NAME OF STUDY SUPERVISOR

PROJECT

DATE COMMENCED

ANTICIPATED DURATION

SUMMARY

Dr David Killick, Dr Riccardo Finotello and the Oncology service

Oncology patient sample bank

August 2017

5 years initially

This is a long term project to store residual samples left over after clinical investigations in oncology patients. Samples from clinical patients are vitally important to help us better understand risk factors for development of cancers, how cancers function and what markers they have that indicate behaviour and thus how best to treat them and also how to predict how patients will tolerate treatment. It is helpful to store these samples in advance of a project as particular tumour types can be quite uncommon and so collecting them at the time of a specific project could take several years thus slowing the pace of research. Therefore the results are likely to help future patients, but unfortunately not the patients from which the samples have come. Samples will include blood samples, urine samples, biopsy samples and other tissue fluids depending upon the case. Due to storage limitations it is not possible to store all samples.

Rita Goncalves, Dr Gemma Walmsley and the Neurology service

Neurology patient cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample bank

February 2019

5 years initially

This is a long term project to store residual samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF – fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord) left over after clinical investigations in dogs presenting to the neurology service and that have this test as part of their normal clinical investigations. Many studies are currently undergoing in human patients with different neurological diseases (such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis) through analysis of their CSF samples by metabolomics, the study of small molecules in fluids. In some conditions, markers that help diagnose or provide a more accurate long-term prognosis have been identified and can now be used clinically.

This study aims to use spare/leftover CSF and analyse this fluid through NMR metabolomics and hopes to identify markers that can be used clinically in the future to help diagnosis of different neurological conditions. We hope the results may help clinicians obtain a more accurate diagnosis and possibly predict response to treatment.

Professors Eithne Comerford, Mandy Peffers and Dr. Yalda-Ashraf-Kharaz

Identification of small molecules in the joint fluid of dogs that may be able to identify and prevent knee ligament disease

October 2019

5 years initially

This project will predict risk factors for a common chronic canine musculoskeletal condition (cranial cruciate ligament disease) which enable its early diagnosis in high-risk dogs and direct future therapeutic solutions thereby in improving welfare with chronic disease.

Our previous work has shown that biomarkers including small molecules (small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs)) change in diseased canine cruciate ligaments and joint fluid compared to normal tissues. These biomarkers are measurable indicators of a tissue’s physiological state and could be used in canine cranial cruciate ligament disease as diagnostic targets as well as leading to future therapies for dog breeds at a high risk to cranial cruciate ligament disease.

We will therefore use the surplus knee joint synovial fluid obtained as part of routine clinical investigations from non-clinically affected low and high-risk dog breeds to cranial cruciate ligament disease such as Greyhounds and Labrador Retrievers respectively to help identify these diagnostic markers in this study.

Professors Eithne Comerford, Mandy Peffers and Dr. Yalda-Ashraf-Kharaz

Identification of biomarkers in the knee joint fluid from dogs that could be used of identify meniscal injuries

October 2019

5 years initially

In this study, we will identify specific protein breakdown products (metabolites) from the tissues within the knee which can act as indicators of health and disease (biomarkers) within the joint (synovial) fluid using novel technology. We aim to identify diagnostic biomarkers that could be developed into a cheap and reliable ‘kennel-side’ test avoiding unnecessary surgeries as well as being potential future treatment targets for this condition.

We will collect surplus knee joint fluid from non-clinically affected dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease or meniscal injuries as part of this study.

This is a long term project to store residual samples of blood left over after clinical investigations in dogs presenting to the neurology service and that have blood samples collected as part of their normal clinical investigations. Many studies are currently undergoing in human patients and also in dogs with different neurological diseases (such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis) trying to identify biomarkers (easily quantifiable characteristics or substances) that can be helpful clinically either in the diagnoses or ability to predict response to treatment.

The neurology service aims to use spare/leftover blood samples that will be analysed in the future and try to identify markers that can be used clinically to help achieve a more accurate diagnosis in conditions traditionally difficult to confirm with the current laboratory tests available and also help predict response to treatment in different neurological diseases. We hope the results will help clinicians obtain a more accurate diagnosis and possibly predict response to treatment so they can better guide treatment plans and advise pet owners on likelihood of success.