current studies
In 2008, Morris Animal Foundation will fund about 120 new and continuing studies for dogs, cats, horses, llamas/alpacas, and wildlife as well as 30 veterinary student projects.
We also have numerous studies nearing completion. You can search our current study database by species and/or disease to learn more about the studies we are funding in the areas you care most about. The results will also show you whether a study is available for sponsorship.
INSTRUCTIONS - Select a division from the left column, a disease or disorder from the middle column, and a study ID number from the right column.
D07EQ-041: “Frequency of a Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy Gene in Diverse Horse Breeds”
principal investigator: Dr. Jim Mickelson, University of Minnesota
needs sponsorship
Co-sponsors: Deborah and Mark Carter
year: 1 of 1: $35,095.00
Muscle disorders have plagued horses for centuries, but little is known about the physiological and genetic causes of these problems. Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) is one such disorder that causes clinical signs ranging from acute muscle cramping and damage to progressive weakness and eventually the inability to stand. In previous studies, the researchers identified a genetic mutation that causes a common form of PSSM. In this project, they will determine the true prevalence of this form of PSSM in affected breeds, accurately predict when a horse is susceptible, and provide specific diagnoses and treatments for different molecular forms of PSSM.
