As part of its ongoing commitment to maintaining integrity in the horse racing industry, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) has donated $300,000 to University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) New Bolton Center’s Equine Pharmacology Laboratory to fund research to detect gene doping in equine athletes.

Gene doping involves the transfer or modification of genes or genetically modified cells of healthy human athletes, as well as equine athletes, for nontherapeutic purpose to enhance athletic performance.

The PHBA’s $300,000 donation will provide funding for Penn Vet’s multi-tiered, multi-year project which includes research on potential protein and RNA-based biomarkers that have been identified as showing promise for detecting gene doping. The project will also include continued expansion of a BioBank that will be utilized to evaluate baseline levels of these blood-based biomarkers in active and injured race horses, as well as physiological changes in their musculoskeletal structure using New Bolton Center’s robotics-controlled imaging system.

“Our members, all of whom are Pennsylvania thoroughbred horse breeders, have consistently stated that maintaining integrity in the sport of racing is one of their top priorities,” said Brian Sanfratello, PHBA executive secretary. “We are pleased to partner with New Bolton Center, an internationally renowned equine hospital and research institution to fund this ground-breaking research and help combat gene doping

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