Improving the health and well-being of the horse. This is the official page. History
The Maxwell H. The center is named after the late Maxwell H.
Gluck Equine Research Center is the only scientific institute in the United States with nearly all faculty conducting full-time research in equine health and diseases. Construction began on the 81,000 square foot facility in 1986 and was completed in 1987. Gluck, owner of Elmendorf Farm in Lexington. Maxwell Gluck and his wife, Muriel, generously donated $3 million to the University of Kentucky in
1983 for construction of the research facility on the condition the gift be matched by $3 million from the state and $3 million from members of the horse industry. Research
The mission of the Gluck Center is scientific discovery, education and dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of the health and well-being of horses. Today, the Gluck Center faculty conduct equine research in six targeted areas: genetics and genomics, infectious diseases and immunology, musculoskeletal science, parasitology, pharmacology/toxicology and reproductive health. Major research accomplishments of researchers at the Gluck Center has had an international impact on equine research. Some of the major research accomplishments include:
• World Organisation for Animal Health (O.I.E.)-designated world reference laboratory for equine rhinopneumonitis, equine influenza and equine viral arteritis
• Developed six major vaccines to protect against strangles, equine influenza, equine rhinopneumonitis, equine viral arteritis, the shaker foal syndrome (toxoinfectious botulism) and validated field safety and efficacy of equine rotavirus vaccine
• Developed diagnostic serological tests for contagious equine metritis (CEM), Tyzzer's disease, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, strangles and equine viral arteritis
• Developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for drug detection
• Demonstrated the usefulness of artificial lights and progesterone/estradiol treatments for hastening the onset of the breeding season
• Determined the genetic basis for and developed tests for inheritance of certain color coat traits
• Provided leadership in the sequencing of the complete genome of the horse and structural characterization of horse genes
• Performed the definitive experiments that identified the cause of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome
Equine Research Hall of Fame
The Equine Research Hall of Fame, established by the University of Kentucky Equine Research Foundation (now the UK Gluck Equine Research Foundation), honors those distinguished researchers who have dedicated their careers to equine science. The Hall of Fame is at the Gluck Center. On Dec. 1, 1990, 12 scientists became the first inductees into this prestigious hall. Inductees are selected for the honor by an international scientific committee that evaluates the achievements and contributions of eminent researchers who were nominated by their peers and colleagues. The inductees, active, retired or deceased, are individuals from throughout the world who have expanded the body of knowledge of equine science through their contributions to basic or applied research. The Equine Research Hall of Fame provides a lasting tribute to the most renowned equine researchers in a variety of disciplines and serves as an international forum for honoring outstanding achievements in equine research. Gluck Equine Research Foundation
The Gluck Equine Research Foundation was formed as a non-profit organization to provide the exchange of information between the Gluck Center and the horse industry and to secure research funds. Since the Foundation's inception, it has been highly supportive in raising funds for equine research, endowed faculty positions, and facilities. Funding for graduate student support has allowed Gluck Center faculty to educate the next generation of scientists. Industry Outreach
Providing research information to the equine community is an important facet of the Gluck Center. Information is shared through the Gluck Center's website, www.ca.uky.edu/gluck, and three newsletters:
• Bluegrass Equine Digest (monthly)
• Lloyd's Equine Disease Quarterly
• Research & Service Report (biennially)
Department of Veterinary Science
The Gluck Center is part of the Department of Veterinary Science along with the Animal Genetics Testing and Research Laboratory and the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC). The mission of the Department of Veterinary Science is to assure the health and viability of animal agriculture through teaching, discovery, research and service. The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is a full service animal health diagnostic facility. The mission of the VDL is to diagnose animal and zoonotic diseases (those that can infect humans) through comprehensive pathology, microbiology, toxicology, serology, clinical pathology and parasitology laboratory procedures and laboratory testing in most species. This protects Kentucky’s animal agriculture, facilitates the movement of animals in the United States and overseas markets, protects the public health and aids in preserving the human-animal bond. Finally, the laboratory also serves as an early warning system for impending epidemics. The Animal Genetic Testing and Research Laboratory provides genotyping services to the equine industry for the purposes of identification, parentage verification and genetic trait testing in horses. Certified by the International Society for Animal Genetics, results generated by the lab meet international standards allowing the exchange of genetic information between laboratories worldwide. Services are provided to breed registries, veterinary clinics and individual owners and breeders. These services include DNA testing for animal identification and testing for genetic traits such as color and heritable disease. The lab is the only facility in North America that still offers full blood typing for parentage verification and neonatal isoerythrolysis testing. Research activities are an integral part of the lab’s mission, including working with breed registries to investigate specific genetic problems, developing new tests for heritable traits, and collaborating with other researchers in the Department of Veterinary Science in need of genetic testing for their projects. Faculty in the Department of Veterinary Science frequently collaborate on research projects with faculty in UK's College of Agriculture and College of Medicine, with veterinarians in central Kentucky and scientists at other institutions. The Gluck Center is also part of the UK Equine Initiative, an overarching concept for all equine activities in the College of Agriculture. Created in 2005 as a front door to equine programs at UK, the Equine Initiative's mission is to discover, share and apply new knowledge that will enhance the health, performance and management of horses commensurate with the signature status of Kentucky's equine industy.
