ºÚÁÏÉç

Professor Richard Piercy

MA VetMB MS PhD Dip ACVIM FRCVS
Professor of Comparative Neuromuscular Disease

Department: Clinical Science and Services

Campus: Camden

Research Groups: Musculoskeletal Biology, CPCS (Research Programme)

Clinical Groups: Equine Medicine, Small Animal Neurology

Richard is Professor of Comparative Neuromuscular Disease at the Royal Veterinary College. He is an RCVS recognised specialist in Equine Internal Medicine and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He directs the at the ºÚÁÏÉç.

Richard qualified from Cambridge University in 1994. After two years in private equine practice he moved to the USA and completed a residency in equine internal medicine at The Ohio State University and a Master of Science degree in canine muscle physiology and disease.

He returned to the UK to complete doctoral training in molecular and cellular biology of neuromuscular diseases as a Wellcome Fellow at the Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Imperial College from where he attained his PhD. 

Richard’s research interests include comparative aspects of primary muscle disorders, including exertional rhabdomyolysis, polysaccharide storage myopathy and atypical myopathy in horses, centronuclear myopathy and dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy in dogs. His laboratory also has a growing international programme of research into recurrent laryngeal neuropathy in horses ("roaring"). Most research is laboratory-based, using cell and molecular biological techniques.

Richard directs the , which provides a service for the histopathological assessment of muscle biopsy samples from veterinary clinical cases across Europe.

Hildyard JCW, Piercy RJ. When Size Really Matters: The Eccentricities of Dystrophin Transcription and the Hazards of Quantifying mRNA from Very Long Genes. Biomedicines. 2023 Jul 24;11(7):2082. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11072082. PMID: 37509720; PMCID: PMC10377302.

Crawford AH, Hildyard JCW, Wells DJ, Piercy RJ. Identification of quantitative polymerase chain reaction reference genes suitable for normalising gene expression in the brain of normal and dystrophic mice and dogs. Wellcome Open Res. 2023 May 5;6:84. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16707.2. PMID: 37942409; PMCID: PMC10628364.

Lindsay-McGee V, Sanchez-Molano E, Banos G, Clark EL, Piercy RJ, Psifidi A. Genetic characterisation of the Connemara pony and the Warmblood horse using a within-breed clustering approach. Genet Sel Evol. 2023 Aug 17;55(1):60. doi: 10.1186/s12711-023-00827-w. PMID: 37592264; PMCID: PMC10436415.

Crawford AH, Hornby NL, de la Fuente AG, Piercy RJ. Brain magnetic resonance imaging in the DE50-MD dog model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy reveals regional reductions in cerebral gray matter. BMC Neurosci. 2023 Mar 17;24(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s12868-023-00788-2. PMID: 36932329; PMCID: PMC10024360.

Hildyard JCW, Riddell DO, Harron RCM, Rawson F, Foster EMA, Massey C, Taylor-Brown F, Wells DJ, Piercy RJ. The skeletal muscle phenotype of the DE50-MD dog model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Wellcome Open Res. 2022 Sep 23;7:238. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18251.1. PMID: 36865375; PMCID: PMC9971692.

Morin A, Stantzou A, Petrova ON, Hildyard J, Tensorer T, Matouk M, Petkova MV, Richard I, Manoliu T, Goyenvalle A, Falcone S, Schuelke M, Laplace-Builhé C, Piercy RJ, Garcia L, Amthor H. Dystrophin myonuclear domain restoration governs treatment efficacy in dystrophic muscle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Jan 10;120(2):e2206324120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2206324120. Epub 2023 Jan 3. PMID: 36595689; PMCID: PMC9926233.

Hildyard JCW, Wells DJ, Piercy RJ. Identification of qPCR reference genes suitable for normalising gene expression in the developing mouse embryo. Wellcome Open Res. 2022 Sep 21;6:197. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16972.2. PMID: 35509373; PMCID: PMC9024131.

Pollott GE, Piercy RJ, Massey C, Salavati M, Cheng Z, Wathes DC. Locating a novel autosomal recessive genetic variant in the cattle glucokinase gene using only WGS data from three cases and six carriers. Front Genet. 2022 Aug 29;13:755693. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.755693. PMID: 36105082; PMCID: PMC9465091.

