In past events, we have raised money or collected blood for a number of research studies and programs, including:

• Canine Mammary Tumors Expressing Prolactin Result in Poor Clinical Outcomes
  Principal investigator: Dr. Michelle Kutzler, Oregon State University
  Sponsored through Morris Animal Foundation
  
  Breast cancer is the most common tumor of intact female dogs, with a two-year survival rate of about 25 to 40 percent. While canine breast cancer has many similarities to breast cancer in women, traditional chemotherapy and radiation are only minimally effective in dogs. Non-traditional chemotherapeutic agents, which affect hormone receptors, may hold promise for treating dogs. In particular, researchers will look at prolactin, a hormone that regulates mammary cells and appears to be linked to cancer cell development in humans and rodents. They will study archived biopsy samples of breast cancer tissue that were collected from female dogs over a 10-year period and determine how the survival time of these dogs relates to mammary prolactin production and prolactin receptor expression. This will give insight into the development and potential treatment for this cancer in dogs.



• Transcriptional Profiling of Canine Mast Cell Tumors
  Principal Investigator: Cheryl A. London, DVM, PhD
  Institution: The Ohio State University
  Sponsored through the Golden Retriever Foundation
  
  Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are one of the most common malignant tumors in dogs. In many cases, these tumors are highly aggressive, spreading quickly to distant skin sites, lymph nodes and the spleen. Though effective therapy exists for some MCTs, the aggressive form usually leads to death within six months of diagnosis. Although scientists know genetic factors play a role, no one knows why mast cell tumors are so common in dogs or why some of them resist treatment. This study will compare gene expression in normal canine mast cells with that of malignant mast cells. The researchers will create a molecular profile that will help to identify malignant MCTs and will serve as a platform for developing new therapies for this deadly disease.



• Molecular Epidemiology of Ehrlichia and Bartonella spp. Infection in Golden Retrievers with Lymphoma
  Principal Investigator: Edward Breitschwerdt, DVM
  Institution: North Carolina State University
  Sponsored through the Golden Retriever Foundation
  
  Bartonella spp. are a group of related bacteria, most of which have only been discovered within the last 10 years. They are able to infect and survive inside cells, causing persistent infections in mammals. Infection with Bartonella spp., however, does not always cause disease manifestations and for this reason, a positive blood test documenting infection with Bartonella spp. does not necessarily mean that Bartonella is the cause of an animal's disease. However, in people, there is growing evidence implicating Bartonella spp. as a cause of a broad spectrum of disease syndromes, and there is some evidence to support the potential that chronic Bartonella infection may contribute to the development of cancer. The purpose of this study is look for evidence of Bartonella infection in Golden Retrievers with lymphoma, as compared to a healthy control group. We will use standard serologic tests which are currently available for Bartonella spp. testing of dogs, but we will also use a newer, more broadly reaching method of molecular testing. This will allow us to test for a larger number of Bartonella spp., and may potentially provide greater test sensitivity. As previous work from our laboratory has documented co-infection with B. vinsonii (berkhoffii) and Ehrlichia canis, another tick transmitted bacteria, we will test for both of these organisms in this study.



• The Broad Institute's Research on Osteosarcoma
  Institution: Dog Genome Project, Broad Institute
  
  The world of dog geneticists, oncologists, veterinarians and dog owners is about to change. The Canine Genome Sequencing Project, based in Boston at the Broad Institute at Harvard and MIT, finished sequencing the dog genome last summer (in 2005). Now, the Broad Institute is using this important new resource to find genes for canine diseases such as cancer, diabetes and epilepsy.
  
  The first disease they are investigating, with the help of the AKC Canine Health Foundation, is osteosarcoma (bone cancer). This devastating cancer is a significant health concern in large dog breeds, affecting roughly 10-15% of Rottweilers and 10-30% of track Greyhounds. Even with treatments such as amputation and chemotherapy, the survival rate is only 20% after 2 years. The researchers are searching for regions of the genome that differ between healthy dogs and dogs with osteosarcoma. This research will help develop genetic tests to identify carriers of osteosarcoma. Ultimately, they will also find the defective genes causing this disease, improving treatment and survival rates in dogs and in people with bone cancer.



• Canine Health Information Center DNA Repository
  Institution: Canine Health Information Center
  
  The CHIC DNA Repository, co-sponsored by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and the American Kennel Club's Canine Health Foundation, collects and stores canine DNA samples along with corresponding genealogic and phenotypic information to facilitate future research and testing aimed at reducing the incidence of inherited disease in dogs. The objectives of this program is to:
  • Facilitate more rapid research progress by expediting the sample collection process
  • Provide researchers with optimized family groups needed for research
  • Allow breeders to take advantage of future DNA based disease tests as they become available
  • Foster a team environment between breeders/owners and the research community improving the likelihood of genetic discovery