W H E R E
S C I E N C E
M E E T S
H O P E
TM
A focus on major health areas B y H ei d i J eter
When you look into the eyes of your beloved pet who is suffering from cancer or kidney disease or another animal illness, you are often searching for answers. That’s why so many people turn to Morris Animal Foundation and our quest for discoveries that will find solutions to animal health problems. Unfortunately, the field of science can be frustratingly slow. It’s unlikely that a single study will lead to a massive breakthrough. More often than not, one project builds upon another until, eventually, something critical is discovered that changes how veterinarians and owners are able to care for pets. While the focus is often on the “big breakthrough,” every step along the research path is important to reaching the destination. Morris Animal Foundation’s role is to make certain there is funding for all of the important steps—it’s one of the reasons we manage some 300 studies each year.
Improved quality of life Foundation–funded advancements in nutrition, pain management, prevention, disease management and welfare have increased the quality of life for pets and wildlife. By supporting the development of countless diagnostic tests, treatments and cures, the Foundation has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of animals.
Any one of these studies alone may not offer quick answers, but when you evaluate broad areas like cancer and infectious diseases, you can see that the Foundation has made significant inroads into preventing, diagnosing and treating animal illnesses. Nearly all of our studies fall within a handful of program areas: pet cancer, improved quality of life, emerging science and technology, training new scientists and global wildlife health.
Morris Animal Foundation prides itself on funding both basic and clinically applicable research. Some of the areas of cutting-edge science supported by the Foundation include stem-cell therapy research, development of genetic tests, testing of alternative medicines, and translational use of human medicines and procedures to help animals.
Pet cancer
Training new scientists
Morris Animal Foundation has supported more than 200 cancer studies to improve the health of dogs, cats and horses. These studies have led to more effective treatments, improved diagnostic tools and identification of genetic factors associated with cancer—all of which are helping owners and veterinarians prevent and treat cancer in pets.
From its earliest beginnings, the Foundation’s funding has helped train thousands of researchers. Formal programs such as the Veterinary Student Scholars Program, Fellowship Training Grants and First Award Grants have helped launched the careers of some of the veterinary research community’s most promising scientific minds.
Emerging science and technology
continued on page 3
13.2 13.3
volume