Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory
Dr Richard J. Piercy MA VetMB MS PhD DipACVIM MRCVS
The Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory was established in 2005 and has fast become one of the leading specialist veterinary neuromuscular disease laboratories in Europe. Using a variety of molecular and cellular techniques, the group's principal aims are to investigate the aetiology, pathogenesis and treatment of neuromuscular diseases in animals (particularly veterinary patients) and humans. In addition, the laboratory offers a comprehensive muscle and nerve histopathology biopsy service for veterinary surgeons across the UK and Europe.
The group has strong ties with other research groups and the clinical hospitals at the Royal Veterinary College and with the Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre and the Institute of Neurology at University College London and the Neurosciences Division, Imperial College.
SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS
TULLOCH, L.K.., PERKINS, J.D. PIERCY, R.J. Multiple immunofluorescent labelling enables simultaneous identification of all mature fibre types in a single equine skeletal muscle cryosection. Equine Veterinary Journal. In press
ISGREN, C.M., UPJOHN, M.M., FERNANDEZ-FUENTE, M., MASSEY, C., POLLOTT G., VERHEYEN, K.L.P., R.J. PIERCY. Epidemiology of Exertional Rhabdomyolysis Susceptibility in Standardbred Horses Reveals Associated Risk Factors and Underlying Enhanced Performance. PLOS One. 2010 Jul 14;5(7):e11594 .
PERKINS, J.D., RAFFETTO, J., THOMPSON, C., WELLER, R., PIERCY, R.J. AND PFAU, T. Three-dimensional biomechanics of simulated laryngeal abduction in horses. Am J Vet Res. 2010;71(9):1003-10 .
NAYLOR RJ, PERKINS JD, ALLEN S, ALDRED J, DRAPER E, PATTERSON-KANE J, PIERCY RJ. Histopathology and computed tomography of age-associated degeneration of the equine temporohyoid joint. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2010;42(5):425-30
WALMSLEY G, ARECHAVALA-GOMEZA V, FERNANDEZ-FUENTE M, BURKE MM, NAGEL N, HOLDER A, STANLEY R, CHANDLER K, MARKS SL, MUNTONI F, SHELTON GD, PIERCY RJ. A Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Gene Hot Spot Mutation in Dystrophin-Deficient Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is Amenable to Exon 51 Skipping. PLoS One. 2010 Jan 13;5(1):e8647
PERKINS JP, SALZ RO, SCHUMACHER J, LIVESEY L, PIERCY RJ, BARAKZAI SZ.. Variability of Resting Endoscopic Grading for Assessment of Recurrent Laryngeal Neuropathy in Horses. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2009; 41, 342-346
STANLEY RL., M E MCCUE, S J VALBERG, J R MICKELSON, I G MAYHEW, C MCGOWAN, C N HAHN, J C PATTERSON-KANE, R J PIERCY. A glycogen synthase 1 mutation associated with equine polysaccharide storage myopathy and exertional rhabdomyolysis occurs in a variety of UK breeds. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2009; 41, 597-601
STANLEY, R, MAILE, C, PIERCY RJ. Storage associated artefact in equine muscle biopsy specimens. Equine Veterinary Journal. Volume 41, Number 1, January 2009 , pp. 82-86(5)
FERNANDEZ-FUENTE M, E AMES, M WAGNER, H ZHOU, M STROM, P ZAMMIT, J MICKELSON, F MUNTONI, S BROWN, RJ PIERCY. Assessment of the transformation of equine skin–derived fibroblasts to multinucleated skeletal myotubes following lentiviral induced expression of equine myogenic differentiation 1. Am J Vet Res 2008;69:1637–1645