Highly pathogenic avian influenza became endemic in wild birds in North America, and since 2021 has been circulating in the US causing spillovers into domestic poultry and most importantly several mammalian species, including important livestock species such as dairy cows and pigs. This project aims to expand Animal BSL-3 laboratory capacity at Cornell University. We plan to purchase biosafety cabinets and expand our capacity to conduct studies with HPAI H5N1 virus in animal models of infection. Ultimately, this increased capacity will enable researchers at Cornell to conduct vaccine and antiviral trials, pathogenesis and transmission studies in animal models prior to testing these intervention strategies in target livestock species.