Cancer Bioenergetics
Doug Thamm
Barbara Cox Anthony Professor of Oncology and Director of Clinical Research
Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center
Dr. Thamm is the Barbara Cox Anthony Professor of Oncology and Director of Clinical Research at the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center. He is also a member of the Developmental Therapeutics Section of the University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program at Colorado State University. Dr. Thamm received his Bachelor’s and VMD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed an Oncology Residency at the University of Wisconsin, and was a researcher there for 5 additional years before joining the faculty at CSU in 2004. He has authored over 140 peer-reviewed publications and 20 book chapters in veterinary and basic cancer research, was Oncology Section Editor for the 2 most recent editions of Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy and is Co-Editor-In-Chief of the journal Veterinary and Comparative Oncology. His clinical and research interests include novel targeted therapies for animal and human cancer and ways to integrate these therapies with existing treatment.
Doug Thamm
Barbara Cox Anthony Professor of Oncology and Director of Clinical Research
Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center
Dr. Thamm is the Barbara Cox Anthony Professor of Oncology and Director of Clinical Research at the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center. He is also a member of the Developmental Therapeutics Section of the University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program at Colorado State University. Dr. Thamm received his Bachelor’s and VMD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed an Oncology Residency at the University of Wisconsin, and was a researcher there for 5 additional years before joining the faculty at CSU in 2004. He has authored over 140 peer-reviewed publications and 20 book chapters in veterinary and basic cancer research, was Oncology Section Editor for the 2 most recent editions of Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy and is Co-Editor-In-Chief of the journal Veterinary and Comparative Oncology. His clinical and research interests include novel targeted therapies for animal and human cancer and ways to integrate these therapies with existing treatment.
Cancer Stem Cells
David Argyle, PhD
William Dick Chair of Veterinary Clinical Studies
The University of Edinburgh
David Argyle is a graduate of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery from the University of Glasgow. He gained his PhD in Immunology and Oncology from the same department. He has served as a clinical academic for the Universities of Glasgow, Wisconsin-Madison and Edinburgh. He has served as Chair of Clinical Studies and as Postgraduate Dean for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. In 2011 he was appointed William Dick chair of Veterinary Clinical Studies and Dean of Veterinary Medicine at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. He is also Deputy Head of College for The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. He is chair of the examination board for the ECVIM sub-specialty in Oncology. He is an RCVS and European recognized specialist in veterinary oncology, his major interests are cancer biology and comparative oncology. He was elected FRSE and FRCVS in 2016 for meritorious contributions to knowledge. He was elected FRSA in 2019 for contributions to social progress and development.
David Argyle, PhD
William Dick Chair of Veterinary Clinical Studies
The University of Edinburgh
David Argyle is a graduate of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery from the University of Glasgow. He gained his PhD in Immunology and Oncology from the same department. He has served as a clinical academic for the Universities of Glasgow, Wisconsin-Madison and Edinburgh. He has served as Chair of Clinical Studies and as Postgraduate Dean for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. In 2011 he was appointed William Dick chair of Veterinary Clinical Studies and Dean of Veterinary Medicine at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. He is also Deputy Head of College for The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. He is chair of the examination board for the ECVIM sub-specialty in Oncology. He is an RCVS and European recognized specialist in veterinary oncology, his major interests are cancer biology and comparative oncology. He was elected FRSE and FRCVS in 2016 for meritorious contributions to knowledge. He was elected FRSA in 2019 for contributions to social progress and development.
Cancer Stem Cells
Lisa Pang, PhD
Research Fellow at The Roslin Institute
The University of EdinburghUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Pang completed her PhD in cancer cell signalling at the CRUK Cancer Research Centre and during her PhD she identified a novel p21 feedback loop in the regulation of p53. Dr. Pang subsequently worked at KuDOS Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge developing novel small molecule inhibitors against members of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase related kinase family, with the aim of sensitising cancer cells to DNA damage. Currently, Dr. Pang is a research fellow at The Roslin Institute and a member of The Comparative Oncology and Stem Cell Research Group at the University of Edinburgh. She teaches cell biology to graduate entry veterinary students and is a course organiser of the MSc Animal Biosciences course. The focus of Dr. Pang’s research is on unravelling the biology of cancer stem cells and further understanding the molecular mechanisms driving tumour repopulation after therapy.
