Prof Bruce McGorum
Personal Chair of Equine Medicine

Contact details
- Tel: 0131 650 6230
- Mobile: 07734591286
- Fax: 0131 650 8824
- Email: bruce.mcgorum@ed.ac.uk
- Web: University of Edinburgh research Explorer Profile
Address
- Street
-
The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian - City
- Post code
- EH25 9RG
Background
Bruce graduated from the University of Edinburgh as BSc (Veterinary Pathology) in 1983 and BVM&S with Distinction in 1985. After working for three years in mixed veterinary practice in Buckinghamshire, he returned to Edinburgh as the Horserace Betting Levy Board Resident in Equine Respiratory Diseases, under the guidance of Professor Padraic Dixon. He was awarded a PhD in equine chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 1992, and has continued in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences ever since. He was awarded the Animal Health Trust Veterinary Achievement Award in 2004.
He is currently Head of the Equine Section at the University of Edinburgh which provides specialist veterinary care for horses referred by practising veterinarians throughout Scotland and Northern England. His research focuses on equine pulmonary disease and equine grass sickness. He teaches equine medicine to veterinary undergraduates and post-graduates.
Qualifications
1983 BSc (Hons) (Vet Pathol) Grade 2(1). Thesis 'Immune mechanisms of the small intestine'. University of Edinburgh
1985 BVM&S with Distinction, University of Edinburgh
1992 PhD. 'Studies in the aetiopathogenesis of equine COPD'. University of Edinburgh.
1996 Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Certificate in Equine Medicine (Int. Med.)
2001 Diplomate of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine: Invited Specialist and Founding Diplomate
2009 RCVS and European Specialist in Equine Medicine (Internal Medicine)
2016 Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons by Meritorious Contributions to Knowledge
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Edinburgh 'Studies in the aetiopathogenesis of equine COPD' Bachelor of Science, University of Edinburgh BSc (Hons) (Vet Pathol) -'Immune mechanisms of the small intestine' Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, University of Edinburgh With Honours
Professional Qualifications
RCVS and European Specialist in Equine Medicine (Internal Medicine) Diplomate of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine: Invited Specialist, DipECEIM Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Certificate in Equine Medicine (Int. Med.) MRCVS2016Fellow of The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, FRCVS
Clinical Expertise and Specialisation
Equine medicine
Responsibilities & affiliations
Member Senior Management Group
Head of Equine Section
College Fitness to Practice Committee
School / Campus Administration, Equine Medicine
Undergraduate teaching
BVM&S UG Year 3 Professional & Clinical Skills
BVM&S UG Year 4 Equine
BVM&S UG Year 4 Professional & Clinical Skills
BVM&S UG Year 5 Final year rotations
MSc Equine Science
MVetSci AVP Equine
Postgraduate teaching
Scool;
School/Campus administration
PG teaching staff
UG teaching staff
Student support
Equine teaching
Research summary
Equine internal medical disorders, particularly equine respiratory diseases and grass sickness.
