Projects by year

Identification of primary closed angle glaucoma genetic risk factors in the Welsh Springer Spaniel: using a whole genome sequencing analysis approach to tease apart the genetics of pectinate ligament abnormality and primary glaucoma

Clinical Research Project Grant: £20,000

Institution: University of Cambridge

Lead researcher: Katherine Stanbury

Aim: To identify genetic variants strongly associated with glaucoma and/or PLA which will aid understanding of disease and could be used to develop a genetic test.

Antifungal drug resistance in Malassezia pachydermatis from dogs: an emerging clinical challenge

Clinical Research Project Grant: £18,809.82

Institution: RVC/University of Liverpool

Lead researcher: Ross Bond

Aim: To characterise the prevalence of antifungal resistance in clinical isolates of Malassezia pachydermatis isolated from canine otitis externa and dermatitis, and identify underlying genetic mechanisms. These findings will help inform therapeutic choices, as well as future surveillance and drug stewardship programmes.

Characterisation of saliva as a source for assessing phenobarbitone levels in canine epilepsy cases as a first step in developing a point of care device

Clinical Research Project Grant: £18,981

Institution: University of Glasgow

Lead researcher: Mark McLaughlin

Aim: To determine whether saliva can be used to monitor circulating levels of phenobarbitone and used in a detection test for owners. This would have clinical applicability when starting treatment for epilepsy as well as when making drug adjustments.

Characterisation of the gastrointestinal microbiome and detection of inflammatory markers in the faeces of dogs diagnosed with steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis and immune-mediated polyarthritis

Clinical Research Project Grant: £12,336.69

Institution: University of Edinburgh

Lead researcher: Ana Oliveira

Aim: To identify changes in the gut microbiome and signs of gastrointestinal inflammation in dogs with SRMA and IMPA to determine whether there is a link between the gut microbiome and autoimmune disease in these dogs, as observed in humans.

Prevalence of Congenital heart disease in Neonatal puppies experiencing unexplained death, diagnosed by micro-Computed Tomography (the ConNeCT study)

Clinical Research Project Grant jointly funded with the Veterinary Cardiovascular Society: £10,000

Institution: Bristol Vet Specialists/University of Cambridge/Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health

Lead researcher: Caroline Cutler

Aim: To use micro-CT to describe the prevalence of structural congenital heart disease in neonatal puppies aged up to 4 weeks old that have experienced unexplained death.

Acute phase protein concentrations in canine pericardial effusions

Clinical Research Project Grant jointly funded with the Veterinary Cardiovascular Society:£10,000

Institution: Willows Referral Centre

Lead researcher: Sophie Goodrich

Aim: To determine whether biomarker concentrations vary between different causes of pericardial effusions, and to contribute to our understanding of the underlying cause of idiopathic pericardial effusion in dogs.

Primary investigation of microRNA small-RNA sequencing profiles in dogs with prostatic carcinoma

Clinical Research Project Grant jointly funded with SAMSoc: £9,750

Institution: AURA Vets and the University of Surrey

Lead researcher: Gerard McLaughlin

Aim: To determine whether there is a difference in blood profiles of microRNAs in dogs with prostatic cancer versus control dogs, which could lead to the development of a minimally invasive diagnostic tool.

Feasibility and accuracy of video based automated generalised tonic-clonic seizure detection in dogs using artificial intelligence algorithms

Clinical Research Project Grant jointly funded with the British Veterinary Neurology Society: £10,000

Institution: University of Glasgow

Lead researcher: Jos Bongers

Aim: To determine whether AI can be used to accurately and reliably detect generalised tonic-clonic seizures in dogs to enhance seizure monitoring in both veterinary clinics and home environments.

Hypermutation in Escherichia coli from feline lower urinary tract disease

Student Research Project Grant: £2,400

Institution: RVC

Lead researcher: Sian-Marie Frosini

Student: Madeline Yuhasz

Aim: To establish whether hypermutator E. coli are present in the feline urinary tract and identifying risk factors for hypermutator-related infections with a view to understanding their impact on driving antimicrobial resistance.

Immunohistochemical analysis of cyclooxygenase-2 induction in feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Student Research Project Grant: £3,200

Institution: RVC

Lead researcher: Bernat Marti Garcia

Student: Nadia Szymiec

Aim: To investigate the expression of COX-2 in feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in comparison to healthy feline hearts and associate this with clinicopathological features to determine its potential as a therapeutic target.

Exploring the role of cancer stem cells in feline injection-site sarcomas: active metabolic pathways and therapy responses

Student Research Project Grant: £1,400

Institution: University of Edinburgh

Lead researcher: Lisa Pang

Student: Michelle Lai

Aim: By identifying the characteristics of feline infection site sarcoma stem cells, there is the potential to select drugs that target proteins or metabolic pathways that drive tumour growth.

A laboratory appraisal of SCN10A as an analgesic target in canine sensory neurons

Student Research Project Grant: £2,800

Institution: University of Glasgow

Lead researchers: Andrew Bell and Paula Ledesma Fernandez

Student: Brandi Butler

Aim: Novel pain killing drugs in humans target the neuron-specific sodium channel Nav 1.8, but it is unclear if these drugs will work in dogs. By understanding the cellular patterns of Nav 1.8 in the dorsal root ganglion, the hope is to be able to rationalise the use of novel pain killers in dogs and ultimately treat pain better.

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in clinical infections from companion animals

Student Research Project Grant: £2,400

Institution: University of Liverpool

Lead researcher: Dorina Timofte

Student: Olivia Freeman

Aim: To generate novel standardised antimicrobial susceptibility testing data from bacterial isolates and compare these with original laboratory data, with a view to harmonising data from companion animal AMR surveillance.

CD44 expression in feline cholangiocarcinoma: A potential therapeutic target?

Student Research Project Grant: £3,200

Institution: RVC

Lead researcher: Alejandro Suárez-Bonnet

Student: Kathy Mu

Aim: The discovery of therapeutic targets in feline liver cancer would be a major breakthrough in veterinary medicine and oncology which will almost certainly pave the way for immediate further clinical research, initially in vitro, and hopefully, in vivo.

Investigation of immune checkpoint proteins and novel immunotherapy targets in canine glioma: a pilot study

Student Research Project Grant: £2,400

Institution: RVC

Lead researchers: Andy Yale

Student: Sunita Garg

Aim: Novel treatment strategies beyond surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are desperately needed for canine glioma as outcomes have remained stagnant over the last decade; this study aims to investigate the expression of immune checkpoint proteins as possible immunotherapy targets.

Investigating the therapeutic potential in canine cranial cruciate ligament disease of bovine milk-derived extracellular vesicles using an in vitro cell-based model

Student Research Project Grant: £2,800

Institution: University of Liverpool

Lead researcher: James Anderson

Student: Harry Hields

Aim: Milk-derived extracellular vesicles present a promising, low-cost, and easily scalable therapeutic option for treating or preventing canine cranial cruciate ligament disease, which significantly impacts a dog’s quality of life. Their integration into current treatment protocols could lower costs, improve accessibility, and reduce the number of untreated cases, ultimately enhancing canine welfare.

Determining the presence of Gram-negative ESKAPE organisms and antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli in commercially available alternative diets for dogs and cats

Master’s Degree by Research: £41,730

Institution: University of Liverpool

Lead researcher: Genever Morgan

Aim: These bacteria have the potential to cause serious, difficult-to-treat infections, so this study will add to the evidence about the microbiological risks of certain pet diets, providing valuable information for veterinary professionals and pet owners.