Cahalan SD, Perkins JD, Boehm I, Jones RA, Gillingwater TH, Piercy RJ. A method to identify, dissect and stain equine neuromuscular junctions for morphological analysis. J Anat. 2022 Nov;241(5):1133-1147. doi: 10.1111/joa.13747. Epub 2022 Sep 10. PMID: 36087283; PMCID: PMC9558161.

Riddell DO, Hildyard JCW, Harron RCM, Wells DJ, Piercy RJ. Longitudinal assessment of blood-borne musculoskeletal disease biomarkers in the DE50-MD dog model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Wellcome Open Res. 2022 Aug 17;6:354. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17398.2. PMID: 35600245; PMCID: PMC9111359.

Crawford AH, Hildyard JCW, Rushing SAM, Wells DJ, Diez-Leon M, Piercy RJ. . Dis Model Mech. 2022 Jan 12:dmm.049291. doi: 10.1242/dmm.049291. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35019137.

Riddell DO, Hildyard JCW, Harron RCM, Hornby NL, Wells DJ, Piercy RJ. Serum inflammatory cytokines as disease biomarkers in the DE50-MD dog model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Dis Model Mech. 2022 Dec 1;15(12):dmm049394. doi: 10.1242/dmm.049394. Epub 2022 Dec 9. PMID: 36444978; PMCID: PMC9789403.

Cahalan SD, Boehm I, Jones RA, Piercy RJ. Recognising the potential of large animals for modelling neuromuscular junction physiology and disease. J Anat. 2022 Nov;241(5):1120-1132. doi: 10.1111/joa.13749. Epub 2022 Sep 2. PMID: 36056593; PMCID: PMC9558152.

Adalbert R, Cahalan S, Hopkins EL, Almuhanna A, Loreto A, Pór E, Körmöczy L, Perkins J, Coleman MP, Piercy RJ. Cultured dissociated primary dorsal root ganglion neurons from adult horses enable study of axonal transport. J Anat. 2022 Nov;241(5):1211-1218. doi: 10.1111/joa.13719. Epub 2022 Jun 21. PMID: 35728923; PMCID: PMC9558156.

Hornby NL, Drees R, Harron R, Chang R, Wells DJ, Piercy RJ. . Neuromuscul Disord. 2021 Aug;31(8):736-751. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2021.05.010. Epub 2021 Jun 2. PMID: 34384671; PMCID: PMC8449064.

O'Hara V, Cowan A, Riddell D, Massey C, Martin J, Piercy RJ.  Sci Rep. 2021 Apr 12;11(1):7916. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-86783-1. PMID: 33846367; PMCID: PMC8041750.

González-Medina S, Bevin W, Alzola-Domingo R, Chang YM, Piercy RJ.  J Vet Intern Med. 2021 Mar;35(2):1170-1176. doi: 10.1111/jvim.16077. Epub 2021 Mar 6. PMID: 33675130; PMCID: PMC7995363.

Laforêt P, Oldfors A, Malfatti E, Vissing J;  Neuromuscul Disord. 2021 Jan 23:S0960-8966(21)00012-2. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2021.01.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33602551.

Hildyard JCW, Crawford AH, Rawson F, Riddell DO, Harron RCM, Piercy RJ.  Wellcome Open Res. 2020 Jul 20;5:76. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15762.2. eCollection 2020.

Hildyard JCW, Rawson F, Wells DJ, Piercy RJ. PLoS One. 2020 Sep 24;15(9):e0239467. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239467. eCollection 2020.

González-Medina S, Hyde C, Lovera I, Piercy RJ. Equine Vet J. 2020 Jun 11. doi: 10.1111/evj.13303. Online ahead of print.

Draper ACE, Wilson Z, Maile C,Faccenda D, Campanella M, Piercy RJ.  FASEB 2019 Early View.

Curtin NA, Woledge RC, West TG, Goodwin D, Piercy RJ, Wilson AM. . J Exp Biol. 2019 Jun 20. pii: jeb.203877. doi: 10.1242/jeb.203877.

