The Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Rehabilitation and Endocrinology Laboratory researches metabolic syndrome including testing, pathophysiology, and management; osteoarthritis including pathophysiology and treatment; equine rehabilitation including targeted therapies for diseases and critical evaluation of new modalities; horse/rider/tack interactions; and teaching pedagogy.

Jane Manfredi, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVS-LA, DACVSMR (Equine), is PI of the ENCORE Laboratory and has been named as the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine.

Current investigations:

• To investigate the effects of intra-articular steroids administration on the metabolic and metabolomic profile of insulin-dysregulated horses
• To evaluate compartment pressures in the equine plantar suspensory canal and the effect of fasciotomy combined with neurectomy of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve in a model of proximal hindlimb suspensory injury
• To assess the prevalence of insulin dysregulation in brood mares and the effects on the placenta and mare and foal health outcomes
• To assess the release of Dkk-1 from equine platelets
• To assess the efficacy of a common supplement for equine osteoarthritis
• To assess the efficacy of a novel elastic body wrap on equine gait, muscle strength and symmetry
• To investigate the effects of a probiotic yeast soybean feed supplement on equine metabolic health
• To investigate skeletal muscle signatures that define insulin resistance in equine metabolic syndrome
• To investigate pediatric and adult traumatic brain injury
• To assess the effects of exercise on progression of canine glaucoma
• To evaluate international approaches to teaching core concepts in veterinary radiology positioning
• To perform a kinematic evaluation of field retrievers during a retrieve

Mentoring students is a priority in the lab, with veterinary students presenting their research at many national and international conferences.

Current Students:

Brooke Boger, Isabella Tillman, Maegha Naraian, McKenna Gould, Hajer Alsalman, Sophia Cannons

Past Students: Emma Stapley (Best DVM Student Speaker at MSU’s Phi Zeta Day), Reanna Cantrall, Brady Stutzman (Second-place equine research abstract at the ACVSMR track at ACVS), Haley Abbott, Antonia Langfeldt (Best DVM Student Speaker at MSU’s Phi Zeta Day), Kaitlyn Bailey (Best DVM Student Speaker at MSU’s Phi Zeta Day), Joanna Acosta, Jessica Hynes, Katelyn Schade, Kelly Clancy, Siana Stanton (Best DVM Student Speaker at MSU’s Phi Zeta Day), Haily Marescu, Shelby Vollmer