Members of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation's Rokeby Circle were briefed on Aug. 19 by Lisa A. Fortier, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, on her work in equine sports medicine as it relates to regenerative therapies. Her presentation was part of the organization's annual dinner at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The Rokeby Circle is a select group of donors who contribute $10,000 or more per year. In her presentation, Fortier, who is an assistant professor of large animal surgery at Cornell University, focused heavily on the subject of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow aspirate concentrate.

"These are regenerative therapies that enable the body to replenish, restore, and repair damaged cells and tissue," Fortier said. "The key is to get the horse's own body to restore versus replacement."

Fortier's Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation-funded study, "Concentrated Bone Marrow Aspirate Improves Full-Thickness Cartilage Repair Compared with Microfracture in the Equine Model," was recently published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. She submitted her request for funding for the project in October 2005 and a grant was awarded in April 2006