Philadelphia, PA — Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine announced Thursday (Feb. 25) that they have successfully developed a new test to systemically detect the local administration of illicit, gene doping therapies in equine athletes.

Dr. Mary Robinson. Photo courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

The study was led by Mary Robinson, PhD, VMD, DACVCP, assistant professor of Veterinary Pharmacology and director of the Equine Pharmacology Laboratory at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center and partially funded by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association and the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission.

Dr. Robinson was scheduled to give a presentation on this study at the 2020 USTA Annual Meeting of the Board on Directors last March in Columbus, before the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the meeting.

To read the announcement from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, click here.