About Our Research

The importance of research can’t be overstated. Research leads to new knowledge. New knowledge helps answer critical questions and advance the discussion.

Industry-inspired science is the trademark of a land-grant university. UK has a culture of known research excellence with an established record of accomplishment, innovation and service going back to 1917 in the Department of Veterinary Science and its Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, the only scientific institute in the United States with nearly all faculty conducting full-time research in equine health and diseases. Additional equine research is also being done in several other departments in the college, including Animal and Food Sciences, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Plant and Soil Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Entomology and Community and Leadership Development.

The work being done at UK impacts all breeds and disciplines, provides answers for operations big and small and is known worldwide.

UK is a horse and rider safety knowledge center, a pillar of excellence established in the last decade. The research being done impacts the safety and well-being of both the equine and human athlete and includes the surfaces they compete on, knowledge about the musculoskeletal science of the horse, equine pharmacology, rider safety and more.

Many issues are being addressed by multidisciplinary teams that include nutritionists, animal and plant scientists, engineers, microbiologists, veterinarians and social scientists. Interdisciplinary teams are studying aspects of equine health, including infectious diseases, immunology, genetics and genomics, musculoskeletal science, reproductive health, parasitology and pharmacology, therapeutics and toxicology. They are working to understand the role of nutrition and feeding management on the health, growth and longevity of horses and developing nutrition and pasture management practices that improve knowledge of optimal feeding programs and optimal production schemes. Environmental stewardship and enhancing facilities are also an area of interest.

Researchers are also documenting the economic and cultural value of the horse industry to Kentucky.