822: Canine Comparative Oncology and Genomics Consortium (CCOGC)
Grant Status: Closed
Project Summary
In June of 2004, an informal collaboration of veterinary and medical oncologists, pathologists, surgeons, geneticists, and molecular and cellular biologists emerged at a meeting hosted by the Broad Institute, in Boston. These investigators shared a common interest, the comparative study of canine and human genomics and cancer. With the imminent availability of a high quality canine genome assembly, they sought to leverage opportunities that would result from a better defined understanding of the genetics and biology of cancers in companion animals, to provide a forum for discussion and sharing of resources and reagents, and to guide the development of novel technologies that would allow the study and use of appropriate canine cancers in the global study of cancer biology and therapy. Over the ensuing months this collaboration named itself the Canine Comparative Oncology and Genomics Consortium (CCOGC) and began drafting an agenda and list of priorities. In 2007 the CCOGC incorporated as a Not-For-Profit and obtained 501(c)3 status. The goals of the CCOGC are to facilitate strategic partnerships and collaborations across a diversity of disciplines, focused on the problem of cancer in dogs. Early priorities of the CCOGC included advocacy for the field of Comparative Oncology, the development of a mechanism to share reagents and resources in the community, and the development of a biospecimen repository. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PFIZER-CCOGC BIOSPECIMAN REPOSITORY The Pfizer-CCOGC Biospecimen Repository has received support from the intramural National Cancer Institute to establish and maintain a physical bank in Frederick, Maryland and to have this bank linked to a web-enabled interface for access to tissues. The physical bank is managed by Fisher Bioservices and is part of the NCI Frederick Central Repository Services. The facility is over 33,000 sq ft, has 24-hr temperature monitoring, four 250KW generators, and back-up generators. The bank consists of -80C freezers, chemical storage for embedded tissues, barcoding, hardware, software and a web-enabled sample management system. The bioinformatics platform for the repository includes a database that will connect clinical information on samples entered to the study with a front and back end retrieval system. Biological data derived from samples in the Repository are uploaded into the bioinformatics database and become part of the progressive value of the Repository. It is expected that the value of this biological data will exceed the physical value of tissues over time. The repository houses tumor tissue, normal tissues, serum, plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cell preparations, genomic DNA, RNA and urine samples. The cases will have tumor and normal tissue collected and processed in both ethanol and two frozen formats. Standard operating procedures of tissue/sample collection have been established and are subject to annual review. FUNDING OF THE PFIZER-CCOGC BIOSPECIMEN REPOSITORY In recognition of the importance of a canine cancer biospecimen repository, the CCOGC was initially funded by generous sponsorship of the Morris Animal Foundation ($250,000) and the AKC Canine Heath Foundation ($350,000). With $650,000 available, the CCOGC Biospecimen Repository became viable and by May 2007, three sites had been selected to start sample collection for three (lymphoma, melanoma and osteosarcoma) of the seven major histologies. With a substantial lead gift from Pfizer Animal Health ($1,100,000), four additional sites were selected and began collection within a year. CCOGC currently has seven sites (Colorado State University; Ohio State University; and University of Wisconsin-Madison, Tufts University; Michigan State University; University of California-Davis; and University of Missouri-Columbia.) collecting all seven histologies (lymphoma, melanoma and osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, mast cell tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, pulmonary tumors).
Publication(s)
Help Future Generations of Dogs
Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.
