Penn State Animal Diagnostic Lab

10/28/2025

The PSU Animal Diagnostic Laboratory Avian Medicine and Pathology Residents, Drs. Emily Frye, DVM, MBA and Stephanie Benedict toured the Bell and Evans' processing plant today along with the PSU Poultry Science Club. It was an excellent learning opportunity and a privilege to see such dedicated employees in a state-of-the-art facility. Thank you to Bell and Evans for hosting us!

09/18/2025

The avian pathology team from the Animal Diagnostic Laboratory in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences received national recognition at the recent 2025 American Association of Avian Pathologists’ annual meeting in Portland, Oregon.

See this link for more detailed information:

The avian pathology team from the Animal Diagnostic Laboratory in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences received national recognition at the recent 2025 American Association of Avian Pathologists’ annual meeting in Portland, Oregon.

09/18/2025

Yesterday was the 97th Northeastern Conference on Avian Diseases (NECAD) held at the Penn Stater with the PA Poultry Sales & Service Conference. The Penn State University Animal Diagnostic Lab Avian Pathology team contributed to the meeting in many ways, including inviting speakers, organizing the agenda, moderating the conference, and giving general session and scientific session presentations.

- Dr. Megan Lighty served as moderator for the conference and conducted the NECAD annual business meeting.
- Dr. Emily Frye, DVM, MBA presented her work on avian metapneumovirus ("Pennsylvania aMPV outbreak overview") in the morning general session and her work on blackhead disease ("Epidemiologic investigation of blackhead disease outbreaks in Pennsylvania turkey flocks") in the afternoon scientific session.
- Dr. Stephanie Benedict presented an interesting case report ("Beyond the respiratory tract: peritoneal culture of Avibacterium paragallinarum in commercial layers") in the scientific session and won the award for "Best Postdoc/Resident Presentation". Congratulations, Stephanie!
- And Dr. Kayla Niel presented the additional outbreak characterization work done on the 2023 PA HPAI pheasant case in collaboration with the University of Minnesota and the NIH.

It was a great day connecting with the poultry industry. Huge thank you to all of the invited speakers and those that contributed abstracts.

08/22/2025

The Animal Diagnostic Lab at Penn State will be closed Monday September 1st in observance of Labor Day!

Please schedule sample collections accordingly and please do not ship samples over the long holiday weekend.

As always, after hours drop off is available at the rear of the building, please follow all posted signs and instructions. Samples left in the after hours cooler after 5 pm on Friday August 29th will be picked up on the morning of Tuesday September 2nd.

If you have any questions or concerns please call 814-863-0837 or send an email to adlhelp@psu.edu.
Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!!

07/01/2025

Dr. Kayla Niel of the Animal Diagnostic Lab presented a poster titled "Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1, Clade 2.3.4.4b, genotype C2.1) in Commercial Ring-Necked Pheasants During the 2022 Outbreak in the United States" at the 11th International Symposium on Avian Influenza in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. The conference covered many topics relevant to avian influenza including diagnostics, vaccination, or other mitigation strategies for poultry and wildlife; notable outbreaks, field and molecular epidemiology, and surveillance in poultry and wild birds; biosecurity, mitigation, control, and post-epidemic considerations in poultry; etc.

Great Job Dr. Niel, keep up the great work!!!

06/24/2025

Attention clients of the Animal Diagnostic Lab:

The Animal Diagnostic Lab will be closed on July 4th for the observation of the independence day holiday.

Please plan your sample collections accordingly.

As always after hours drop off is available at the rear of the building, please follow all signs and instructions.

Samples left in the after hours cooler after 5 pm Thursday July 3rd will be picked up the morning of Monday July 7th.

Please check our website for other holiday closings and information:
https://vbs.psu.edu/adl
If you have questions please call or email us at 814-863-0837, adlhelp@psu.edu

If you are experiencing an animal health emergency, please contact us by phone. Do not use email for emergencies. For emergency assistance outside of laboratory working hours, please call the PA Department of Agriculture hotline at 717-772-2852.

06/10/2025

Clients of the Animal Diagnostic Lab.

The Animal Diagnostic Lab will be closed on June 19th in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

Please plan your sample collections accordingly.

As always after hours drop off is available at the rear of the building, please follow all signs and instructions. Samples left in the after hours cooler after 5 pm June 18th will be picked up the morning of Friday June 20th.

Please check our website for other holiday closings and information:
https://vbs.psu.edu/adl

If you have questions please call or email us at 814-863-0837, adlhelp@psu.edu

05/23/2025

The Animal Diagnostic Lab will be closed on Monday May 26th for Memorial Day. Please do not send time-sensitive samples during this time.

After hours drop off is available at the rear of the building, please follow all posted signs and instructions. Samples left in the after hours cooler after 5 pm on Friday May 23rd will be picked up on the morning of Tuesday May 27th.

If you have any questions or concerns please call 814-863-0837 or send an email to adlhelp@psu.edu.

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!!

05/06/2025

CONGRATULATIONS BECKIE BOMBERGER!!!
ON WINNING THE 2025 College of Agricultural Sciences Staff Laureate Customer Service Award

“Beckie is committed to providing exemplary service to the ADL clientele with a focus on continuous improvement. She always greets clients with a friendly smile and will go above and beyond to help answer questions or solve problems.”
– Megan Lighty, Associate Clinical Professor, Animal Diagnostic Laboratory

04/17/2025

Sophia Kutsaya, an independent study student at ADL, presented a poster on her time with us at ADL at the 2025 PSU Undergraduate Exhibition. As part of a One Health experience, she learned about backyard poultry and zoonotic diseases of concern, particularly listeriosis, through hands-on learning in avian necropsy.

Great Job Sophia!!!!!

04/16/2025