McCoy AM, Beeson SK, Rubin CJ, Andersson L, Caputo P, Lykkjen S, Moore A, Piercy RJ, Mickelson JR, McCue ME. PLoS Genet. 2019 May 28;15(5):e1008146. doi: 10.1371

Cercone M, Jarvis JC, Ducharme NG, Perkins J, Piercy RJ, Willand MP, Mitchell  LM, Sledziona M, Soderholm L, Cheetham J. Muscle Nerve. 2019 Jun;59(6):717-725.

Cercone M, Hokanson CM, Olsen E, Ducharme NG, Mitchell LM, Piercy RJ, Cheetham J. Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 25;9(1):2713. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-39189-z.

González-Medina S, Montesso F, Chang YM, Hyde C, Piercy RJ. Equine Vet J. 2019 Jan  10. doi: 10.1111/evj.13070.

Amoasii L, Hildyard JCW, Li H, Sanchez-Ortiz E, Mireault A, Caballero D, Harron R, Stathopoulou TR, Massey C, Shelton JM, Bassel-Duby R, Piercy RJ, Olson  EN. . Science. 2018 Aug 30. pii: eaau1549. doi: 10.1126/science.aau1549.

González Medina S, Hyde C, Lovera I, Piercy RJ. . PLoS One. 2018 Jul 3;13(7):e0199521. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199521.

Draper ACE, Piercy RJ. . J Vet Intern Med. 2018 Jul;32(4):1397-1409. doi: 10.1111/jvim.15142. Epub 2018 Apr 24. Review. 

Hildyard JCW, Taylor-Brown F, Massey C, Wells DJ, Piercy RJ. . J Neuromuscul Dis. 2018;5(2):177-191. doi: 10.3233/JND-170267. PubMed PMID: 29614692.

Olsen E, Fouche N, Jordan H, Pfau T, Piercy RJ. Equine Vet J. 2017 Aug 10. doi: 10.1111/evj.12737

González-Medina S, Ireland JL, Piercy RJ, Newton JR, Votion DM. Equine Vet J. 2017 Apr 26

Nghiem PP, Bello L, Balog-Alvarez C, López SM, Bettis A, Barnett H, Hernandez B, Schatzberg SJ, Piercy RJ, Kornegay JN. Mamm Genome. 2017 Apr;28(3-4):106-113

Walmsley G, Blot S, Venner K, Sewry C, Laporte J, Blondelle J, Barthelemy I, Maurer M, Blanchard-Gutton N, Pilot-Storck F, Tiret L, Piercy RJ.  American Journal of Pathology. Am J Pathol. 2017 Feb;187(2):441-456

Maile, CA, Hingst, JR, Mahalingan, KK, O'Reilly, AO, Cleasby, M, Mickelson, JR, McCue, ME, Anderson, SM, Hurley, TD, Wojyaszewski, JF, Piercy, RJ.  Biochemica et Biophysica Acta - General. Aug 31. pii: S0304-4165(16)30321-X

Scalco RS, Voermans NC, Piercy RJ, Jungbluth H, Quinlivan R.  Eur J Neurol. 2016 Aug;23(8):e56-7. doi: 10.1111/ene.13051. PubMed PMID: 27431030.

Norton EM, Mickelson JR, Binns MM, Blott SC, Caputo P, Isgren CM, McCoy AM, Moore A, Piercy RJ, Swinburne JE, Vaudin M, McCue ME. J Hered. 2016 Aug 3. pii: esw042.

Cheetham J, Perkins JD, Jarvis JC, Cercone M, Maw M, Hermanson JW, Mitchell LM, Piercy RJ, Ducharme NG.  Artif Organs. 2015 Oct;39(10):876-85.

