The backdrop of storm clouds added to the atmosphere of import as Colorado State University (CSU) leaders and philanthropists John and Leslie Malone gathered at the June 2 groundbreaking event for the C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute.

The project, which required years of planning and record fundraising to reach this point took a big step forward with the university breaking ground for an institute that promises medical innovations by harnessing the body’s healing powers to help animals and people suffering from a wide range of diseases.

David Frisbie, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, ACVSMR, the institute’s interim operations director and a CSU professor of equine surgery, hailed the “milestone event” in his opening remarks. As he welcomed those in attendance—some 150 faculty, staff, clinicians, and donors—he described the “phenomenal journey” that led to the groundbreaking near the Diagnostic Medicine Center.

“This building will be a central focus of scientific advancement as well as research,” Frisbie said. “The teaching and technology resources will be a beacon to great minds so that they can come together in developing healing technologies for not only people but animals as well