About

Jennifer G. Barrett, DVM, PhD, DACVS, DACVSMR, is the Theodora Ayer Randolph Professor of Equine Surgery at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, part of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. Her research interests focus on tendon, ligament, and cartilage healing, as well as stem cell and platelet-rich plasma therapies and tissue regeneration. Dr. Barrett earned her DVM from Cornell University in 2002, her Ph.D. in Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology from Yale University in 1999, and holds additional degrees from Yale and Dartmouth College. She is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her professional experience includes serving as the Theodora Ayer Randolph Professor of Equine Surgery since 2014 at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, where she has also been an Associate Professor of Equine Surgery since 2013. She has held positions as an Affiliate Assistant Professor at George Mason University and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Wake Forest University. Dr. Barrett's prior roles include Assistant Professor of Equine Surgery and postdoctoral research positions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as internships and research assistantships at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and Cornell University. Her professional memberships encompass the North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Society, Orthopaedic Research Society, American College of Veterinary Surgeons, and other organizations related to veterinary surgery and regenerative medicine. She has received honors such as the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence in 2017 and the Clinical Research Award from the NIH in 2013. Her contributions to veterinary medicine are centered on advancing tissue regeneration and regenerative therapies in equine surgery.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Cell biology
• Biology
• Anatomy
• Immunology

Selected publications

• Sustained elution of amikacin, clindamycin, and vancomycin from a biodegradable cross-linked dextran gel

  Scientific Reports · 2026-03-19

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Osteomyelitis, surgical site infections, implant infections, abscesses, and other localized infections can be difficult to treat due to poor vascularity, biofilm formation, and the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These infections result in significant morbidity and mortality in human and veterinary patients. Local delivery of high concentrations of antibiotics that are released over a prolonged period of time can overcome these issues, and avoid side effects of systemic antibiotics. In vitro release kinetics of amikacin, clindamycin, and vancomycin from a cross-linked dextran (CLD) gel were investigated. The hypothesis was that CLD gel containing vancomycin, amikacin, clindamycin or a combination of amikacin and clindamycin would elute concentrations above the MIC of common bacterial pathogens for 7 days in vitro. Elution kinetics of CLD gels impregnated with each antibiotic and control gel were tested an in vitro. Each gel was incubated with phosphate-buffered saline at 37 °C with agitation in triplicate. The media was changed every 24 h. Samples from the experimental and control gels were collected for a period of 16 days and antibiotic concentrations were determined. Mean antibiotic concentrations from CLD gel remained above the MIC for at least 7 days for each of the antibiotics investigated. Peak mean antibiotic concentrations occurred at 24 h. In sum, there is reliable elution over 7 days of amikacin, clindamycin and vancomycin from CLD gel at clinically relevant concentrations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Xenogeneic Amnion Inhibits Healing in Equine Distal Limb Wounds: A Pilot Study

  Preprints.org · 2025-09-25

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of lyophilized, milled, human amnion on wound healing in an equine distal limb wound model in a blinded controlled study. Animals: Four clinically normal adult horses (3 Thoroughbred and 1 Paint, age 6-19 years) obtained via donation. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval was obtained for this study. Procedures: One forelimb of each horse was randomly assigned to the treatment group, and the contralateral limb was assigned as the control. Full-thickness skin wounds were created on each metacarpus. Treatment limb wounds were treated with lyophilized, milled, human-derived amnion material delivered on triple antibiotic ointment on non-adherent dressing. Control wounds were treated with triple antibiotic ointment on non-adherent dressing. Distal limb bandages were applied. Digital photographs of the wounds every 2-4 days throughout a 98-day study period were blinded and analyzed for wound area and epithelialization. Histopathology was performed on samples from days 7, 21, 35, and 84. Results: All treatment limbs exhibited an inflammatory response characterized by focal edema and discharge from the wounds, and this was not seen in control limbs. One horse developed unilateral cellulitis in the treatment limb, and not the control limb that resolved with additional treatment. Wounds were completely epithelialized in control limbs sooner than treatment limbs in each horse (p = 0.011). Mean wound size (junction of neoepithelium and wound margin) was smaller in control wounds than treatment wounds at all time points, with a significant difference on days 23 and 39, with trends toward significance on days 18 and 35. Overall histologic scores were better in control wounds than in amnion-treated wounds at all time points, only reaching significance on day 84 (p = 0.039). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: In this pilot study, lyophilized human amnion did not improve wound healing compared to control, and may have hindered wound healing. We terminated the study after one cohort of 4 horses due to these results. Because wounds treated with amnion in this pilot study exhibited an inflammatory response that resulted in delayed time to wound closure, human lyophilized milled amnion is not recommended for use in equine wound management. Xenogeneic amnion may not be appropriate for wound healing in equines, but further study is needed to strengthen these conclusions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Comparison of Two Surgical Techniques for the Treatment of Equine Hindlimb Proximal Suspensory Desmopathy

  Animals · 2025-09-04 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Suspensory desmopathy is a frequently documented cause of lameness in performance horses; proximal suspensory desmopathy is the most frequent site of injury in dressage horses [...].