Lisa Pang, PhD
Research Fellow at The Roslin Institute
The University of EdinburghUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Pang completed her PhD in cancer cell signalling at the CRUK Cancer Research Centre and during her PhD she identified a novel p21 feedback loop in the regulation of p53. Dr. Pang subsequently worked at KuDOS Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge developing novel small molecule inhibitors against members of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase related kinase family, with the aim of sensitising cancer cells to DNA damage. Currently, Dr. Pang is a research fellow at The Roslin Institute and a member of The Comparative Oncology and Stem Cell Research Group at the University of Edinburgh. She teaches cell biology to graduate entry veterinary students and is a course organiser of the MSc Animal Biosciences course. The focus of Dr. Pang’s research is on unravelling the biology of cancer stem cells and further understanding the molecular mechanisms driving tumour repopulation after therapy.
Canine Cancer Precision Medicine: Genomic Landscapes and Actionability Horizons
William Hendricks, PhD
Assistant Professor, Integrated Cancer Genomics
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
Dr. William Hendricks is an Assistant Professor of Integrated Cancer Genomics and Director of Institutional Research Initiatives at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Hendricks completed doctoral and postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the laboratories of Drs. Kenneth Kinzler, Bert Vogelstein, and Nickolas Papadopoulos before joining TGen in 2013 to develop programs in canine and human cancer precision medicine alongside Dr. Jeffrey Trent. His laboratory focuses on mapping genomic landscapes of canine and human cancers to drive development of new treatments and diagnostics across species.
William Hendricks, PhD
Assistant Professor, Integrated Cancer Genomics
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
Dr. William Hendricks is an Assistant Professor of Integrated Cancer Genomics and Director of Institutional Research Initiatives at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Hendricks completed doctoral and postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the laboratories of Drs. Kenneth Kinzler, Bert Vogelstein, and Nickolas Papadopoulos before joining TGen in 2013 to develop programs in canine and human cancer precision medicine alongside Dr. Jeffrey Trent. His laboratory focuses on mapping genomic landscapes of canine and human cancers to drive development of new treatments and diagnostics across species.
Cell Signaling and Signal Transduction Inhibitors
Cheryl London
Anne Engen and Dusty Professor of Comparative Oncology, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Medicine and School of Medicine at Tufts University
Associated Faculty Professor, Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Cheryl London, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology) is the Anne Engen and Dusty Professor of Comparative Oncology at The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Medicine at Tufts University, as well as an Associated Faculty Professor at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSU CVM). She is Director of the Veterinary Clinical Trials Office at the Cummings School and Director of the Research Collaboration Team and One Health Module at the Tufts Clinical Translational Science Institute.
Dr. London earned her DVM at Tufts University, completed her Residency in Medical Oncology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her PhD in Immunology at Harvard University, where she was also a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pathology. Following completion of her training, she was an Assistant Professor in the UC Davis Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine for six years. She then moved to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine where she held the Thekla R. and Donald B. Shackelford Professorship in Canine Medicine. Dr. London’s research interests center primary on targeted therapeutics and she has over 25 years of experience in comparative and translational oncology drug development leveraging spontaneous models of cancer in dogs.
Cheryl London
Anne Engen and Dusty Professor of Comparative Oncology, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Medicine and School of Medicine at Tufts University
Associated Faculty Professor, Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Cheryl London, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology) is the Anne Engen and Dusty Professor of Comparative Oncology at The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Medicine at Tufts University, as well as an Associated Faculty Professor at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSU CVM). She is Director of the Veterinary Clinical Trials Office at the Cummings School and Director of the Research Collaboration Team and One Health Module at the Tufts Clinical Translational Science Institute.
Dr. London earned her DVM at Tufts University, completed her Residency in Medical Oncology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her PhD in Immunology at Harvard University, where she was also a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pathology. Following completion of her training, she was an Assistant Professor in the UC Davis Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine for six years. She then moved to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine where she held the Thekla R. and Donald B. Shackelford Professorship in Canine Medicine. Dr. London’s research interests center primary on targeted therapeutics and she has over 25 years of experience in comparative and translational oncology drug development leveraging spontaneous models of cancer in dogs.