Current research interests
Research students PhD Dr TJ Brazil (2000) Pulmonary neutrophil recruitment, activation and clearance in equine COPD. Dr RS Pirie (2001) The role of inhaled endotoxin in equine COPD. (Winner of the Joan O’Brien Award for the most outstanding presentation by a postgraduate student at the Veterinary and Comparative Respiratory Society Conference, uniquely for both 2000 and 2001). Dr K Dacre (2005) Mast cells and mast cell proteinases in equine heaves. Dr J Keen (2007) Studies on equine laminitis. Registered with Glasgow Caledonian University. Anna Karagianni (2016) Characterisation of the equine monocyte/macrophage. EBRC/Pfizer funded. Amy Miele (2015) Comparative pulmonary fibrosis. MRC Capacity building studentship in molecular imaging. Luanne Hunt (2016-) Do mycotoxigenic fungi cause equine grass sickness? The Horse Trust External expert of post graduate committee Ruth Clements (PhD 2016) VTRI Steering Committee Dr Lisa Boden (2007) The role of sexual contact networks in the potential transmission of infection within a thoroughbred stud population. MPhil Mr D Railton (1994) An investigation into lymphocyte subpopulations in equine COPD. Ms C Marley (1996) A study of local and serum antibodies in equine COPD. MSc by Research Kirstie Pickles (2000) Methodology for equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytological analysis. Constanze Fintl (2001) Evaluation of urinalysis as a diagnostic aid in grass sickness. John Keen (2004) The role of microvascular dysfunction in the pathogenesis of laminitis. Emily Peaston (2004) Differential protein expression in autonomic ganglia from horses with grass sickness. Registered with University Glasgow. Jenny Swain (2004) Factors influencing the airborne dust concentration in the breathing zone of stabled horses. Nicole du Toit (2005) Mast cells in equine cyathostomiasis. Jennie Henderson (2008) Association of hyperlactataemia with survival in equine neonates. Bryony Waggett (2009) Studies on equine grass sickness. Catriona Lyle (2011) Sudden death in racehorse. Claire Stratford (2013) Anthelmintic resistance in equine cyathostomins in Scotland. Awarded with Distinction. Rachel Jago (2016) Equine grass sickness. Awarded with Distinction. BSc Equine studies Ms S Tothill (1995) Equine COPD.Ms J Ellison (1997) Airborne endotoxin concentrations in three equine management systems. Ms C Heard (2000) Is equine grass sickness associated with low pasture sulphur levels? Ms A Milne (2001) Evaluation of a laser Doppler-iontophoresis system in the assessment of microvascular function in the horse. Ms K Hayward (2003) Evaluation of phenylephrine eye drop test in the diagnosis of grass sickness. (runner up for prestigious Eqvalan Duo Thesis of the Year Award 2005) Ms B Waggett (2005) The prevalence of Clostridium perfringens and its toxins in horses with grass sickness. (runner up for prestigious Eqvalan Duo Thesis of the Year Award 2006). Ms C Wylie Association of equine grass sickness with regional soil and weather patterns. (2006-2007) BSc Zoology (Hons) Ms Lorna Croft, Is there a role for skin biopsies in successful diagnosis of equine grass sickness. Start Jan 2003 BSc Microbiology and Infection Honours Robert Marsham, An investigation into the role of clostridial toxins in equine grass sickness, employing equine primary intestinal cultures. Start Jan 2005-
The effect of season, management and endocrinopathies on vitamin D status in horses
In:
Equine Veterinary Journal, pp. 1-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13873
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Alzheimer-like pathology in the parietal cortex and hippocampus of aged donkeys
(8 pages)
In:
Neurobiology of Aging, vol. 113, pp. 7-14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.01.007
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Equine grass sickness (a multiple systems neuropathy) is associated with alterations in the gastrointestinal mycobiome
In:
Animal Microbiome, vol. 3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-021-00131-2
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Optical detection of distal lung enzyme activity in human inflammatory lung disease.
In:
BME Frontiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34133/2021/9834163
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Establishment of a model for equine small intestinal disease: effects of extracorporeal blood perfusion of equine ileum on metabolic variables and histological morphology – an experimental ex vivo study
In:
Veterinary Research
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-2145-9
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
A study of residual lesions in horses that recovered from clinical signs of chronic equine dysautonomia
In:
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15567
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The effect of race training on the basal gene expression of alveolar macrophages derived from Standardbred racehorses
In:
Journal of equine veterinary science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2019.01.010
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Equine de-worming; a consensus of current best practice
In:
UK-Vet Equine
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/ukve.2019.3.S.3
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Equine Dysautonomia
In:
Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, vol. 34, pp. 113-125
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2017.11.010
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Guttural pouch leiomyosarcoma causing nasopharyngeal compression in a pony.
In:
Equine Veterinary Education, vol. 30, pp. 64-69
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12607
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)