Research

Previously funded studies appear chronologically, with the most recent appearing first.

  • Innovations in Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Cancer

    2015
    Lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma are major health problems in Portuguese Water Dogs. This study collaborates with several top universities and researchers who are utilizing cutting edge technology to identify several regions of the genome that contain genetic, heritable, risk factors for lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma in Golden Retrievers. This information can then be applied to other breeds, […]
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  • Testing a Potential Therapeutic Target for Lymphoma

    2014
    Valosin-Containing Protein (VCP): A Novel Therapeutic Target for Canine Lymphoma Summary: This study investigates a new therapeutic target (valosin-containing protein) for dogs with lymphoma. Description: A cure for canine lymphoma remains elusive, in part because of the lack of molecular-targeted therapies that can circumvent chemotherapy resistance. The research team’s previous findings suggest that valosin-containing protein […]
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  • Testing Strategies to Treat Drug-Resistant Hemangiosarcomas

    2014
    Lysosomal Drug Sequestration by CSF-1R (High) Tumor Cells Contributes to Drug Resistance in Canine Hemangiosarcoma Summary: Investigators are assessing the potential for a specific tumor-cell population in canine hemangiosarcoma to sequester drugs within their lysosomes as a novel mechanism of drug resistance. Description: Canine hemangiosarcoma is a common and highly metastatic cancer that affects all […]
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  • Exploring the use of a Virus Based Anticancer Strategy for Lymphoma

    2014
    A Clinical Trial of VSV-cIFNbeta-NIS Oncolytic Virotherapy for Canine B-Cell Lymphoma Summary: This study explores the safety and effectiveness of a new virus-based therapy, developed at Mayo Clinic, for dogs with B-cell lymphoma. Description: Lymphoma is one of the most commonly occurring malignant tumors in dogs. Though treatable, the disease often recurs and spreads. This […]
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  • Defining the Genetic Basis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

    2014
    Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a group of disorders in which the intestinal tract has become invaded with the dog’s own white blood cells leading to inflammation. Over time, this inflammation causes the intestine to become less efficient at absorbing nutrients from digested food and weight loss, and vomiting or diarrhea often result. IBD can […]
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  • Filling the Gaps in the Canine Genome

    2013
    The sequencing of the genome of man’s best friend in 2005 has provided an invaluable resource to the canine research community, and has reinforced the position of the dog as an important model organism to study human physiology and disease. Unlike the human and the rodent models (the mouse and the rat), very few dog […]
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  • Beyond the Genome: The Intersection of Genes and the Environment in Canine Cancer

    2013
    Not all genes are active at all times. DNA methylation (the addition of methyl groups to DNA) is one of several mechanisms that cells use to control gene expression. Abnormal patterns of DNA methylation have been observed in human cancer. However, methylation remains an unexplored dimension of canine disease. This seed grant to Dr. Wayne […]
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  • Clinical Advancement of a Cancer Vaccine in Dogs

    2013
    Canine lymphoma is the most common blood-based cancer in dogs with an estimated annual incidence of 30/100,000. Chemotherapy induces remission in 75-85% of patients; however, the majority of patients relapse with drug-resistant lymphoma within 8-10 months of diagnosis and most dogs die of their disease shortly thereafter. Cell-based vaccine strategies that stimulate anti-tumor immunity have […]
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  • Disrupting the Differentiation of Cancer Stem Cells to Prevent the Spread of Hemangiosarcoma

    2013
    Hemangiosarcoma is a rapidly fatal disease. The lifetime risk is alarmingly high for some breeds like Golden Retrievers (~20% will die of this disease) and Portuguese Water Dogs (~15% will die of this disease). The risk of hemangiosarcoma is not limited to just these breeds but is considered a research priority for 40 different breed […]
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  • Developing Ways to Improve Cancer Treatments

    2013
    Methods of predicting tumor response to a given chemotherapy protocol have historically focused on a few traits that could be measured in biopsy samples. Recent approaches have looked at the activity of genes within tumors to predict a tumor’s sensitivity to a given drug. Because many dogs with osteosarcoma eventually succumb to it in spite […]
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