Chalmers HJ, Caswell J, Perkins J, Goodwin D, Viel L, Ducharme NG, Piercy RJ. Muscle Nerve. 2015 ;53(4):583-92

Blondelle J, Ohno Y, Gache V, Guyot S, Storck S, Blanchard-Gutton N, Barthélémy I, Walmsley G, Rahier A, Gadin S, Maurer M, Guillaud L, Prola A, Ferry A, Aubin-Houzelstein G, Demarquoy J, Relaix F, Piercy RJ, Blot S, Kihara A, Tiret L, Pilot-Storck F. J Mol Cell Biol. 2015 Jul 9.pii: mjv049. 

Naylor RJ, Piercy RJ. Development of a clonal equine myoblast cell line capable of terminal differentiation into mature myotubes in vitro. Am J Vet Res.  2015 Jul;76(7):608-14.

Fjordbakk CT, Revold T, Goodwin D, Piercy RJ. Histopathological assessment of intrinsic laryngeal musculature in horses with dynamic laryngeal collapse. Equine Vet J. 2014 Sep 25. doi: 10.1111/evj.12357.

Fernandez-Fuente M, Terracciano CM, Martin-Duque P, Brown SC, Vassaux G, Piercy RJ. Calcium Homeostasis in Myogenic Differentiation Factor 1 (MyoD)-Transformed, Virally-Transduced, Skin-Derived Equine Myotubes. PLoS One. 2014 Aug 22;9(8):e105971.

Anfinsen KP, Piercy RJ, Massey C, Smith KC, Kenny PJ, Garden OA. Severe systemic calciphylaxis in a young cat. J Vet Intern Med. 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):1325-30.

Olsen E, Dunkel B, Barker WH, Finding EJ, Perkins JD, Witte TH, Yates LJ, Andersen PH, Baiker K, Piercy RJ. Rater agreement on gait assessment during neurologic examination of horses. J Vet Intern Med. 2014 Mar-Apr;28(2):630-8.

Fernandez-Fuente M, Martin-Duque P, Vassaux G, Brown SC, Muntoni F,Terracciano CM, Piercy RJ. Adenovirus-mediated expression of myogenic differentiation factor 1 (MyoD) in equine and human dermal fibroblasts enables their conversion to caffeine sensitive myotubes. Neuromuscul Disord. 2013 Nov 23. pii: S0960-8966(13)01000-6.

Massey CA, Walmsley GL, Gliddon TP, Piercy RJ. Vacuolar myopathy in an adult Warmblood horse. Neuromuscul Disord. 2013 Jun;23(6):473-7.

Petersen JL, Mickelson JR, Cothran EG, Andersson LS, Axelsson J, Bailey E, Bannasch D, Binns MM, Borges AS, Brama P, da Câmara Machado A, Distl O, Felicetti M, Fox-Clipsham L, Graves KT, Guérin G, Haase B, Hasegawa T, Hemmann K, Hill EW,  Leeb T, Lindgren G, Lohi H, Lopes MS, McGivney BA, Mikko S, Orr N, Penedo MC, Piercy RJ, Raekallio M, Rieder S, Røed KH, Silvestrelli M, Swinburne J, Tozaki T, Vaudin M, M Wade C, McCue ME. Genetic diversity in the modern horse illustrated from genome-wide SNP data. PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e54997.

Petersen JL, Mickelson JR, Rendahl AK, Valberg SJ, Andersson LS, Axelsson J, Bailey E, Bannasch D, Binns MM, Borges AS, Brama P, da Câmara Machado A, Capomaccio S, Cappelli K, Cothran EG, Distl O, Fox-Clipsham L, Graves KT, Guérin  G, Haase B, Hasegawa T, Hemmann K, Hill EW, Leeb T, Lindgren G, Lohi H, Lopes MS, McGivney BA, Mikko S, Orr N, Penedo MC, Piercy RJ, Raekallio M, Rieder S, Røed KH, Swinburne J, Tozaki T, Vaudin M, Wade CM, McCue ME. Genome-wide analysis reveals selection for important traits in domestic horse breeds. PLoS Genet. 2013 Jan;9(1):e1003211.

