Cancer Biology
Cancer chemo-prevention is an emerging medical practice for humans, and is well established for treatment of cancer in animals. LIU investigators produce and evaluate chemo-preventive products designed to prevent or delay cancer in canines. CVM faculty work on the pharmacology of hormone-dependent cancers and apply micro-RNAs and natural epigenetic agents to curb cancer progression and metastases. Please see the website for Dr. Anait Levenson for more details on current and future work in this area.
the Pathology and Molecular Pathophysiology
Research in the Pathology and Molecular Pathophysiology focus area addresses national needs in the areas of therapeutics, and basic research into mechanisms of disease that have broad One Health applications. The array of diseases and mechanisms of disease being investigated include work on signal transduction in the pathophysiology associated with airway remodeling in chronic airway inflammatory diseases, such as asthma; understanding the role of redox proteins in the pathophysiology of ischemic diseases and age-related disorders, particularly renal ischemia and reperfusion injury, and age-related macular degeneration (Dr. Jose Godoy). In the field of orthopedics (Dr. Meir Barak) studies bone structure-function relationships, bone material properties, bone modeling and remodeling, and the effects of aging on osteoporosis and bone health.
Molecular Immunology
The program in Molecular Immunology at the CVM is focused on mechanisms of immune regulation in tissue repair due to autoimmune diseases (such as multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease), skeletal disorders (such as bone injury), discovering, translating and applying regulatory T (Treg) and stem cells in therapy to restore the normal function of damaged organs and tissues, and airway inflammation and immune responses to diseases such as asthma. CVM’s molecular immunology research cluster include faculty members Drs. Rodolfo Nino- Fong and Xiaolei Tang. Details of the research being done by these investigators are available on their websites.
VETERINARY CLINICAL MEDICINE
Faculty working in Veterinary Clinical Medicine are investigating more applied, clinical approaches that are of direct benefit to animals, but also to humans. Many of the procedures used are those that are also being used in human medicine and psychiatry fields. Dr. Elena Contreras’s research focuses on chronic stress recognition and behavioral assessment using novel, non-invasive measures in cats and other animal species. Nutrition impacts health and disease in all organisms throughout their lives and veterinary nutritional research is key in developing new solutions to support animal health. Veterinary nutrition research at LIU CVM is focused on the connection between diet, health, and disease in companion domestic and non-domestic species. Research topics currently being investigated by Dr. Jonathan Stockman include the impact of diet on cardiac health in dogs, benefits of supplements during treatment for canine cancer, and the connection between diet and urinary health in pet ferrets.