06/17/2026
See the vet reports during any yearling sale and you'll hear it — a ripple of concern when a veterinarian flags a bone chip on a radiograph of the horse’s leg. Buyers often step away. Prices drop. The horse, in the minds of many, is already compromised.
However, findings from a study from the Gluck Center's Dr. Bruno Menarim are challenging that assumption, which for sellers and consignors carry real financial weight. Read more at
Study analyzes buyers’ assumptions about carpal chips in Thoroughbred yearlings
See the vet reports during any yearling sale and you'll hear it — a ripple of concern when a veterinarian flags a bone chip on a radiograph of the horse’s leg. Buyers often step away. Prices drop. The horse, in the minds of many, is already compromised.
05/28/2026
University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment researchers have received awards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, totaling more than $1.8 million to address some of the most pressing health challenges facing horses and the equine industry.
The projects, led by Department of Veterinary Science faculty working across infectious disease, immunology, reproduction and musculoskeletal health, reflect UK’s broad role in equine research and its connection to Kentucky’s signature industry. Congratulations to Gluck researchers Drs. Feng Li, Yosra Helmy, Allen Page, Bruno Menarim and Hossam Elsayed!
The funded studies include work on non-antibiotic treatments for Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals, the genetic diversity of equine rotaviruses, the possible effect of joint corticosteroid injections on vaccine protection, the relationship between anti-inflammatory drug use and chronic musculoskeletal inflammation, and a long-sought biological signal tied to early pregnancy maintenance in mares.
Congratulations to our recent departmental 3 Minute Thesis competition winners!
From left to right, department Chair Dr. Brett Sponseller presents the winners of this year’s 3MT. First place ended in a tie between Nada Abdelkader (Dr. Yosra Helmy’s lab) and Rebecca Hutchinson (Dr. Hossam El-Sheikh Ali’s lab). Second place was awarded to Grace Camp (Dr. James MacLeod’s lab). Nada Abdelkader’s talk was titled, “When Antibiotics Fail, Bacteriophages Succeed,” Rebecca Hutchinson’s talk was titled, "Keeping Foals Where They Belong,” and Grace Camp’s talk was titled, "Solving the Case.”
Kudos to all who participated!
02/16/2026
University of Kentucky study findings may provide safer care for horses at risk of laminitis...
Joint injections that contain corticosteroids, such as triamcinolone acetonide, are a common anti-inflammatory in a veterinarian’s toolbox to treat pain and swelling from conditions like arthritis. However, even though the drug goes into a joint, some of it can have an effect outside of the joint. When that occurs, a horse’s blood sugar and insulin can be elevated for days. Now researchers from the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment are working on a solution.
That matters because insulin is tied to laminitis, a painful hoof condition that can cause long-term damage or result in euthanasia. While horses that already struggle with insulin control are the ones veterinarians typically worry about most, laminitis is a concern for any horse receiving a corticosteroid injection.