Naylor R, Livesey L, Schumacher J, Henke N, Massey, C, Brock K, Fernandez-Fuente M, Piercy RJ. Allele copy number and underlying pathology are associated with subclinical severity in equine type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM1). PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e42317. Epub 2012 Jul 31

Naylor R, Luis Fuentes V., Livesey L. Mobley C, Henke N, Brock K, Fernandez-Fuente M, Piercy RJ. Evaluation of cardiac phenotype in horses with type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM1). J Vet Intern Med. 2012; Sep 15. doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2012.00988

van Galen G, Marcillaud Pitel C, Saegerman C, Patarin F, Amory H, Baily JD, Cassart D, Gerber V, Hahn C, Harris P, Keen JA, Kirschvink N, Lefere L, McGorum B, Muller JM, Picavet MT, Piercy RJ, Roscher K, Serteyn D, Unger L, van der Kolk JH, van Loon G, Verwilghen D, Westermann CM, Votion DM. European outbreaks of atypical myopathy in grazing equids (2006-2009): Spatiotemporal distribution, history and clinical features. Equine Vet J. 2012 Mar 26. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2012.00556.x.

van Galen G, Saegerman C, Marcillaud Pitel C, Patarin F, Amory H, Baily JD, Cassart D, Gerber V, Hahn C, Harris P, Keen JA, Kirschvink N, Lefere L, McGorum B, Muller JM, Picavet MT, Piercy RJ, Roscher K, Serteyn D, Unger L, van der Kolk JH, van Loon G, Verwilghen D, Westermann CM, Votion DM. European outbreaks of atypical myopathy in grazing horses (2006-2009): Determination of indicators for risk and prognostic factors. Equine Vet J. 2012 Mar 13. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2012.00555.x.

Finding E, Fletcher N, Avella C, Naylor RJ, Volk HA, Weller R, Dunkel B, Piercy RJ. Standing CT and clinical progression of equine cholesterol granulomata. Vet Rec. 2012 Mar;170(11):289.

Tulloch LK, Perkins JD, Piercy RJ. Multiple immunofluorescent labelling enables simultaneous identification of all mature fibre types in a single equine skeletal muscle cryosection. Equine Vet J. 2011; 43(4) 500-3

Priestnall SL, Schöniger S, Ivens PA, Eickmann M, Brachthäuser L, Kehr K, Tupper C, Piercy RJ, Menzies-Gow NJ, Herden C. Borna disease virus infection of a horse in Great Britain. Vet Rec. 2011 Apr 9;168 (14):380b

McCue, M.E.,Anderson, S.M., Valberg, S.J., Piercy, R.J. ,Barakzai, S.Z., Binns, M.M., Distl, O., Penedo, S.M., Wagner M.L., JR Mickelson. Estimated prevalence of the Type 1 Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy mutation in selected North American and European breeds. Animal Genetics. 2010 Dec;41 Suppl 2:145-9

Claridge, H.A.H., Parry, A., Piercy, R.J. and Weller, R. The 3D anatomy of the cervical articular process joints in the horse. Equine Vet J. Nov;42(8):726-31.

Perkins JD, Meighan H, Windley Z, Troester S, Piercy RJ, Schumacher J. In vitro effect of ventriculocordectomy before laryngoplasty on abduction of the equine arytenoid cartilage. Vet Surg. 2011 May;40(3):305-10

Perkins, J.D., Raffetto, J., Thompson, C., Weller, R., Piercy, R.J. and Pfau, T. Three-dimensional biomechanics of simulated laryngeal abduction in horses. Am J Vet Res. 2010 Sep;71(9):1003-10

Baker K., Saunders, N., Summers, B.A., Piercy, R.J., K. Smith. Hydranencephaly in a foal – a case report. Equine Vet Educ. 2010; 22 593-598

Naylor, R.J., Priestnall, S.L., Turk, A.C., Summers, B.A. Schöniger, S. and R.J. Piercy. Equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy in a horse in the UK. Vet Rec. 2010 Sep 4;167(10):380-1.

Isgren, C.M., Upjohn, M.M., Fernandez-Fuente, M., Massey, C., Pollott G., Verheyen, K.L.P., R.J. Piercy. Epidemiology of Exertional Rhabdomyolysis Susceptibility in Standardbred Horses Reveals Associated Risk Factors and Underlying Enhanced Performance. PLoS One. 2010 Jul 14;5(7):e11594.

