Two NC State Researchers Awarded National Grants to Study Canine Health
Two of nine grants from the Morris Animal Foundation funding research to improve canine health have been awarded to faculty members from the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
Matthew Breen, the Oscar J. Fletcher Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology Genetics, received a two-year grant to look for new therapy targets for mast cell tumors. Mast cell tumors account for up to 20 percent of all skin cancers in dogs. The title of the study is “Whole Exome Sequencing Analysis in Canine Mast Cell Tumors to Identify Potential Therapeutic Targets.” This research will catalog the underlying biological mechanisms responsible for tumor growth.
Jody Gookin, the FluoroScience Distinguished Professor in Veterinary Scholars Research, received a two-year grant to investigate the development of gallbladder disease in dogs. The study will look for causes of abnormal mucus secretion resulting in gallbladder mucoceles (congealed masses of mucus that can block or rupture the gallbladder), as well as seek ways to prevent or reverse this condition. The title of the study is “Identifying the Mechanistic Cause for Genetic Predisposition to Gallbladder Mucocele Formation in Dogs.” This has become one of the most common, poorly understood and deadliest biliary conditions in dogs.
The Morris Animal Foundation is a global leader in funding scientific studies that advance the health of companion animals, horses and wildlife.
