Meet the Scientist
Dr. Timothy Fan has dedicated his career to advancing cancer research that improves the lives of dogs and the people who love them. A professor of veterinary clinical medicine at the University of Illinois Cancer Center, Dr. Fan is a leader in canine comparative oncology, helping uncover new treatment strategies that benefit both veterinary and human medicine.
Through his roles as Associate Director for Translational Research and Development at the Cancer Center, Assistant Head of Research and Graduate Studies, and Director of Veterinary Clinical Trials at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Fan helps guide innovative studies that translate scientific discovery into real progress for patients. Read about his current CHF-funded work featured in the article, A New Frontier for Bladder Cancer in Dogs.
The AKC Canine Health Foundation is proud to recognize Dr. Fan for his dedication to advancing knowledge and improving outcomes for dogs with cancer.
What first drew you to veterinary medicine or canine health research?
AI have always been a dog person from a young age for as long as I can remember since childhood. I have had dogs in my life since I was a young teenager, and they have always provided me with emotional enrichment and unwavering friendship and love throughout my life. This bond with dogs motivated me to become a veterinarian, and my goals as a veterinarian have evolved towards research to address some of the most pressing clinical problems encountered in veterinary medicine, particularly cancer.
The Path to Canine Health Research
Has working with dogs changed how you view research?
Research can be very basic science oriented and purely for the pursuit of knowledge. However, research can also be tuned to expand our understanding of various pathologies, and ultimately how to improve clinical management for the betterment of patients. Towards the goal of translational impact, I have chosen to pursue research that addresses pressing clinical problems that affect companion animals including pet dogs and cats. Working towards a clinical goal has not necessarily changed my view of research (I think that research is essential for discovery and advancement), but does provide strong clinical justification for performing research for the betterment of animal health.
Areas of Exploration
What questions are you most interested in exploring right now?
Immunotherapy is a fascinating and complex field of study, and this is particularly interesting for me and my research laboratory currently. There are so many different strategies that can be explored and more deeply understood to improve the treatment of cancer in pet dogs and cats.
Why It Matters for Dogs
What excites you most about the potential impact of this research?
Understanding how to leverage the immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells that potentially could lead to curing cancer is tremendously impactful. What is learned from dogs or cats with cancer, and how might these discoveries help shape the field of human immuno-oncology is extremely rewarding.
Supporting Discovery Together
How do collaborations with veterinarians, researchers, dog owners, and breeders support your work?
For cancer research to be most impactful, there needs to be a large community that supports these efforts. Working with like-minded veterinarians, researchers, dog owners, and breeders, all who want to improve the treatment of cancer through collaboration through a shared vision is essential to accelerate discoveries to clinical impact. Having the support of many vested parties makes the “purpose” of cancer research important for everyone involved and motivates me to work harder to find discoveries that will improve the lives of pet dogs diagnosed with cancer.
Looking Ahead
What keeps you motivated to continue this work?
My research is exciting to me and fulfills my curiosity about how to better treat dogs and cats with cancer. Most importantly, I believe my work in the field of veterinary oncology has been impactful with respect to improving the lives of pet dogs and pet owners alike, and continues to motivate me to keep pushing the field of veterinary oncology research.
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