Overview
Background
Dr François-René Bertin (DVM, MS, PhD, dipl.ACVIM (LAIM)) is an equine internist with expertise in clinical endocrinology.
François-René completed a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (University of Nantes, France), an American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) residency in equine internal medicine (Purdue University, USA) and a PhD in physiology (McGill University, Canada). He moved to the School of Veterinary Science at UQ in 2016.
François-René’s research interests lie in the pathophysiology of hyperinsulinaemia-associated laminitis and the disorders of the equine hypothalamo-pituitary adrenocortical axis. Some of his current projects examine the regulators of pancreatic b-cell activity and the mechanisms of pituitary gland senescence. François-René has received awards from the School of Veterinary Science and the Faculty of Science for his contribution to Research and HDR student supervision.
François-René teaches equine internal medicine into the veterinary science and veterinary technology programs and coordinates the Equine Clinical Studies course. He has received Teaching and Learning Faculty Awards.
Availability
- Associate Professor Francois-Rene Bertin is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctoral Diploma of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Nantes
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, Purdue University
- Doctor of Philosophy, McGill University
- Fellow, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Research interests
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Equine endocrinology
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Pancreatic b-cell activity
Understanding the mechanisms associated with hyperinsulinaemia and the development of equine laminitis.
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Hypothalamo-pituitary adrenocortical axis senescence
Understanding the age-associated changes of the equine pituitary gland.
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Clinical diagnostic testing
Improving diagnostic testing of endocrine disorders in horses.
Works
Search Professor Francois-Rene Bertin’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Conference Publication
Evaluation of commonly used field-testing protocols to diagnose insulin dysregulation and predict laminitis risk
Clark, Brianna, Allison J. Stewart, Kemp, Kate, Bamford, Nicholas and Bertin, Francois-Ren (2022). Evaluation of commonly used field-testing protocols to diagnose insulin dysregulation and predict laminitis risk. 40th American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine , Austin, TX USA, 23-35 July 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Evaluation of an HMGA2 variant contribution to height and insulin in a population of Australian ponies
Clark, Brianna L., Bamford, Nicholas J., Stewart, Allison J., McCue, Molly E., Bailey, Simon R., Bertin, Francois-Rene and Norton, Elaine M. (2022). Evaluation of an HMGA2 variant contribution to height and insulin in a population of Australian ponies . 42nd Bain Fallon Memorial Lectures, Australian Equine Veterinary Association, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 17-21 July 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Influence of unilateral and bilateral vocal cordectomy on airflow across cadaveric equine larynges at different Rakestraw grades of arytenoid abduction
Lean, Natasha E., Bertin, Francois R. and Ahern, Benjamin J. (2022). Influence of unilateral and bilateral vocal cordectomy on airflow across cadaveric equine larynges at different Rakestraw grades of arytenoid abduction. Veterinary Surgery, 51 (6), 974-981. doi: 10.1111/vsu.13823
2022
Journal Article
Evaluation of postsale endoscopy as a predictor of future racing performance in an Australian thoroughbred yearling population
Ahern, B. J., Sole, A., Klerk, K., Hogg, L. R., Vallance, S . A., Bertin, F. R. and Franklin, S. H. (2022). Evaluation of postsale endoscopy as a predictor of future racing performance in an Australian thoroughbred yearling population. Australian Veterinary Journal, 100 (6), 254-260. doi: 10.1111/avj.13155
2022
Journal Article
Short-term effects of temperature and thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation on adrenocorticotropin stability in horses
Hinrichsen, Sophia L., Yuen, Ka Y., Dryburgh, Elizabeth L., Bertin, François-René and Stewart, Allison J. (2022). Short-term effects of temperature and thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation on adrenocorticotropin stability in horses. Animals, 12 (3) 324, 324. doi: 10.3390/ani12030324
2021
Journal Article
Repeatability of a thyrotropin‐releasing hormone stimulation test for diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in mature horses
Kam, Yan Ning, McKenzie, Kelly, Coyle, Mitchell and Bertin, François‐René (2021). Repeatability of a thyrotropin‐releasing hormone stimulation test for diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in mature horses. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 35 (6), 2885-2890. doi: 10.1111/jvim.16281
2021
Conference Publication
Evaluation of an HMGA2 variant contribution to height and insulin in an Australian population of ponies
Clark, Brianna, Bamford, Nicholas, Stewart, Allison J., Bailey, Simon, McCue, Molly, Bertin, Francois-Rene and Norton, Elaine E. (2021). Evaluation of an HMGA2 variant contribution to height and insulin in an Australian population of ponies. 39th American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Annual Symposium, Virtual, 10-12 June 2021.
