $2.5 million dollars and bring the lab up to date with recent changes in CDC and USDA codes:

"It just takes quite a bit of work and quite a bit of high tech know how to get it done which is why there is a significant price tag on it."

Allen says the lab has already generated more than $26 million in grant money for UGA.

Tags: Athens, University of Georgia, UGA, medicine, UGA Animal Health Research Center, UGA College of Veterinary