Advancing Knowledge of the Molecular Mechanisms of Mast Cell Tumors

The researchers also examined which genes were affected by the highest numbers of abnormalities, and found that these regions coded for proteins associated with cell growth and division. Some of these proteins are known to be involved in tumor development. Future research efforts will focus on investigating whether these CNAs have any functional significance, and whether they can pinpoint which of the identified alterations are most likely to be responsible for aggressive biological behavior in high-grade MCTs.

Identifying differences between aggressive and non-aggressive MCTs will aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of these common but poorly understood tumors. This Fellowship Training Grant is providing Dr. Mochizuki with the experience necessary to succeed in a career in veterinary molecular oncology. Dr. Mochizuki’s ultimate goal is to discover better ways to manage animal cancers by conducting an independent clinical research program in molecular oncology.