Naylor RJ, Perkins JD, Allen S, Aldred J, Draper E, Patterson-Kane J, Piercy RJ. Histopathology and computed tomography of age-associated degeneration of the equine temporohyoid joint. Equine Vet J. 2010 Jul;42(5):425-30.

WALMSLEY G, ARECHAVALA-GOMEZA V, FERNANDEZ-FUENTE M, BURKE MM, NAGEL N, HOLDER A, STANLEY R, CHANDLER K, MARKS SL, MUNTONI F, SHELTON GD, PIERCY RJ. A Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Gene Hot Spot Mutation in Dystrophin-Deficient Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is Amenable to Exon 51 Skipping. PLoS One.

IVENS P, PIERCY RJ. ELIASHAR, E..  Inguinal herniation of large colon in a cob gelding four weeks post-castration. Vet Rec. 2009 Sep 26;165(13):380-1

PERKINS JP, SALZ RO, SCHUMACHER J, LIVESEY L, PIERCY RJ, BARAKZAI SZ.. Variability of Resting Endoscopic Grading for Assessment of Recurrent Laryngeal Neuropathy in Horses. Equine vet. J. 2009; 41, 342-346

Piercy RJ, Walmsley G. Muscular dystrophy in Cavalier King Charles spaniels. Vet Rec. 2009 Jul 11;165(2):62

UNT VE AND PIERCY RJ. Vertebral embryology and equine congenital vertebral anomalies. Equine vet. Educ. 2009; 21, 212-214

STANLEY RL., M E MCCUE, S J VALBERG, J R MICKELSON, I G MAYHEW, C MCGOWAN, C N HAHN, J C PATTERSON-KANE, R J PIERCY. A glycogen synthase 1 mutation associated with equine polysaccharide storage myopathy and exertional rhabdomyolysis occurs in a variety of UK breeds. Equine vet. J. 2009; 41, 597-601

ACKROYD MR, SKORDIS L, KALUARACHCHI M, PRIOR S, GODWIN J, PIERCY RJ, MUNTONI F, BROWN SC. Reduced expression of fukutin related protein (FKRP) in mice results in a model for FKRP related muscular dystrophies. Brain. 2009 Feb;132(Pt 2): 439-51.

STANLEY, R, MAILE, C, PIERCY RJ. Storage associated artefact in equine muscle biopsy specimens. Equine Veterinary Journal. Volume 41, Number 1, January 2009 , pp. 82-86(5)

M FERNANDEZ-FUENTE, E AMES, M WAGNER, H ZHOU, M STROM, P ZAMMIT, J MICKELSON, F MUNTONI, S BROWN, RJ PIERCY. Assessment of the transformation of equine skin–derived fibroblasts to multinucleated skeletal myotubes following lentiviralinduced expression of equine myogenic differentiation 1. Am J Vet Res 2008;69:1637–1645

BROWN SC., PIERCY RJ, MUNTONI F, SEWRY C. Investigating the pathology of Emery Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy. Biochem Soc Trans. 2008 Dec;36(Pt 6):1335-8.

FERNANDEZ-FUENTE M; TERRACCIANO CMN; PIERCY RJ. (2008). Dose-dependent effect of caffeine on intracellular calcium concentration of cultured skeletal myotubes derived from equine skin. J Vet Intern Med. 22:753-754.

PIERCY, R. J., ZHOU, H., FENG, L., POMBO, A., MUNTONI, F. & BROWN, S. C. (2007) Desmin immunolocalisation in autosomal dominant Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Neuromuscul Disord 17, 297-305.

DRANCHAK, P. K., LEIPER, F. C., VALBERG, S. J., PIERCY, R. J., CARLING, D., MCCUE, M. E. & MICKELSON, J. R. (2007) Biochemical and genetic evaluation of the role of AMP-activated protein kinase in polysaccharide storage myopathy in Quarter Horses. Am J Vet Res 68, 1079-1084.

JOSE-CUNILLERAS E; PIERCY RJ. (2007). Advanced diagnostic imaging options in horses with neurological disease that localises to the head. Equine Vet Educ. 19:179-181.

