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14/01/2014
Queen's To 'Revolutionise' Horse Doping Tests
Scientists at Queen’s University Belfast and the Irish Equine Centre are set to develop a new way to test for illegal drugs used in horses and cattle.
The test will be the first to work by detecting the biological effects of a banned substance, rather than the presence of the substance itself.
It could also lead to more efficient and rapid testing of large numbers of animals.
Scientists at Queen’s Institute for Global Food Security will work with the Irish Equine Centre in Johnstown, County Kildare and partners across Europe to develop the test for banned growth promoters, hormones and antibiotics.
Dr Mark Mooney from the Institute for Global Food Security is leading Queen’s involvement in the EU funded DeTECH21 project. He said: "Current testing methods focus on detecting the presence of illegal substances in animals. These tests are expensive, time consuming and have failed to keep pace with black market developments in producing, distributing and administering banned substances. The danger is that these substances go undetected and find their way into the food chain. The new test will help mitigate that risk.
"We are developing an entirely new approach based on monitoring the physiological effects of banned drugs, rather than directly detecting the presence of those drugs. By identifying the unique biochemical fingerprints that banned substances leave behind in an illicitly treated animal’s blood or urine, we will be able to quickly identify horses or cattle that have been treated with an illegal drug."
The test will be developed at Queen’s £33m Institute for Global Food Security.
The Institute’s Director, Professor Chris Elliott, said: "Despite being banned for over 20 years, the use of illegal growth promoters, hormones and antibiotics is believed to still occur across parts of Europe and further afield. The criminal gangs that operate the global trade in illegal animal drugs have developed the means of avoiding detection by conventional testing methods and new ways to detect this illicit trade are urgently required."
(IT/CD)
The test will be the first to work by detecting the biological effects of a banned substance, rather than the presence of the substance itself.
It could also lead to more efficient and rapid testing of large numbers of animals.
Scientists at Queen’s Institute for Global Food Security will work with the Irish Equine Centre in Johnstown, County Kildare and partners across Europe to develop the test for banned growth promoters, hormones and antibiotics.
Dr Mark Mooney from the Institute for Global Food Security is leading Queen’s involvement in the EU funded DeTECH21 project. He said: "Current testing methods focus on detecting the presence of illegal substances in animals. These tests are expensive, time consuming and have failed to keep pace with black market developments in producing, distributing and administering banned substances. The danger is that these substances go undetected and find their way into the food chain. The new test will help mitigate that risk.
"We are developing an entirely new approach based on monitoring the physiological effects of banned drugs, rather than directly detecting the presence of those drugs. By identifying the unique biochemical fingerprints that banned substances leave behind in an illicitly treated animal’s blood or urine, we will be able to quickly identify horses or cattle that have been treated with an illegal drug."
The test will be developed at Queen’s £33m Institute for Global Food Security.
The Institute’s Director, Professor Chris Elliott, said: "Despite being banned for over 20 years, the use of illegal growth promoters, hormones and antibiotics is believed to still occur across parts of Europe and further afield. The criminal gangs that operate the global trade in illegal animal drugs have developed the means of avoiding detection by conventional testing methods and new ways to detect this illicit trade are urgently required."
(IT/CD)
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