“Corticosteroids injections are an important option for managing joint pain and inflammation, but we also have to realize that they may have effects beyond the joint,” said Allen Page, DVM, assistant professor of equine health and inflammation. “Treatment of only a single joint can affect blood sugar and insulin concentrations, and that’s where laminitis risk becomes part of the conversation.”
An Equine Veterinary Journal study by researchers at the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center looked at whether a drug called ertugliflozin could decrease the insulin spike after corticosteroid joint injections. Ertugliflozin is in a drug group called SGLT2 inhibitors, which are commonly used in humans with Type II diabetes. These drugs help the body get rid of extra sugar through urine, lowering blood sugar and, in turn, decreasing insulin production.
Congratulations to Rebecca Hutchinson on receiving second place in the prestigious CRWAD 2026 3-Minute Thesis Competition!
The University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center once again demonstrated research excellence at the 2026 Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD), held in Chicago, Illinois, Jan. 17–20. Rebecca Hutchinson, a graduate student in the Equine Reproduction Laboratory, earned second place in the highly competitive 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, standing out amongst 20 presenters from leading institutions.
Hutchinson’s award-winning presentation, “Transcriptomic Profiling of Equine Myometrium Identifies Immune Networks Underlying Placentitis-Induced Activation” showcased her ability to clearly and effectively communicate complex, cutting-edge research to a broad audience. Her work provides important insights into the molecular and immune mechanisms driving myometrial activation during equine placentitis, highlighting the translational relevance of her research to reproductive health.
As one of the premier international meetings for animal disease researchers, CRWAD brings together top scientists, clinicians and trainees from around the world. Hutchinson’s recognition in the 3MT competition underscores the Gluck Center’s growing reputation for excellence in graduate training and innovative reproductive research.
Congratulations to Rebecca Hutchinson, her advisor Dr. Hossam El-Sheikh Ali and the Equine Reproduction Laboratory on this outstanding accomplishment!
01/15/2026
The January issue of our Equine Disease Quarterly is now available and can be found online athttps://gluck.mgcafe.uky.edu/sites/gluck.ca.uky.edu/files/Jan2026_EDQ%20FINAL.pdf
Stories this month include:
- Research Spotlight: New Frontiers in Placentitis Research: Discovering Diagnostic Biomarkers and Novel Therapeutic Targets
- Is failure to get pregnant a disease that needs treating? A Discussion.
- Racing Surface Consistency
-Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (Pigeon Fever) in Horses
- Equine Rotavirus A and B: understanding their similarities and differences
- Fourth Quarter 2025: International Report on Equine Infectious Diseases
This weekend is the Tenth Tex Cauthen / Hans Albrecht Farrier Veterinarian Researcher Seminar
This seminar presents live this Sunday, Jan. 18, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Center Auditorium on the University of Kentucky campus, and also on Zoom.
For more information, go to cauthenseminar.com.
There are no charges associated with attending this seminar, either in person or by Zoom, and the program has been submitted for Veterinarian and Vet Tech CE credits to the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners.
12/19/2025
Feng Li, a virologist at the University of Kentucky Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, is taking a step that has long been missing in equine rotavirus A (ERVA) research: Building a genetic toolbox that allows scientists to study ERVA in a controlled, repeatable way and connect what they see in the lab to what happens in barns.
UK team builds a 'genetic toolbox' to stay ahead of equine rotavirus A, a common threat to foals...
Every foaling season, a familiar concern can surface on breeding farms: A young foal that was alert at breakfast is suddenly lethargic, refusing to nurse and passing watery diarrhea. One of the most common causes is equine rotavirus A (ERVA), a highly contagious virus that primarily affects foals younger than six months and can become serious quickly without treatment. This is where the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment steps in.
Feng Li, a virologist at the University of Kentucky Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, says the long-running challenge is that ERVA is not a fixed target.
“It’s an old virus, but it keeps changing,” Li said. “Those changes can add up in ways that matter on farms: Vaccines and mare antibodies can lower risk, yet infections still break through in some settings, especially as foals age and protection fades.”
06/17/2026
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