Simon Bailey is currently professor of Veterinary Biosciences and deputy head of school at the Melbourne Veterinary School (University of Melbourne), Australia.

After graduating as a veterinarian in the U.K. and working in mixed practice, he undertook his PhD in laminitis at the Royal Veterinary College, London, where he worked for 12 years. He also spent two years at the Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute at The Ohio State University from 2002-2004.

Bailey has been teaching veterinary students for more than 25 years, mainly in veterinary anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology. He has supervised many research students and sits on several veterinary expert panels. In 2021 he was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in recognition of meritorious contributions to knowledge in the veterinary profession.

Bailey’s particular areas of interest/research include equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), laminitis, and PPID, as well as equine physiology, endocrinology, and nutrition.

Bailey owns and breeds Thoroughbred racehorses with his wife (also looking after many of their retirees into their old age). In addition, he keeps a number of Standardbreds, ponies, and Andalusian horses that were originally research horses but have become part of the family. Altogether, they own and manage more than 30 horses, which takes a lot of their time and commitment.

Bailey’s Recent Research

Galinelli, N.C., Bamford, N.J., de Laat, M.A., Sillence, M.N., Harris, P.A., Bailey, S.R. (2024). Evidence for dopamine production and distribution of dopamine D₂ receptors in the equine gastrointestinal mucosa and pancreas. PLoS ONE 19(2): e0298660

Potter, S.J., Erdody, M.L., Bamford, N.J., Knowles, E., Menzies-Gow, N.J., Morrison, P.K., Mc.Argo, C., McIntosh, B.J., Kaufman, K., Harris, P.A., Bailey, S.R. (2024). Development of a body condition index to estimate adiposity in ponies and horses from morphometric measurements. Equine Veterinary Journal 56(2):299-308

De Laat, M.A., Fitzgerald, D.M., Harris, P.A., Bailey, S.R. (2023). A glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor antagonist reduces the insulin response to a glycaemic meal in ponies. Journal of Animal Science Jan 3;101:skad389. doi: 10.1093/jas/skad389

Bamford, N.J., Stewart, A.J., El-Hage, C.M., Bertin, F.R., Bailey, S.R. (2023). Investigation of breed differences in plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations among healthy horses and ponies. The Veterinary Journal 296-297, 105995

Clark, B., Bamford, N., McCue, M., Bailey, S.R., Stewart, A., Bertin, F. (2023). Evaluation of an HMGA2 variant contribution to height and basal insulin concentrations in ponies. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (In Press)

Elliott, J., Bailey, S.R. (2023). A review of cellular and molecular mechanisms in endocrinopathic, sepsis-related and supporting limb equine laminitis. Equine Veterinary Journal 55(3):350-375

Galinelli, N.C., Bailey, S.R., Bamford, N.J., Harris, P.A. (2023). Nutritional considerations for the management of equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. Equine Veterinary Education 35(1):33-44. doi: 10.1111/eve.13593

Macon, E.L, Harris, P.A., Bailey, S.R., Barker, V.D., Adams, A. (2022). Identifying Possible Thresholds for Nonstructural Carbohydrates in the Insulin Dysregulated Horse. Equine Veterinary Journal (Epub ahead of print) doi: 10.1111/evj.13910. PMID: 36537847

Macon, E.L, Harris, P.A., Bailey, S.R., Barker, V.D., Adams, A. (2022). Postprandial insulin responses to various feedstuffs differ in insulin dysregulated horses compared to non-insulin dysregulated controls. Equine Veterinary Journal 54(3):574-583

Potter, S.J., Bamford, N.J., Baskerville, C.L., Harris, P.A., Bailey, S.R. (2021). Comparison of Feed Digestibility Between Ponies, Standardbreds and Andalusian Horses Fed Three Different Diets. Veterinary Sciences. 31(9):15. doi: 10.3390/vetsci9010015