Discovery and Evaluation of Anticancer Drugs
David Lowery, PhD
Chief Product Development Manager
PetMedix
Dr. Lowery is currently the Chief Product Development Officer for PetMedix, a U.K.-based biotech that makes antibody drugs for Animal Health applications. He received a B.S. in Biochemistry from University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Iowa in 1988. David has worked in industrial pharmaceutical R&D his entire career (30+ years), working for larger pharmaceutical companies like The Upjohn Company, Pharmacia, Pfizer, Novartis, Elanco, Merial, and Boehringer Ingelheim. He has worked on vaccine, pharmaceutical, parasiticide, and biopharmaceutical projects. Although the majority of that time has been within the R&D departments of the Animal Health companies, the work has always been closely associated with a human health pharmaceutical partner.
David Lowery, PhD
Chief Product Development Manager
PetMedix
Dr. Lowery is currently the Chief Product Development Officer for PetMedix, a U.K.-based biotech that makes antibody drugs for Animal Health applications. He received a B.S. in Biochemistry from University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Iowa in 1988. David has worked in industrial pharmaceutical R&D his entire career (30+ years), working for larger pharmaceutical companies like The Upjohn Company, Pharmacia, Pfizer, Novartis, Elanco, Merial, and Boehringer Ingelheim. He has worked on vaccine, pharmaceutical, parasiticide, and biopharmaceutical projects. Although the majority of that time has been within the R&D departments of the Animal Health companies, the work has always been closely associated with a human health pharmaceutical partner.
Epigenetics of Cancer
Dr. Jeffrey Bryan
DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology)
Professor of Oncology
University of Missouri
Dr. Jeffrey Bryan’s research focuses on comparative examination of cancers in companion animals to better understand cancers in all species. Dr. Bryan is an associate professor of veterinary oncology and director of the Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory. His particular areas of interest are targeted imaging and therapy and epigenetics of cancer. Targeted imaging and therapy agents take advantage of particular properties of cancer to deliver an imaging or therapy payload to tumors. Dr. Bryan is leading research projects studying an immunotherapy agent targeted to the low-oxygen environment of cancer, an herbal derivative that targets iron in tumors, and a nanoparticle chemotherapy targeted to the lymphatic drainage of cancer. The agents under evaluation are destined for use in both dogs and humans to treat lymphomas as well as solid tumors like sarcomas, head and neck cancer, and breast cancer. Each of these trials is designed to develop an approach that is less toxic and more effective than our current cancer treatments.
Dr. Bryan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in veterinary science from the University of California - Davis in 1991. He received his DVM from the University of California - Davis in 1993. He then worked as an Associate Veterinarian from 1993-1995, and then served as Medical Director of the Irving Street Veterinary Hospital in San Francisco, CA from 1995-2002. Dr. Bryan then completed a medical oncology residency, a Masters of Biomedical Sciences, and a PhD in Pathobiology at the University of Missouri. He received certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Oncology 2005. He has been a research assistant professor at the University of Missouri and an assistant professor of Oncology at Washington State University prior to his current post at the University of Missouri. He is the Director of the Tom and Betty Scott Endowed Program in Veterinary Oncology, the Comparative Oncology Radiobiology and Epigenetics Laboratory, and the PET Imaging Center of the University of Missouri.
Dr. Jeffrey Bryan
DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology)
Professor of Oncology
University of Missouri
Dr. Jeffrey Bryan’s research focuses on comparative examination of cancers in companion animals to better understand cancers in all species. Dr. Bryan is an associate professor of veterinary oncology and director of the Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory. His particular areas of interest are targeted imaging and therapy and epigenetics of cancer. Targeted imaging and therapy agents take advantage of particular properties of cancer to deliver an imaging or therapy payload to tumors. Dr. Bryan is leading research projects studying an immunotherapy agent targeted to the low-oxygen environment of cancer, an herbal derivative that targets iron in tumors, and a nanoparticle chemotherapy targeted to the lymphatic drainage of cancer. The agents under evaluation are destined for use in both dogs and humans to treat lymphomas as well as solid tumors like sarcomas, head and neck cancer, and breast cancer. Each of these trials is designed to develop an approach that is less toxic and more effective than our current cancer treatments.