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Introduction The Holocaust and Human Rights: Transnational Perspectives on Contemporary Memorial Museums

  University of Pennsylvania Press eBooks · 2025-01-26

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  Interrogates the global, and often controversial, phenomenon of Holocaust and human rights museums Spanning six continents—Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia, North America, and South America—this edited collection offers a comparative, transnational study of Holocaust and human rights museums that foregrounds the overlapping and often contested work these institutions do in narrating and memorializing histories of genocide and human rights abuses for a public audience. Museums that link the Holocaust with social justice, human rights, and genocide prevention have been founded in many countries—for example, the Kazerne Dossin Memorial Museum in Belgium, the Anne Frank House in the Netherlands, and the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre in South Africa—making Holocaust and human rights museums a global phenomenon. It is not uncommon for these institutions to court controversy by linking the Holocaust to human rights issues in their locales and abroad. Some begin from a “Holocaust core” and extrapolate from this history to address broader concerns, while others integrate the Holocaust as “a” or, at times, “the” case study par excellence of human rights abuses. Other institutions that may not explicitly focus on the Holocaust continue to engage these representational practices to highlight other instances of genocide and human rights abuses. The case studies in this book illuminate the convergences between Holocaust and human rights museums in their demands for social justice and reparation, educational and activist purpose, design principles, and curatorial choices. But it also shows how these museums can also be sites of contestation around how stories of suffering, courage, and survival are told; whose stories are prioritized; and who is consulted. Although Holocaust museums were once the most influential form of representation of human rights issues in the international museum and heritage fields, they are now in dialogue—visually, spatially, methodologically—with museums and memorial sites concerned with human rights more broadly. Interrogating debates in both museology and Holocaust memory studies, this volume reveals how institutions dedicated to these concerns have become active and influential contributors to local, national, and transnational dialogues about human rights.

  PublisherDOI

• The relationship between the low food chemical diet and symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: a cross-sectional survey

  Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · 2024-04-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Dietary therapies have revolutionised treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, response rates to the diet with the highest evidence of efficacy (the low FODMAP diet) remain at 50-75%, suggesting other potential drivers of symptom onset. A low food chemical elimination-rechallenge diet targeting bioactive food chemicals (including salicylates, amines, glutamate and other additives), is commonly applied in Australia in patients exhibiting both gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms. One key food chemical, salicylate, has been shown to elicit symptoms in IBS patients with aspirin-sensitivity (1) , and 77% of IBS patients have reported amine-rich foods trigger symptoms (2) . However, data supporting the full low chemical diet is scant, and safety concerns exist due to its restrictive nature potentially causing nutritional deficiencies and disordered eating. This cross-sectional survey aimed to evaluate the frequency of co-existing extra-intestinal symptoms, as well as explore patient perceptions and use of the low chemical diet in those with IBS and healthy controls. Participants with IBS (IBS-Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) >75), and healthy controls (not meeting Rome IV and IBS-SSS ≤75) were recruited via online advertisement. Validated questionnaires were used to assess gastrointestinal symptoms (IBS-SSS), extraintestinal symptoms (extended PHQ-12), nutrient (Comprehensive Nutritional Assessment Tool) and food additive intake (IBD-Food additive questionnaire). Additional questionnaires assessed use of dietary therapies with specific focus on food chemicals. Data was analysed using independent samples t-test and chi-square test. 204 IBS (Total IBS-SSS, 277 ± 79) and 22 healthy controls (36 ± 28, p <0.01) completed the study. IBS participants were more likely to report extra-intestinal symptoms including headaches ( p <0.01), migraines ( p = 0.03), fatigue ( p <0.01), difficulty sleeping ( p = 0.03), rhinitis ( p = 0.02), urticaria ( p = 0.04) and mood disturbance ( p <0.01). IBS participants were more likely to report at least one food chemical as a trigger for gastrointestinal (38% vs 13%, p = 0.03) and/or extra-intestinal (30% vs 9%, p = 0.04) symptoms. In the IBS group, the most common suspected dietary triggers for gastrointestinal symptoms were salicylates (19%) followed by MSG (17%) and artificial colours (14%); while for extra-intestinal symptoms, MSG (15%) was most common, followed by amines (14%), and sulphites (12%). There was no significant difference in consumption of ultra-processed, additive containing foods. Twenty-one (10%) IBS participants were following a low chemical diet, with dietary advice provided by a dietitian (n = 13), general practitioner (n = 6), gastroenterologist (n = 6), naturopath (n = 3), family/friend (n = 4) and/or the diet was self-initiated (n = 7). Fourteen of the 21 (67%) reported following both a low food chemical and low FODMAP diet. Patients with IBS are more likely to report extra-intestinal symptoms compared to healthy controls. Despite limited evidence, a low food chemical diet is utilised to manage both gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms. Of concern, many respondents following a low food chemical diet reported also following a low FODMAP diet, which may have implications for nutritional adequacy.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Use of Biologics and Stem Cells in the Treatment of Other Inflammatory Diseases in the Horse

