BrisScience (May 2020): Man's best friend - helping us cure cancer

To adhere to Government advice, BrisScience is temporarily being delivered as a series of shorter, online lectures. We hope you enjoy BrisScience in this modified format.

Cancer is a devastating disease caused by out of control cells growing in a patient’s body. Nearly everyone has been touched by cancer in a relative or friend, however most people don’t realise dogs get cancer too. In fact 1 in 3 dogs will develop cancer in their lifetime. Cancer in dogs is so similar to human cancer researchers can work together to design better cures for both dogs and humans.

This month's BrisScience will examine a new treatment method that works to wake up a dog’s immune system so it fights and destroys the cancer. This method has been able to cure dogs with ‘incurable cancer’.

These treatments directly benefit dogs, and help researchers explore how these therapies can help people with cancer too.

Meet the presenter:

Associate Professor Rachel Allavena is a veterinary pathologist who specialises in studying animal diseases. She has a PhD in immunology and has worked in drug development. Her research develops cancer treatments for pet dogs by triggering the dog’s immune system to wake up and fight their cancer. She also works on conservation of Queensland koalas, determining the major causes of koala injury and disease.

Dr Allavena teaches pathology, toxicology and laboratory animal science at The School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, where she is the Deputy Head of School and lead of the veterinary pathology service.