Dr. Bryan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in veterinary science from the University of California - Davis in 1991. He received his DVM from the University of California - Davis in 1993. He then worked as an Associate Veterinarian from 1993-1995, and then served as Medical Director of the Irving Street Veterinary Hospital in San Francisco, CA from 1995-2002. Dr. Bryan then completed a medical oncology residency, a Masters of Biomedical Sciences, and a PhD in Pathobiology at the University of Missouri. He received certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Oncology 2005. He has been a research assistant professor at the University of Missouri and an assistant professor of Oncology at Washington State University prior to his current post at the University of Missouri. He is the Director of the Tom and Betty Scott Endowed Program in Veterinary Oncology, the Comparative Oncology Radiobiology and Epigenetics Laboratory, and the PET Imaging Center of the University of Missouri.
Genomic Instability
Dr. Kelly Hume
DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)
Associate Professor
Cornell University
Dr. Hume received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University. She completed a residency in medical oncology at North Carolina State University in 2008 and a research fellowship in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University in 2010. She is currently an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cornell University. Her research focuses on understanding how DNA damage response and repair pathways modulate tumor suppression and chemosensitivity, with the ultimate goal of determining how the genetics of a given tumor can be used to best manipulate therapeutic combinations.
Dr. Kelly Hume
DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)
Associate Professor
Cornell University
Dr. Hume received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University. She completed a residency in medical oncology at North Carolina State University in 2008 and a research fellowship in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University in 2010. She is currently an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cornell University. Her research focuses on understanding how DNA damage response and repair pathways modulate tumor suppression and chemosensitivity, with the ultimate goal of determining how the genetics of a given tumor can be used to best manipulate therapeutic combinations.
Invasion and Metastasis
Robert B. Rebhun, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology)
Professor and Maxine Endowed Chair in Medical Oncology
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Rebhun currently serves as Professor and Maxine Adler Endowed Chair in Medical Oncology at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Rebhun is a second-generation veterinarian who received both his Bachelor of Science and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Cornell University. He then earned a Ph.D. degree in Cancer Biology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston/M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences under the mentorship of Dr. Isaiah Fidler. Dr. Rebhun went on to complete a medical oncology residency at the Flint Animal Cancer Center, at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Rebhun’s research is focused on comparative and translational oncology, with specific interests in metastasis, novel therapeutics, and immunotherapy. He has successfully maintained NIH funding since first being awarded a K01 SERCA award in 2011. Dr. Rebhun also serves as Chair of Admissions for the Graduate Group in Integrative Pathobiology at UC Davis and is Associate Director of the Cancer Program within the UC Davis Center for Companion Animal Health.
Robert B. Rebhun, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology)
Professor and Maxine Endowed Chair in Medical Oncology
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Rebhun currently serves as Professor and Maxine Adler Endowed Chair in Medical Oncology at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Rebhun is a second-generation veterinarian who received both his Bachelor of Science and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Cornell University. He then earned a Ph.D. degree in Cancer Biology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston/M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences under the mentorship of Dr. Isaiah Fidler. Dr. Rebhun went on to complete a medical oncology residency at the Flint Animal Cancer Center, at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Rebhun’s research is focused on comparative and translational oncology, with specific interests in metastasis, novel therapeutics, and immunotherapy. He has successfully maintained NIH funding since first being awarded a K01 SERCA award in 2011. Dr. Rebhun also serves as Chair of Admissions for the Graduate Group in Integrative Pathobiology at UC Davis and is Associate Director of the Cancer Program within the UC Davis Center for Companion Animal Health.
