Alan Nixon

Alan James Nixon (Nov 21, 1955 – March 1, 2023) was born in Corowa, New South Wales, Australia to Bill and Beryl Nixon. He completed his primary education in Australia, and graduated with a veterinary degree from the University of Sydney in 1978. After an internship in Sydney, Alan moved to the United States where he completed a residency and research degree in large animal surgery at Colorado State University, leading to board certification in American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1985. He worked at the University of Florida for 5 years before moving to Cornell University in New York in 1988, where he provided service in clinical orthopedics and neurosurgery, and served as chief of surgery from 2002-2006. He was the director of the Comparative Orthopaedics Laboratory and JD Wheat Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory at Cornell University, and was the inaugural Chief Medical Officer at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, a Cornell owned equine private practice hospital alongside the Belmont racetrack in New York City. Besides his extensive experience in orthopedic surgery, Dr Nixon had a long career in musculoskeletal research, focusing on targeted cell and gene therapy for joint disease. He authored over 200 manuscripts on equine orthopedic disease and surgery, with a particular interest in minimally invasive surgery, cartilage injury and repair, and novel regenerative medicine approaches to joint disease in racing and sport hors He authored the book Equine Fracture Repair and co-authored the 3rd and 4th editions of Diagnostic and Surgical Arthroscopy of the Horse. Dr Nixon was inducted into the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Hall of Fame in 2009, and awarded the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Founders Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2015. Retiring from Cornell in 2020, Alan continued to work as an emeritus professor at Cornell, adjunct professor at the University of Florida, faculty member for the AO-Vet Fracture Repair Courses and Equine Arthroscopy courses in the US and Europe, and as a consultant to several private practices in the US and abroad. A gifted surgeon and true giant in his profession, Alan’s legacy lives on in the countless students, residents, and veterinarians he taught and mentored over the course of his career.

Outside of work, Alan lived his life in full color, and his retirement years were spent sailing, learning to fly, traveling, and spending time with his three cherished children, Bridgette, Nicole, and Ryan, and beloved wife Sally. He is survived by his brothers, Richard and Gordon Nixon, and a large extended Nixon family in Australia. A wonderful man in both life and spirit, Alan will be dearly missed by friends, family, and colleagues the world over.

A celebration of life will be held at Cornell University later this spring; details forthcoming. Donations in Alan’s honor can be made to the American Cancer Society at donate.cancer.org.