Institute for Comparative Cancer Investigation

Introduction

The Institute for Comparative Cancer Investigation (ICCI) at the University of Guelph facilitates translational oncology research in companion animals at the OVC Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer by assisting with clinical trials and the OVC Veterinary Biobank (OVCVB) (formerly the Companion Animal Tumour Sample Bank). Our goals: to advance the understanding of cancer and improve treatment options to benefit both companion animal and human cancer patients.

Launched in 2007, the institute is the first of its kind in Canada, combining the expertise of researchers in basic cancer biology and clinicians in veterinary medicine to take an integrated approach to cancer studies that cannot easily be matched in human research settings. The ICCI is dedicated to furthering the understanding of the cancer for the benefit of all species, including humans.

A key component of this groundbreaking initiative is the establishment of a world-class Animal Cancer Centre in the OVC Health Sciences Centre. The centre is dedicated to cancer diagnosis, treatment, teaching and clinical research.

Please join us again this year for the annual ICCI Cancer Research Symposium, being held on Thursday 5^th June 2025! We look forward to a wonderful day of talks and presentations by local and international presenters. We are now accepting registrations and abstract submissions, and more information can be found on the symposium website.

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Research Publications with ICCI Contributions

• Immunological responses and clinical outcomes in dogs with osteosarcoma receiving standard therapy and a Listeria vaccine expressing HER2. (2025) Mason NJ, Selmic L, Ruple A, London CA, Barber L, Weishaar K, Perry JA, Mahoney J, Flesner B, Bryan JN, Willcox JL, Burton JH, Vail DM, Kisseberth WC, Balkman CE, McCleary-Wheeler AL, Curran KM, Leeper H, Woods JP, Mutsaers AJ, et al. Mol Ther: 33(4), 1674-1686.

• Cancer detection in clinical practice and using blood-based liquid biopsy: A retrospective audit of over 350 dogs. (2023) Flory A, McLennan L, Peet B, Kroll M, Stuart D, Brown D, Stuebner K, Phillips B, Coomber BL, Woods JP, et al. J Vet Intern Med: 37(1), 258-267.

• Clinical validation of a next-generation sequencing-based multi-cancer early detection “liquid biopsy” blood test in over 1,000 dogs using an independent testing set: The CANcer Detection in Dogs (CANDiD) study. (2022) Flory A, Kruglyak KM, Tynan JA, McLennan LM, Rafalko JM, Fiaux PC, Hernandez GE, Marass F, Nakashe P, Ruiz-Perez CA, Fath DM, Jennings T, Motalli-Pepio R, Wotrang K, McCleary-Wheeler AL, Lana S, Phillips B, Flesner BK, Leibman NF, LaDue T, Tripp CD, Coomber BL, Woods JP, et al. PLoS One: 17(4), e0266623.

• Adjuvant Sirolimus Does Not Improve Outcome in Pet Dogs Receiving Standard-of-Care Therapy for Appendicular Osteosarcoma: A Prospective, Randomized Trial of 324 Dogs. (2021) LeBlanc AK, Mazcko CN, Cherukuri A, Berger EP, Kisseberth WC, Brown ME, Lana SE, Weishaar K, Flesner BK, Bryan JN, Vail DM, Burton JH, Willcox JL, Mutsaers AJ, Woods JP et al. Clinical Cancer Research: 27(11), 3005-3016.

• Flow Cytometric Detection of Circulating Osteosarcoma Cells in Dogs. (2019) Wright T, Brisson BA, Wood GA, Oblak M, Mutsaers AJ, Sabine V, Skowronski K, Belanger C, Tiessen A & Bienzle D. Cytometry A: 95(9), 997–1007. Funded partly by the OVC Pet Trust.

• MicroRNA profiling in canine multicentric lymphoma. (2019) Craig K, Wood GA, Keller SM, Mutsaers AJ & Wood RD. PLoS ONE: 14(12), e0226357. Funded partly by the OVC Pet Trust.

• RNA disruption indicates CHOP therapy efficacy in canine lymphoma (2019) Parissenti AM, Pritzker LB, Guo B, Narendrula R, Wang SX, Lin LL, Pei J, Skowronski K, Bienzle D, Woods JP, Pritzker K & Coomber BL. BMC Vet Res: 15(1), 453. Funded partly by the OVC Pet Trust.

• Specific immunotypes of canine T cell lymphoma are associated with different outcomes. (2017) Deravi N, Berke O, Woods JP & Bienzle D. Vet Immunol Immunopathol: 191: 5-13.

• Influence of Various Factors on Circulating 25(OH) Vitamin D Concentrations in Dogs with Cancer and Healthy Dogs. (2017). Weidner N, Woods JP, Conlon P, Meckling KA, Atkinson JL, Bayle J, Makowski AJ, Horst, RL & Verbrugghe A. .J Vet Inter Med: 31(6), 1796–1803.

• Comparison of serum cytokine levels between dogs with multicentric lymphoma and healthy dogs. (2016) Calvalido J, Wood GA, Mutsaers AJ, Wood D, Sears W & Woods JP. Vet Immunol Immunopathol: 182:106–114.

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Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer and ICCI in the media:

• OVC News story interviewing Dr. Geoff Wood about the Companion Animal Tumour Sample Bank.
• ICCI Co-Assistant Director Geoff Wood recently had a “one health” study published in Nature Communications comparing cancer genomes from human mucosal melanoma, canine oral melanoma and equine melanoma.  This study was the first study to sequence equine tumours, and first to compare the genomes of the above three species (University of Guelph story here).
• CTV W5 featured a story about Max, an OVC patient and participant in an ICCI-coordinated, NIH funded multi-centre trial for dogs with osteosarcoma. This story highlighted two human patients who benefited from research done in canines.
• Nationalpost published an article on the important contribution that companion animal cancer patients provide by participating in clinical research studies to veterinary and human healthcare. 
• CityNews Toronto visited the Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer.
• GuelphToday – series of photographs following a visit of one of ICCI’s osteosarcoma patients to the Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer.
• Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer received a national award (CVMA Practice of the Year) in 2017 for comprehensive cancer care benefiting both humans and animals.
• ICCI member Dr. Alicia Viloria-Petit named “Top 10” Most influential Hispanic Canadians for her significant contributions to cancer research.

Past media stories: 

• Dr. Paul Woods, ICCI co-director, was featured on CBC’s The National, highlighting OVC’s participation in a North American wide trial exploring a novel treatment option for osteosarcoma patients. 
• CTV News reports on ICCI’s continuing efforts in the fight against canine, and potentially human, bone cancer. 
• Globe and Mail article highlighting the comparative and translational research taking place at the OVC Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer. 
• Global News story on the Animal Cancer Centre.
• OVC News story highlighting the Companion Animal Tumour Sample Bank

Associated Links Out:

• ICCI Annual Cancer Research Symposium – A collaborative opportunity to learn and share cancer research within the university as well as around the globe.
• OVC Pet Trust – Help the pets we love, live longer, healthier lives! OVC Pet Trust is Canada’s first charitable fund dedicated to the health and well-being of companion animals.
• Kennel to Cure – A research collective based at the OVC with collaborators and team members across Canada, focused on translational research between companion animal cancer research and human cancer research. Research focuses include pathobiology of tumourigenesis, novel therapeutics and personalized medicine, ethics and quality of life, and social, economic and logistical aspects of cancer search in Canada.
• Smiling Blue Skies – A broad scope support and resource page for all things about canine cancer, its treatment, and research. Smiling Blue Skies offers 24/7 support to anyone whose life has been touched by cancer.