Pharmacology of Cancer Drugs and Resistance
Luke Wittenburg, DVM, PhD, DACVCP
Assistant Professor, Developmental Cancer Therapeutics
Surgical and Radiological Sciences Center for Companion Animal Health
Dr. Wittenburg received his DVM from Colorado State University in 2004 and went on to complete an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at a private practice in Los Angeles, California. Following this internship, he returned to Fort Collins and began a graduate program in Cancer Biology through the Program in Cell and Molecular Biology at Colorado State University. Dr. Wittenburg received his PhD in 2010 and continued at CSU as a post-doctoral researcher in the cancer pharmacology shared resource while completing a residency in veterinary clinical pharmacology, becoming a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology in 2013. After a couple of years as junior faculty at Colorado State he joined the faculty at University of California, Davis in 2016 as an assistant professor where he started the Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory. Research in the Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory currently focuses on the importance of transcription factor complex protein interactions in the malignant phenotype of osteosarcoma and the pharmacokinetics of chemotherapeutics in veterinary species.
Luke Wittenburg, DVM, PhD, DACVCP
Assistant Professor, Developmental Cancer Therapeutics
Surgical and Radiological Sciences Center for Companion Animal Health
Dr. Wittenburg received his DVM from Colorado State University in 2004 and went on to complete an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at a private practice in Los Angeles, California. Following this internship, he returned to Fort Collins and began a graduate program in Cancer Biology through the Program in Cell and Molecular Biology at Colorado State University. Dr. Wittenburg received his PhD in 2010 and continued at CSU as a post-doctoral researcher in the cancer pharmacology shared resource while completing a residency in veterinary clinical pharmacology, becoming a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology in 2013. After a couple of years as junior faculty at Colorado State he joined the faculty at University of California, Davis in 2016 as an assistant professor where he started the Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory. Research in the Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory currently focuses on the importance of transcription factor complex protein interactions in the malignant phenotype of osteosarcoma and the pharmacokinetics of chemotherapeutics in veterinary species.
Building the Immune Environment of Cancer
Principles of Cancer Immunotherapy
Tumor Microenvironment
Jaime Modiano, VMD, PhD
Perlman Professor of Oncology and Comparative Medicine Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
Dr. Jaime Modiano holds the Alvin and June Perlman Endowed Chair of Animal Oncology and is Director of the Animal Cancer Care and Research Program of the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. He completed his training through the Veterinary Medical Scientist Training Program (VMD, PhD) at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a residency in Clinical Pathology at Colorado State University and a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine. Before joining the University of Minnesota, he served on the faculties of Texas A&M University and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Modiano has also worked in the private sector as founder of Half Moon Bay Biotechnology, LLC and of ApopLogic Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Managing Partner for Veterinary Research Associates, LLC, and Director of Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy for the Donald Monk Cancer Research Foundation. Through his research, Dr. Modiano seeks to understand how and why cancer happens, as well as to develop strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of companion animals and humans. His research has been supported by federal and private sources without interruption for over 25 years. He has co-authored more than 500 scientific papers, abstracts, presentations, and book chapters focused on immunology, cancer biology and genetics, and therapeutic innovations for cancer and immune-mediated diseases.
Principles of Cancer Immunotherapy
Tumor Microenvironment
Jaime Modiano, VMD, PhD
Perlman Professor of Oncology and Comparative Medicine Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
Dr. Jaime Modiano holds the Alvin and June Perlman Endowed Chair of Animal Oncology and is Director of the Animal Cancer Care and Research Program of the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. He completed his training through the Veterinary Medical Scientist Training Program (VMD, PhD) at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a residency in Clinical Pathology at Colorado State University and a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine. Before joining the University of Minnesota, he served on the faculties of Texas A&M University and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Modiano has also worked in the private sector as founder of Half Moon Bay Biotechnology, LLC and of ApopLogic Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Managing Partner for Veterinary Research Associates, LLC, and Director of Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy for the Donald Monk Cancer Research Foundation. Through his research, Dr. Modiano seeks to understand how and why cancer happens, as well as to develop strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of companion animals and humans. His research has been supported by federal and private sources without interruption for over 25 years. He has co-authored more than 500 scientific papers, abstracts, presentations, and book chapters focused on immunology, cancer biology and genetics, and therapeutic innovations for cancer and immune-mediated diseases.