research studies » completed studies
Since our founding in 1948, Morris Animal Foundation has funded hundreds of health research studies to protect, treat and cure the world's companion animals and wildlife.
Our studies have led to major advances in veterinary care, including vaccines and other preventions, diagnostic tools and new therapies for the diseases and health conditions that threaten the lives of the animals we love. Search our completed study database by species and/or disease to learn more about how our work has given animals longer, healthier lives.
Category
D07CA-627: Development of a Genomic Assay to Profile Archival Canine Hemangiosarcomas
principal investigator: Stephanie Montgomery, Veterinary Student Scholar, North Carolina State University
completed
Results
New Technique Isolates DNA with Potential Cancer Links
To identify the mutations responsible for hemangiosarcoma, this comparison must be made over thousands of samples. Presently, there are extensive archives of hemangiosarcoma tumor samples, but the process used to preserve these tumors makes their DNA more difficult to use to identify genetic mutations. The student and her mentor have identified a technique to isolate and utilize the DNA from existing archival samples, rather than having to collect fresh samples from thousands of newly diagnosed cases. This approach will allow them to rapidly identify the location of the genetic mutations leading to hemangiosarcoma. Ultimately, this knowledge may lead to new cancer therapies and allow them to identify dogs susceptible to this disease before they get sick.
