Education | Research Sponsor Interest | General Research Interest | Selected Research Projects
Research and Clinical Interests | Selected Publications
TCSVM Faculty

Nicholas Frank
Professor and Chair
Department of Clinical Sciences
Large Animal Internal Medicine
Phone: 508-887-4615 (Office)     508-839-5395 (Hospital)    
Fax: 508-839-7922
Email: nicholas.frank@tufts.edu

 

Education

BSc. Hons. Biology    University of North Carolina           1989
DVM                       Purdue University                        1993
PhD                        Purdue University                        2002

Board Certification

Diplomate ACVIM

Professional organizations

American Veterinary Medical Association
American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine


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General Research Interest

  • Internal medicine
  • Comparative endocrinology
  • Metabolism
  • Nutrition
  • Gastroenterology

Research Sponsor Interest

  • American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Foundation
  • American Quarter Horse Foundation
  • Grayson Jockey Club Foundation
  • Privately Funded Research
  • United States Equestrian Federation
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Selected Research Projects

  • Endotoxemia as a predisposing factor for laminitis
  • Effects of clinical endotoxemia on glucose metabolism in horses 
  • Levothyroxine as a treatment for insulin resistance 
  • Effects of resting insulin sensitivity on the acute response to endotoxin in horses
  • Effects of combining endotoxemia and alimentary carbohydrate overload on glucose and insulin dynamics in horses
  • Improved diagnosis and monitoring of equine endocrine disorders
  • Development of an optimal protocol for evaluating insulin secretion and sensitivity in horses
  • A study of the alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism that accompany the development of laminitis in horses
  • Evaluating the effects of endotoxin on glucose dynamics in horses using intravenous glucose tolerance test and euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp techniques

Research and Clinical Interests

  • Diagnosis and management of endocrine disorders
  • Equine Metabolic Syndrome
  • Cushing’s disease
  • Laminitis
  • Endotoxemia
  • Obesity
  • Insulin resistance
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Incretin hormones
  • Adipokines
  • Electrolyte disorders
  • Nutritional diseases
  • Gastroenterology
  • Geriatric medicine
  • Neonatology


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Selected Publications (last five years)

  1. Chameroy KA, Frank N, Elliott SB, Boston RC. Effects of a supplement containing chromium and magnesium on morphometric measurements, resting glucose, insulin concentrations and insulin sensitivity in laminitic obese horses. Equine Vet J. 2011 Jul;43(4):494-9.

  2. Frank N. Equine metabolic syndrome. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2011 Apr;27(1):73-92.

  3. Frank N, Elliott SB, Chameroy KA, Tόth F, Chumbler NS, McClamroch R. Effects of season and pasture grazing on blood hormone and metabolite concentrations in horses with a presumptive diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID).  J Vet Intern Med 2010;24:1167-1175.

  4. Frank N, Geor RJ, Bailey SR, Durham AE, Johnson PJ. ACVIM consensus statement: Equine Metabolic Syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2010;24:467-475.

  5. Tόth F, Frank N, Martin-Jiménez, Elliott SB, Geor RJ, Boston RC.  Measurement of C-peptide concentrations and responses to somatostatin, glucose infusion, and insulin resistance in horses.  Equine Vet J 2010;42:149-155

  6. Buchheit TM, Sommardahl CS,  Frank N, Roberson JR. Use of a constant-rate infusion of insulin for the treatment of hyperglycemic, hypernatremic, hyperosmolar syndrome in an alpaca cria.  J Am Vet Med Assoc 2010;236:562-566.

  7. Tόth F, Frank N, Geor RJ, Boston RC.  Effects of pretreatment with dexamethasone or levothyroxine sodium on endotoxin-induced alterations in glucose and insulin dynamics in horses.  Am J Vet Res 2010;71:60-68.

  8. Tόth F, Frank N, Boston RC.  Effects of endotoxemia and carbohydrate overload on glucose and insulin dynamics and the development of laminitis in horses. Equine Vet J 2009;41:852-858.

  9. Tόth F, Frank N, Elliott SB, Perdue K, Geor RJ, Boston RC.  Optimisation of the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test to reduce urinary glucose spilling in horses. Equine Vet J 2009;41:844-851

  10. Carter RA, McCutcheon LJ, George LA, Smith TL, Frank N, Geor RJ. Effects of diet-induced weight gain on insulin sensitivity and plasma hormone and lipid concentrations in horses. Am J Vet Res 2009;70:1250-1258.

  11. Kalck KA, Frank N, Elliott SB, et al. Use of a low-dose oligofructose overload model to induce laminitis in horses and associated alterations in glucose dynamics.  Am J Vet Res 2009;70:624-632.

  12. Geor R, Frank N. Metabolic syndrome – from human organ disease to laminar failure in equids.  Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2009; 129:151-154.

  13. Frank N, Buchanan BR, Elliott SB.  Effects of long-term oral administration of levothyroxine sodium on serum thyroid hormone concentrations, routine blood test results, and echocardiographic measurements in healthy adult mares.  Am J Vet Res 2008; 69: 68-75.

  14. Frank N, Elliott SB, Boston RC.  Effects of long-term oral administration of levothyroxine sodium on glucose dynamics in healthy adult mares.  Am J Vet Res 2008; 69: 76-81.

  15. Tόth F, Frank N, Elliott SB, Geor RJ, Boston RC. Effects of an intravenous endotoxin challenge on glucose and insulin dynamics in mares.  Am J Vet Res 2008; 82-88.

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