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Four year PhD studentship in animal locomotion at the RoyalVeterinary College near London

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  • Four year PhD studentship in animal locomotion at the RoyalVeterinary College near London

    Biomechanical factors limiting athletic performance in racehorses

    This studentship is a BBSRC industrial CASE award sponsored by TurfTrax
    Group Ltd (www.turftrax.com) who record speed and position data from
    horses during racing and measure the properties of horseracing surfaces.
    The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of biomechanical
    factors limiting equine athletic performance and the likely causes of
    injury. Horseracing presents an excellent study system as racing takes
    place on different surfaces, over different distances, slopes and over
    jumps, and equine anatomy and physiology are already well studied.

    The TurfTrax system consists of horse-mounted tags and data loggers
    whose accuracy we have shown to outperform standard GPS (Spence et al.,
    EVJ, in press). In this project the student will work with an
    electronics design engineer to augment the tag system, incorporating
    additional sensors such as accelerometers, and use high speed video to
    record data from horses during racing. The data and subsequent analyses
    by a variety of methods will be used to test current hypotheses and
    develop new hypotheses on what limits equine athletic performance and
    possible causes of injury.

    The project will provide training in the appropriate techniques and
    whilst an engineering background is not required the student should have
    relevant interests and aptitudes in computing / engineering methods. A
    2:1 degree in maths, engineering, zoology, veterinary medicine or
    similar qualification is required.

    As part of the CASE award the successful candidate will receive an
    augmented stipend and gain commercial experience with TurfTrax in the
    racing industry.

    The Structure and Motion lab (www.rvc.ac.uk/sml) is a vibrant and active
    group of about 30 researchers based in a rural location with good rail
    links to central London. The lab has outstanding facilities for
    biomechanics research on a wide range of animals and good technical
    support in electronics design and the measurement methods we use.

    For informal enquires contact Alan Wilson 01707 666259 awilson @
    rvc.ac.uk

    1. Usherwood JR, Wilson AM. (2006) Accounting for elite indoor 200 m
    sprint results. Biology Letters; 2: 47-50.

    2. Usherwood JR, Wilson AM. (2005) Biomechanics: no force limit on
    greyhound sprint speed. Nature; 438: 753-754.

    3. Pfau T, Witte TH, Wilson AM. (2005) A method for deriving
    displacement data during cyclical movement using an inertial sensor.
    Journal of Experimental Biology; 208: 2503-2514.


    Alan M. Wilson BSc BVMS PhD MRCVS
    Structure and Motion Lab
    The Royal Veterinary College
    Hawkshead Lane
    Hatfield
    Herts
    AL9 7TA
    England
    tel +44 01707 666259
    Mobile +44 07 90305070 3
    Email: awilson @ rvc.ac.uk
    www.rvc.ac.uk/sml
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