Cancer CareJanuary 10, 2023
Winter issue of Synthesis magazine features canine contributing to cancer fight
Magazine showcases cross-campus collaboration and advancements in the cancer fight
(SACRAMENTO)
The winter issue of UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center’s biannual magazine Synthesis is online. It shares the story of a cancer clinical trial for companion pets that may also help people with cancer. Meet Tyson, a beloved dog, who is participating in a unique clinical trial through a partnership between UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Center for Companion Animal Health. The collaborative research is called comparative oncology and you will read in Synthesis how it is making a big difference in the fight against cancer.
The magazine also reports on the new Center for Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer that will serve as an incubator for promising cancer therapies, taking them from the lab to the patient bedside. In other news, a National Center for Interventional Biophotonic Technologies, part of the new Aggie Square under construction on the UC Davis Health campus, will advance two optical imaging technologies. UC Davis scientists are behind breakthrough advances that make microscopic removal of the smallest of tumors possible.
Read in this issue of Synthesis about new pilot studies that will look at the cancer risk posed by wildfire smoke. The issue also provides an overview of how the cancer center is supporting the early careers of oncology researchers through programs designed to give researchers from underrepresented backgrounds the resources they need to succeed.
You will get a glimpse of Yoshihiro Izumiya’s lab in this issue. His team of scientists uncovered a cell protein that has enabled an HIV-related sarcoma to evade detection. We also introduce a new gene profiling technology that diagnoses melanoma in early stages, when it is more treatable.
Understanding who gets certain cancers and why and which communities carry heavy cancer burdens is as important as making strides in medicine and biotechnology. A large part of the magazine is devoted to examining cancers unique to Asian Americans and the role that racism may play in preventing underserved Asian Americans from accessing care and benefiting from cancer research.
Click here to receive a free subscription to the print version of Synthesis. Questions or comments? Contact Synthesis editor Stephanie Winn at stawinn@ucdavis.edu.
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated center serving the Central Valley and inland Northern California, a region of more than 6 million people. Its specialists provide compassionate, comprehensive care for more than 100,000 adults and children every year and access to more than 200 active clinical trials at any given time. Its innovative research program engages more than 240 scientists at UC Davis who work collaboratively to advance discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat cancer. Patients have access to leading-edge care, including immunotherapy and other targeted treatments. Its Office of Community Outreach and Engagement addresses disparities in cancer outcomes across diverse populations, and the cancer center provides comprehensive education and workforce development programs for the next generation of clinicians and scientists. For more information, visit cancer.ucdavis.edu.