STANLEY R; PIERCY RJ. (2007). Breed susceptibility in equine polysaccharide storage myopathy. Equine Vet Educ. 19:143-145.

MUNTONI, F., BONNE, G., GOLDFARB, L. G., MERCURI, E., PIERCY, R. J., BURKE, M., YAOU, R. B., RICHARD, P., RECAN, D., SHATUNOV, A., SEWRY, C. A. & BROWN, S. C. (2006) Disease severity in dominant Emery Dreifuss is increased by mutations in both emerin and desmin proteins. Brain 129, 1260-1268.

SCHWARZ B; PIERCY RJ. (2006). Cerebrospinal fluid collection and its analysis in equine neurological disease. Equine Vet Educ. 18:243-248.

MERCURI, E., BROWN, S. C., NIHOYANNOPOULOS, P., POULTON, J., KINALI, M., RICHARD, P., PIERCY, R. J., MESSINA, S., SEWRY, C., BURKE, M. M., MCKENNA, W., BONNE, G. & MUNTONI, F. (2005) Extreme variability of skeletal and cardiac muscle involvement in patients with mutations in exon 11 of the lamin A/C gene. Muscle Nerve 31, 602-609.

LEE, J. A., HINCHCLIFF, K. W., PIERCY, R. J., SCHMIDT, K. E. & NELSON, S., JR. (2004) Effects of racing and nontraining on plasma thyroid hormone concentrations in sled dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 224, 226-231.

PIERCY RJ; POMBO A; STEWART CL; MUNTONI F; BROWN SC. (2003). Does an association of nuclear replication and transcription sites with the nuclear matrix underlie the pathogenesis of the laminopathies? Neuromuscular Disord. 13:658-658.

PIERCY, R. J., HINCHCLIFF, K. W. & REED, S. M. (2002) Folate deficiency during treatment with orally administered folic acid, sulphadiazine and pyrimethamine in a horse with suspected equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Equine Vet J 34, 311-316.

PIERCY, R. J., HINCHCLIFF, K. W., MORLEY, P. S., DISILVESTRO, R. A., REINHART, G. A., NELSON, S. L., SCHMIDT, K. E. & MORRIE CRAIG, A. (2001) Association between vitamin E and enhanced athletic performance in sled dogs. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33, 826-833.

PIERCY, R. J., HINCHCLIFF, K. W., MORLEY, P. S., DISILVESTRO, R. A., REINHART, G. A., NELSON, S. L., JR., SCHMIDT, K. E. & CRAIG, A. M. (2001) Vitamin E and exertional rhabdomyolysis during endurance sled dog racing. Neuromuscul Disord 11, 278-286.

PIERCY, R. J., HINCHCLIFF, K. W., DISILVESTRO, R. A., REINHART, G. A., BASKIN, C. R., HAYEK, M. G., BURR, J. R. & SWENSON, R. A. (2000) Effect of dietary supplements containing antioxidants on attenuation of muscle damage in exercising sled dogs. Am J Vet Res 61, 1438-1445.

PIERCY, R. J., SWARDSON, C. J. & HINCHCLIFF, K. W. (1998) Erythroid hypoplasia and anemia following administration of recombinant human erythropoietin to two horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc 212, 244-247.

LA PERLE, K. M., PIERCY, R. J., LONG, J. F. & BLOMME, E. A. (1998) Multisystemic, eosinophilic, epitheliotropic disease with intestinal lymphosarcoma in a horse. Vet Pathol 35, 144-146.

Richard’s teaching interests include the subjects of muscle physiology and exercise physiology particularly comparative aspects between species. He teaches vet students neurology in the clinical parts of the course and in the clinic.

Richard runs the Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory which receives diagnostic neuromuscular samples sent in by vets across Europe from pets with neuromuscular conditions. In the clinical hospital, Richard consults on equine neuromuscular diseases, including exertional rhabdomyolysis (tying up), gait abnormalities, spinal ataxia (Wobbler syndrome), seizures and other neurological and muscular problems of horses.

Top of page