The board of directors of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has authorized expenditure of $2,455,164 to fund 11 new projects and 13 continuing projects at 14 universities, as well as three career development awards.
“Once again, this year's projects affect all types of horses in every stage of development demonstrating Grayson's commitment to all breeds and disciplines,” said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. “I am especially pleased that we were able to offer a special career development award this year in honor of Nancy Kelly, who was Grayson's vice president of development for many years and was an advocate for nurturing young researchers.”
The projects, listed alphabetically by school, are: Diet Nonstructural Carbohydrates Alter Ovarian Functions (Elaine Carnevale, Colorado State University); Equine Tendinopathy: Advanced Imaging and Tenex Efficacy (Brad Nelson, Colorado State University); Shining A Light On The Black Box Of Early Pregnancy Loss (Amanda de Mestre, Cornell University); Ketodoxapram As A Treatment For Atrial Fibrillation (Annelies Decloedt, Ghent University); Adiponectin as a Clinical Biomarker for Laminitis Risk (Melody De Laat, Queensland University of Technology); Role of C1q in Rhodococcal Infection (Angela Bordin, Texas A&M AgriLife Research); Novel Protein Targets for R. equi Serology and Vaccines (Noah Cohen, Texas A&M AgriLife Research); Insulin Dysregulation: Placental Changes And Foal Health (Elaine Norton, University of Arizona); Novel Method for Diagnosis of Nocardioform Placentitis (Shavahn Loux, University of Kentucky); Polyacrylamide For Joint Therapy-Critical Things Unknown (Bruno Menarim, University of Kentucky (Gluck)); Risk Assessment For Proximal Sesamoid Bone Fracture (Peter Muir, University of Wisconsin-Madison).
Dr. Rebecca Bishop, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was awarded the Storm Cat Career Development Award. Inaugurated in 2006, the award grants $20,000 to an individual considering a career in equine research. Dr. Bishop's prosposed study is a multiomic investigation of peritoneal fluid in colic.
Dr. Rebecca Legere, Texas A&M University, was awarded the the Elaine and Bertram Klein Career Development Award. First awarded in 2015, the award grants $20,000 to a prospective equine researcher. Dr. Legere's project, passive immunization against Rhodococcus equi using MRNA, will attempt to deliver mRNA encoding monoclonal antibody to the lungs of foals to enable more effective immunoprophylaxis of rhodococcal pneumonia.
Additionally, Grayson will sponsor a one-time career development award in honor of Nancy C. Kelly, who died Feb. 9. As the vice president of development for Grayson, Kelly helped raise millions of dollars for equine research. She was also the executive director of The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, organizing countless fundraising events.
The recipient of this special award is Lauren Hughes, University of Minnesota, and her project is “Genetics of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) Risk.”
Since 1940, Grayson has provided more than $42.3 million to underwrite more than 437 projects at 47 universities.
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