Page 8 - ACT Paws and Hooves - Autumn 2023

Your support funds

life-saving research

The Companion Animal investigation of pathophysiology of neurological
Brain Bank diseases at the cellular and molecular level e.g.
characterisation of disrupted cellular pathways,
An RVC animal brain bank, funded by the RVC Animal Care identification of biomarkers for disease diagnosis and
Trust, is helping researchers understand brain injuries in understanding the microenvironment of brain tumours.
dogs, cats and newborn babies. The Companion Animal This greater disease understanding has the potential to
Brain Bank (CABB) collects and stores samples of brain improve diagnosis and drive the development of new
tissue and other biological specimens for research and treatments for human and veterinary patients.”
educational purposes. Established in 2016, it facilitates The CABB has founded two important collaborative
translational research to benefit pets and humans with projects. Working with the Oxford Autoimmune
comparable diseases and injuries.
Neurology Group, researchers are studying inflammation
Over the last 30 years, significant advances in neurological of the brain in cats and humans. Similarities between
disease research have resulted from examining human and the two species is providing exciting scope for progress.
animal brain tissue. However, there has been a shortage The second project, a partnership with King's College
of brain tissue available to researchers globally. Sadly, London, is examining brain injuries in dogs and cats.
each year the RVC euthanises 100 dogs and cats due to A particular area of interest is brain injuries in newborn
neurological conditions. The CABB is a significant step babies, in which diagnosis and prognosis remain
forward in advancing knowledge and developing treatments extremely challenging.
for these complex and distressing diseases.
Our funding enabled the purchase of a freezer which has
The RVC lead on this project, Dr Abbe Crawford, said, a temperature of minus 80 C. The CABB can therefore
o
“Companion animal brain tissue facilitates detailed carefully store donated tissue.

Dr Abbe Crawford
Dr Abbe Crawford, Clinician in Neurology
and Neurosurgery

We are so grateful to
owners for their kindness in
allowing their pets to be such

an important contribution to
research. We hope that knowing
their animals are contributing
to disease understanding and

scientific advancement can be
of comfort to them.

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