December 18, 2024 – As we get ready to close out 2024 at the Foundation, our team is gearing up for some exciting new projects in 2025 we’d like to share.
The Heart of the Foundation - Grant Reviews
First up will be our review of feline grants proposals. We’ve received more than fifty proposals from researchers all over the world! We’re convening a panel of cat health experts in early January to review these proposals and make their recommendations on the best science to help our feline friends live healthier lives. Hot topics in this year’s group include feline infectious peritonitis, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
In February, we’ll turn our focus to canine osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor of dogs and affects roughly 10,000 dogs each year. We’ll be evaluating these grants for impact, innovation and scientific rigor.
Amphibians and reptiles will take center stage in March when our team of experts review grants aimed on improving the health and well-being of these understudied animals. More than 100 proposals were received from researchers around the world tackling issues of conservation, infectious disease, genetics, reproductive health – and more.
Our annual equid behavior grants will be reviewed in May. Thanks to a generous donation by Foundation friend Dr. Wendy Koch, we’ve been able to fund these very special grants for more than three years. We’re proud of our work in this area and the positive feedback we’ve received from the equid welfare community.
One of our largest events will take place in June 2025. We’ll be hosting a gathering of researchers and donors at our office in Denver to review the second round of proposals funded through our Hemangiosarcoma Initiative. Hemangiosarcoma is a serious and terrible cancer that affects dogs of all breeds. We funded eight proposals after our first call in 2023, and we hope to fund even more this June. This meeting is always a great opportunity for staff, donors and researchers to meet and mingle as well as learn more about this important cancer.
As we move into fall, we’ll be holding our annual open canine health call. And as always, we’ll end the year with our granting of Wildlife Fellowship Training grants.
New Collaborations
We’ve got some new partnerships that will launch in 2025. Our new Dr. Rodney Page Oncology Fellowship Training Grant will be funded through our current partnership with the V Foundation. We’ve also joined forces with EveryCat Health Foundation to collaborate on the current outbreak of FIP in Cyprus. We had our first round of proposals funded this past year and will be working together to fund phase 2 of the project in 2025.
Of course, we’ll still be working with our current wonderful partners to complete projects in progress! This includes funding an expansion of a current Blue Buffalo and Pet Valu study looking at mammary cancer.
The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study Begins a New Era
It’s hard to believe that the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is entering its final phase. With only a little over 1000 dogs remaining, our study team is pivoting from data collection to data and sample analysis. We’ll be heading out to conferences throughout 2025 to promote the Study to a wider audience of researchers and veterinarians. Our goal is to find new collaborators to use our samples and data, and to continue to spread the word about our latest results.
The team continues to streamline processes to process requests for samples and data and get them into the hands of researchers faster and more efficiently. This includes creating and expanding our Bette M. Morris Data Commons & Biorepository resource.
Science to Save Animals Starts with YOU!
Innovative animal health research takes vision as well as financial investment. That’s why Morris Animal Foundation, with the generous support of our donors, continues to fund this important work to change the odds for animals suffering from diseases and painful health conditions. DONATE TODAY and support critical science to save the animals you love!
