|
Frank Duncombe LABORATORY Involved in equine medicine since 1896 |
|
1. Who are we? Frank Duncombe Laboratory, founded in 1896, represents both the oldest French multivalent laboratory and the top first European laboratory in equine pathology. Today, a total of 150 people are daily working in a building of over 6000 m2 located in Saint-Contest, near Caen (Calvados / Normandy / France). The Animal Health Department of Frank Duncombe Laboratory is in the horse’s service, the major aim being to provide both early and precise diagnostic tools to veterinarians, breeders, trainers and horse industry. Every year, over 450 000 parameters are analyzed, and the results transmitted in real-time (fax, internet …) to more than 500 prescribing vets from 12 different countries. To date, 50 000 customers have already entrusted the laboratory with equine analyses. The A.H. Department is organized in different units so as to systematically offering our specialized skill in every field of equine pathology (haematology, biochemistry, cytology, immunology, bacteriology, virology, molecular biology …). Created over 15 years ago, the Research and Development Unit furthermore contributes to the continuously increasing panel of diagnosis being available. Our high level of expertise is regularly enhanced by national and international collaborations, continuing education as well as the production of over 40 scientific communications in international journals or congresses. The A.H. Department beneficiates of up-to-date equipment and facilities (ADVIA, HPLC, ORAC …), allowing our dynamic team (5 vets, 3 biologists and technical staff) to gather 3 major criteria concerning the evaluation of equine health: Reliability, Accuracy and Rapidity. For this purpose, Frank Duncombe Laboratory is subjected to an official recognition by the French Accreditation Committee (COFRAC), guaranteeing both competence and quality management system.
According to their respective expertise in personalized follow-up of sports and racehorses, TWYDIL and Frank Duncombe Laboratory wanted to cooperate in order to provide veterinarians and owners the best available tools for evaluation and complementation of the athlete. In this manner, two complementary strategies are usually employed in order to investigate athletic health: a) Systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the physiological functions involved in exercise. Indeed, any subtle disorder of even only one function may have paramount consequences concerning welfare and performance. Such evaluation includes notably a careful inquiry into the respiratory system through both cytological evaluation of the respiratory fluids and detection of infectious agents known to be cofactors of airway inflammation. Blood samples collected either at rest or following exercise, allows besides precise assessment of other physiological functions such as early suspicion or detection of anaemia, gastric ulcers, cardiac suffering, renal failure … b) Close investigation of the non-specific markers of physio-pathological disequilibrium These sensitive markers mainly represent early indicators of either inflammatory stress (acute phase proteins like SAA) or oxidative stress (oxidized lipids or proteins, vitamins, trace elements, antioxidant enzymes …). Concerning this latter stress, since a good health implies a perfect equilibrium between production of pro-oxidant parameters and counterbalancing by different antioxidants, a strict inquiry of both pro- and antioxidant markers is the gold standard in evaluating the potential imbalance associated with poor-performance. Allowing the clinician to rapidly precise or confirm his diagnosis, personalized results are generally returned by different methods at your own convenience (fax, internet…) within 12 – 72h following the reception of the samples. Moreover, since the good quality of the results also depends of the good conservation/shipment of the samples, specific sampling boxes both “easy and ready to use” may be sent on request.
|
|
 |
3. How to reach us?
By e-mail: ldfd14-biochimie-sa@cg14.fr Web link: www.laboratoire-duncombe.cg14.fr (in French only)