2021
Journal Article
Changes associated with the peri-ovulatory period, age and pregnancy in ACTH, cortisol, glucose and insulin concentrations in mares
Hicks, Gemma R., Fraser, Natalie S. and Bertin, François-René (2021). Changes associated with the peri-ovulatory period, age and pregnancy in ACTH, cortisol, glucose and insulin concentrations in mares. Animals, 11 (3) 891, 891-8. doi: 10.3390/ani11030891
2021
Journal Article
Plasma amino acid concentrations during experimental hyperinsulinemia in 2 laminitis models
Stokes, Simon M., Stefanovski, Darko, Bertin, François‐René, Medina‐Torres, Carlos E., Belknap, James K. and Eps, Andrew W. (2021). Plasma amino acid concentrations during experimental hyperinsulinemia in 2 laminitis models. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 35 (3) jvim.16095, 1-8. doi: 10.1111/jvim.16095
2021
Conference Publication
Renal ultrasound and cystoscopy
Stewart, Allison J., Bertin, Francois-Rene and Clark, Brianna (2021). Renal ultrasound and cystoscopy. 3rd UQVETS Equine Practitioners Conference, Gatton, QLD, Australia, 2-3 February 2021.
2020
Journal Article
Oxytetracycline associated acute kidney injury in a neonatal foal
Fletcher, J. R., Bertin, F. R., Owen, H., Fraser, N. S., Rose, A. M. and Stewart, A. J. (2020). Oxytetracycline associated acute kidney injury in a neonatal foal. Equine Veterinary Education, 33 (10) eve.13372, e345-e351. doi: 10.1111/eve.13372
2020
Journal Article
Cumulative antibiogram and multidrug-resistant organisms in a regional equine referral hospital
Yuen, Ka Y., Gibson, Justine S., Hinrichsen, Sophia, Medina-Torres, Carlos E., Bertin, Francois-Rene and Stewart, Allison J. (2020). Cumulative antibiogram and multidrug-resistant organisms in a regional equine referral hospital. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 33 (1), 149-155. doi: 10.1177/1040638720977478
2020
Journal Article
Essential oil spray reduces clinical signs of insect bite hypersensitivity in horses
Cox, A., Wood, K., Coleman, G., Stewart, A.J., Bertin, F‐R, Owen, H, Suen, W.W. and Medina‐Torres, C.E. (2020). Essential oil spray reduces clinical signs of insect bite hypersensitivity in horses. Australian Veterinary Journal, 98 (8) avj.12963, 411-416. doi: 10.1111/avj.12963
2020
Journal Article
Lamellar energy metabolism and perfusion in the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp model of equine laminitis
Stokes, Simon M., Bertin, Francois R., Stefanovski, Darko, Belknap, James K., Medina‐Torres, Carlos E., Pollitt, Christopher C. and Eps, Andrew W. (2020). Lamellar energy metabolism and perfusion in the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp model of equine laminitis. Equine Veterinary Journal, 52 (4) evj.13224, 577-584. doi: 10.1111/evj.13224
2020
Journal Article
The effect of continuous digital hypothermia on lamellar energy metabolism and perfusion during laminitis development in two experimental models
Stokes, Simon M., Bertin, Francois-Rene, Stefanovski, Darko, Poulsen, Lea, Belknap, James K., Medina-Torres, Carlos E., Pollitt, Christopher C. and van Eps, Andrew W. (2020). The effect of continuous digital hypothermia on lamellar energy metabolism and perfusion during laminitis development in two experimental models. Equine Veterinary Journal, 52 (4) evj.13215, 585-592. doi: 10.1111/evj.13215
2020
Journal Article
Effect of digital hypothermia on lamellar inflammatory signaling in the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp laminitis model
Stokes, Simon M., Burns, Teresa A., Watts, Mauria R., Bertin, François‐René, Stefanovski, Darko, Medina‐Torres, Carlos E., Belknap, James K. and Eps, Andrew W. (2020). Effect of digital hypothermia on lamellar inflammatory signaling in the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp laminitis model. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 34 (4) jvim.15835, 1606-1613. doi: 10.1111/jvim.15835
2020
Journal Article
The effect of freeze-thaw cycles on determination of immunoreactive plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone concentrations in horses
Hu, Ke, Stewart, Allison J., Yuen, Ka Y., Hinrichsen, Sophia, Dryburgh, Elizabeth L. and Bertin, François-René (2020). The effect of freeze-thaw cycles on determination of immunoreactive plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone concentrations in horses. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 34 (3) PMID 8708660, 1350-1356. doi: 10.1111/jvim.15771
