research

Equine grass sickness may be caused by a neurotoxic enzyme with similarities to toxins in snake venoms, according to research involving the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies' Equine Hospital. The finding offers promise of new treatments for the deadly disease in grazing horses, which causes intestinal paralysis, colic, inability to swallow and muscle tremors. It currently has no cure and leads to death in 1 per cent of horses grazing in high-risk premises. Professor Bruce McGorum from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies' Equine Hospital said, "Identifying a...

Edited Press Release The Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC) today announced the funding of a three-year post-doctoral fellowship research project "Micro RNAs as Sensitive Biomarkers for Detection of Drug Administration in Horses." This promising project was submitted by Dr. Camilo Jaramillo-Morales with the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate group at the University of California, Davis. Assessment of RNA or protein biomarkers offers an alternative, and potentially more sensitive approach to the detection of prohibited substances administered to racehorses. The overall goal of the current study is to develop an alternate...

Cancer Trials Ireland, the national organisation dedicated to advancing cancer clinical trials, will create a new position to anchor expertise in pancreatic research in Ireland with the ambition of creating a global centre for treatment and research for a form of cancer with some of the poorest outcomes--the Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at University College Dublin. The position will require shared time between clinical work as a treating physician at St Vincent's University Hospital--the national surgical centre for pancreatic cancer--and research work at University College Dublin (UCD). Candidates...

The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF) has opened their 2023 grant awards cycle. With the mission of bettering the life of Thoroughbreds, TERF primarily aims to support students in pursuit of education in equine industry careers and to fund research efforts which better the life of the Thoroughbred racehorse. The missions and programs of the organizations selected to receive this year's grant awards will reflect TERF's strategic focus and vision to support and promote equine education and research. Information regarding the grant award program can be found here.

The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has authorized expenditure of $1,498,077 to fund 12 new projects and nine continuing projects at 13 universities, as well as two career development awards in the coming year. The 2023 slate of research brings Grayson's totals to more than $34.1 million to underwrite 426 projects at 45 universities since 1983. "The Grayson Foundation is dedicated to tackling a variety of equine health challenges, which is clearly reflected in our selected projects for this year," said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. "Our research projects and career...

Lexington, KY--The 2022 Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit was held Wednesday, June 22 in the Keeneland sales pavilion. The event was presented by The Jockey Club and the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. "This was the tenth edition of the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit," said Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation's President Jamie Haydon following the event. "It's really astounding to think that we couldn't measure how many horses had died on the racetrack when we started this, and now not only are we presenting risk factors nationally,...

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association donated $150,000 to the Equine Pharmacology Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's (Penn Vet) New Bolton Center that will support continued research in equine biomarkers. The new round of PHBA funding will bolster three key research initiatives focused on improving the health and safety of equine athletes and enhancing integrity in racing. One area of research seeks to identify novel mRNA biomarkers that can help proactively predict if a horse is at risk for injury, even for injuries that are difficult...

The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF) has awarded $14,000 to the Foundation for the Horse, the charitable arm of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), to be used for research entitled: "direct and indirect effects of platelet rich plasma on neutrophil stimulation." The Foundation for the Horse's mission is to improve the health and welfare of the horse, to further the professional development of its members, and to provide resources and leadership for the benefit of the equine industry. These principles have guided the AAEP for more than...