2007 WOMEN & PHILANTHROPY AWARD RECIPIENT

Comparative Biology and Therapy of Canine and Pediatric Osteosarcoma
(Click here to view the project abstract)

Dr. Cheryl London, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM, and her laboratory team in the College of Veterinary Medicine received $20,861 to continue their research of a devastating cancer called Osteosarcoma (OSA).

OSA is a malignant tumor of the bone that is similar in both dogs and children at the biologic and molecular levels. Nearly 1,000 children are diagnosed with OSA each year, and while 70 percent will be cured with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy, effective therapies do not exist for patients whose OSA recurs. Most of these children will die of their disease.

New surgery and treatment techniques tested in dogs with OSA are now being applied to children with the disease. Already, Dr. London and her team have made significant discoveries, such as a particular molecular abnormality associated with OSA, and they are investigating the usefulness of several new therapies that target these abnormalities.

“We are hopeful that new, effective therapies will arise from our efforts,” said Dr. London, who is also collaborating with doctors at Columbus Children’s Hospital, MIT/Broad Institute in Boston, the National Cancer Institute, and two pharmaceutical companies that have developed new therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer.

“It was truly an honor to be one of the first recipients of a Women & Philanthropy award,” Dr. London said. “The members of my laboratory and I are deeply appreciative of the generous gift.”

If you have questions, please contact:
Nancy Marzella

marzella.2@osu.edu
(614) 247-6611