2020
Journal Article
Comparison of a continuous indwelling glucometer with a point-of-care device in healthy adult horses
Cunneen, Alexandra, Wood, Kelly A., Mathison, Kylie, Herndon, Aaron M. and Bertin, Francois R (2020). Comparison of a continuous indwelling glucometer with a point-of-care device in healthy adult horses. Veterinary Record, 187 (3), vetrec-2019. doi: 10.1136/vr.105607
2020
Journal Article
Blood glucose and insulin concentrations after alpha-2-agonists administration in horses with and without insulin dysregulation
Kritchevsky, Janice E., Muir, Genevieve S., Leschke, Dakota H. Z., Hodgson, Jack K., Hess, Emily K. and Bertin, Francois-Rene (2020). Blood glucose and insulin concentrations after alpha-2-agonists administration in horses with and without insulin dysregulation. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 34 (2) jvim.15747, 902-908. doi: 10.1111/jvim.15747
2020
Conference Publication
Cardiac murmurs and arrhythmias
Medina-Torres, Carlos, Bertin, Francois-Rene and Stewart, Allison J. (2020). Cardiac murmurs and arrhythmias . 2nd UQVETS Equine Practitioners Conference, Gatton, QLD, Australia, 3-4 February 2020.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Francois-Rene Bertin is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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Insulin dysregulation
Insulin dysregulation is the hallmark of equine metabolic syndrome and has received attention because of its direct association with laminitis. In the absence of an adequate treatment for laminitis, our research focuses on the mechanisms leading to laminitis as well as on the early detection of individuals at risk of developing laminitis.
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Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal dysfunctions
The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis is a major regulator of homeostasis. With sickness or with age, this axis can be dysregulated leading to critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency or to pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) respectively. The latter is a common condition of older horses that can result in laminitis and our research focuses on the detection and management of horses developping PPID.
Supervision history
Completed supervision
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of Hypothalamic Dopaminergic Degeneration in Intestinal Health in Horses with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Justine Gibson, Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen, Dr Viviana Gonzalez Astudillo, Dr Allison Stewart
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating insulin and glucose dynamics in horses with insulin dysregulation receiving phenylbutazone
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Mills, Dr Allison Stewart
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2023
Doctor Veterinary Clinical Sci
Epidemiological and genetic investigation of insulin dysregulation in ponies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Allison Stewart
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Studies of koala behavioural ecology and implications for koala conservation
Principal Advisor
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2023
Doctor Veterinary Clinical Sci
Alfaxalone anaesthesia in birds
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ben Ahern, Professor Joerg Henning
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
In vitro modelling and treatment of laminitis using equine stem cells
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Albert Sole Guitart, Associate Professor Deanne Whitworth
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2026
Doctor Veterinary Clinical Sci
Maternal antibody decline and natural orthoflavivirus infection in foals
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Allison Stewart
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Effects of sensory environmental enrichment on the behaviour and heart rate variability of dogs in kennels
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Mary Broughton
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Studies on the pathogenesis of insulin-induced laminitis in horses
Associate Advisor
Media
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