  Veterinary Clinics of North America Equine Practice · 2023-08-20 · 7 citations

  review1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Three-Dimensional Culture of Equine Bone Marrow–Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhances Anti-Inflammatory Properties in a Donor-Dependent Manner

  Stem Cells and Development · 2022 · 13 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Biology
  • Cell biology
  • Immunology

  , IL-6, TSG-6, SDF-1, and IL-10. Finally, anti-inflammatory phenotype was enhanced by IL-1β exposure but showed significant variation between cell lines in the degree of gene upregulation, and what genes were expressed. We conclude that 3D culture of eBMSCs as spheroids alters their anti-inflammatory phenotype, but this effect is influenced by cytokine exposure and cell donor.

  PublisherDOI

• FDA Approves Ixekizumab for Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis

  2020-06-03

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Ixekizumab (Taltz, Eli Lilly) is the first interleukin-17A antagonist to be approved for non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

  Publisher

• Phase 3 Study: Apremilast Shows Efficacy in Mild-to-Moderate Plaque Psoriasis

  2020-05-08

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Apremilast (Otezla, Amgen) significantly improved psoriasis symptoms compared with a placebo in adults with mild-to-moderate disease.

  Publisher

• Multi-differentiation potential is necessary for optimal tenogenesis of tendon stem cells

  Stem Cell Research & Therapy · 2020-04-09 · 22 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  BACKGROUND: Tendon injury is a significant clinical problem due to poor healing and a high reinjury rate; successful treatment is limited by our poor understanding of endogenous tendon stem cells. Recent evidence suggests that adult stem cells are phenotypically diverse, even when comparing stem cells isolated from the same tissue from the same individual, and may in fact exist on a spectrum of proliferation and differentiation capacities. Additionally, the relationships between and clinical relevance of this phenotypic variation are poorly understood. In particular, tenogenic capacity has not been studied in comparison to tenogenic differentiation and cell proliferation. Toward this end, we performed a comprehensive assessment of cell proliferation and differentiation capacity toward four connective tissue lineages (tendon, cartilage, bone, and adipose) using tendon stem cell lines derived from single cells released directly from tendon tissue to (1) evaluate the differences, if any, in tenogenic potential, and (2) identify the relationships between differentiation phenotypes and proliferation capacity. METHODS: Tendon stem cells were derived from the endotenon of superficial digital flexor tendon from 3 horses. The cell suspension from each horse was separately plated simultaneously (1) at moderate density to generate a heterogenous population of cells-parent tendon cell line-and (2) at low density to separate single cells from each other to allow isolation of colonies that derive from single mother cells-clonal tendon stem cell lines. Thirty clonal tendon stem cell lines-10 from each horse-and each parent tendon cell line were assessed for tenogenesis, tri-lineage differentiation, and cell proliferation. Differentiation was confirmed by lineage-specific cell staining and quantified by the relative gene expression of lineage-specific markers. Statistical significance was determined using analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey's tests. RESULTS: Three distinct differentiation phenotypes-differentiation potency toward all 4 tissue lineages and two tri-lineage differentiation potencies-were identified in tendon clonal stem cell lines. These phenotypes were differentiation toward (1) tendon, cartilage, bone, and adipose (TCOA); (2) tendon, cartilage, and bone (TCO); and (3) tendon, cartilage, and adipose (TCA). Further, clonal cell lines that differentiated toward all four lineages had the highest expression of scleraxis and mohawk upon tenogenesis. Moreover, cell proliferation was significantly different between phenotypic groups, as evidenced by increased numbers of cumulative cell population doublings in clonal cell lines that did not differentiate toward adipose. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence of the heterogenous character of adult stem cells and identifies key differences in tendon stem cell differentiation and proliferative potentials from the same individual and from the same tendon. Isolation of tendon stem cell lines with the capacity to differentiate into all four connective tissue lineages may yield improved therapeutic benefits in clinical models of repair and promote a native, regenerative phenotype in engineered tendons. Future studies may be targeted to understanding the functional contributions of each tendon stem cell phenotype in vivo and identifying additional cell phenotypes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• M. N. Gooseff

  Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research

  55 shared

• Peter M. Brophy

  Aberystwyth University

  48 shared

• Ross A. Virginia

  Dartmouth College

  46 shared

• Diana H. Wall

  42 shared

• Cristina Takacs‐Vesbach

  30 shared

• Byron J. Adams

  Brigham Young University

  30 shared

• Eric R. Sokol

  26 shared

• S. Craig Cary

  University of Waikato

  26 shared

Education

• Other, Veterinary Medicine

  Not specified in the provided HTML

• Ph.D., Not specified in the provided HTML

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Awards & honors

• Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence (2017)
• Clinical Research Award, LRP National Institutes of Health (…