Barry P. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.

Gluck Equine Research Center
Department of Veterinary Science
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0099

E-mail: bfitz@uky.edu
Phone: (859) 257-4757 ext 81103
Fax: (859) 257-8542

Curriculum Vitae

Research Projects

• Fescue Toxicosis

• Development of Strategies to Increase Peripheral Insulin Responsiveness in Dietary-Induced Insulin Resistant Horses

• Investigation of the Equine Molecular Clock in a Fibroblast Cell Line, Adipose Tissue and Peripheral Blood

• An Investigation of the Role of Inflammation in Obesity-Related Insulin Resistance

• The Role of Insulin on Expression and Activity of MMPs and TIMPs in Equine Follicular Fluid and Granulosa Cells

Equine Reproduction

The primary activity of my research laboratory is an investigation of how obesity and associated insulin resistance disrupts reproductive activity in the mare.

It is now firmly established that in humans and laboratory animals, obesity is associated with a mild inflammatory response, characterized by elevated circulating concentrations of inflammatory cytokines. There is now compelling evidence that the increased circulating concentrations of inflammatory cytokines play a major role in the development of insulin resistance.

A research goal of my laboratory is to determine whether for the horse, dietary-induced obesity is similarly characterized by a mild inflammatory state and an associated insulin resistance. This research has involved the development of new procedures for the measurement of various cytokines and design of experiments to test the overall hypothesis. In consideration of the fact that inflammation/immune responses are known to significantly disrupt reproductive function, information generated from these studies will impact research in this area.

In addition, we are conducting collaborative research with researchers at Mississippi State University to determine whether exposure of pregnant mares to fescue pasture infected with ergot alkaloids leads to pregnancy loss during the first 100 days of pregnancy. Again the primary focus is whether ergot alkaloids lead to increased circulating concentrations of inflammatory cytokines which may be causal to early pregnancy loss.