A formal dedication ceremony and open house was held Nov. 1 to launch Colorado State University’s (CSU) Orthopaedic Research Center, which will further its mission of medical investigations benefiting both animal and human health. Led by Dr. Wayne McIlwraith and his team of scientists, the Orthopaedic Research Center will continue the same pioneering research CSU has conducted over the past eight years, advancing medical understanding in the areas of equine and human musculoskeletal disease and treatments.

Located just behind the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at 2503 Bay Farm Road in Fort Collins, the Orthopaedic Research Center is comprised of the newly constructed Gail Holmes Equine Orthopaedic Research Center, which includes state-of-the-art surgical suite; and the renovated and enlarged Orthopaedic Research Laboratory.

“We finally have the space and facilities to match our knowledge and our goals,” McIlwraith said. “This is the culmination of a long-term,ambitious campaign. We’ve worked to build the team talent and the facility that will be able to produce the kind of research results to make life better for horses and people.”

Established in 1994, the former Equine Orthopaedic Research Program helped to push forward the scope of investigations already being conducted at Colorado State. Over the years, the staff of faculty researchers and their projects has evolved to include collaborations with veterinarians and scientists across the nation and around the world. Their use of sophisticated techniques and cutting-edge expertise in molecular biology, arthroscopic surgery, biomechanics and biochemistry garnered attention from scientists and knowledgeable horse owners worldwide