The potential for advancements in canine research is greater than ever, and Cornell has a legacy of transformative contributions upon which we can build.

Cornell offers expertise from the very beginning of the research continuum — working from molecular-level discoveries to showing how these findings translate into real-world impact. By covering the full research process, we can test how our research applies to clinical settings — empowering our clinicians to perform cutting-edge medical advancements in our hospitals and clinics.

Explore how the Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center is investing in critical, innovative and collaborative research that will help dogs live longer, healthier, happier lives.

2026 - 2027 Funded Research Projects:

Building a Broader, Longer-Lasting Leptospirosis Vaccine for Dogs

A computationally designed multiepitope vaccine for canine leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can damage a dog’s kidneys, liver and lungs and can sometimes be fatal. Infected dogs—including dogs that do not appear sick—may release the bacteria in their urine. Because people can also become infected, leptospirosis is both a canine health concern and a public health concern. Current vaccines are important, but their protection may be short-lived, may not cover every disease-causing type of the bacteria and can cause reactions that make some owners hesitant to vaccinate.

Dr. Chien’s team will use computer-based methods to identify small pieces of important Leptospira proteins that are shared across several types of the bacteria. The researchers will combine these pieces into one multiepitope vaccine, or MEV, designed to train both antibody-producing cells and other immune cells. They will first test whether the vaccine produces a strong immune response and protects hamsters from infection. If successful, this work could support development of a safer, broader and more durable leptospirosis vaccine for dogs.

Principal Investigator: Chia-Ching (Rory) Chien, DVM, MSc, PhD, DACVP, Assistant Professor, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences

Understanding the Gut’s Lymphatic System in Dogs with Protein-Losing Enteropathy

Gut lymphatic mechanisms in canine protein-losing enteropathy (PLE)

Tiny lymphatic vessels called lacteals sit inside the finger-like villi that line the intestine. Lacteals absorb fats, vitamins, medicines and immune cells. Nearby smooth muscle cells help these vessels move lymph through the body. In some dogs with PLE, lacteals become enlarged; in rare, severe cases, they may be missing. Either problem can disrupt nutrient absorption and allow protein-rich fluid to leak into the intestine.

Dr. Kurpios’s team will study stored and newly collected intestinal biopsies from dogs receiving veterinary care. The researchers will look closely at the lacteals, their connections with smooth muscle cells and the tiny junctions between cells that control lymph flow. They will also use single-cell gene activity data to identify which cell types and developmental programs are altered.

Steroids are commonly used for PLE, but not every dog improves. By comparing the lymphatic features of dogs that do and do not respond, this research may reveal why treatment works for some patients and not others—and point toward new therapies for canine PLE.

Principal Investigator: Natasza Kurpios, PhD, Professor, Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences

Creating the First Detailed Molecular Map of the Healthy Canine Brain

Mapping lipids and glycogen in canine brain tissue with MALDI mass spectrometry imaging

Dogs and people share several naturally occurring brain conditions, and their brains have important structural similarities. However, scientists still lack a clear picture of how many molecules are normally distributed across the canine brain. Without that reference, it is harder to recognize meaningful changes caused by disease.

Dr. Demeter’s team will use matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging, usually shortened to MALDI-MSI. This technology scans a thin tissue section and creates a location-based molecular “map.” The researchers will map structural lipids, which are essential parts of brain cells and nerve insulation, and measure glycogen, a stored form of sugar used for energy. They will test both frozen samples and routinely preserved tissue, making it possible to use valuable archived samples in future studies.

Once validated, this approach could help scientists find new disease markers and treatment targets directly within brain tissue. It may improve research and, eventually, support more personalized diagnosis and care for dogs with neurologic disease.

Principal investigator: Alina Demeter, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Assistant Professor, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences

Testing a New Type of CT Scan for Brain Disease in Dogs

Photon-counting computed tomography compared with MRI for canine intracranial lesions

MRI is commonly used to examine the brain because it can show subtle changes in soft tissue. Photon-counting CT is a newer form of CT that records individual X-ray particles and their energy. This can produce highly detailed images and may provide useful information about tissue composition. Before veterinarians can rely on it for canine brain disease, its performance must be measured directly against MRI.

Dr. Tollefson’s team will prospectively enroll dogs that need brain imaging as part of their veterinary care. The researchers will compare the two scans using the same standards for finding and describing lesions. They will assess tumors, bleeding, strokes, inflammation, swelling and degenerative disease. They will also ask whether performance differs between a single, mass-like lesion and a more widespread change in brain tissue.

The goal is not simply to decide whether one scan is “better.” Instead, the study will identify which diseases photon-counting CT can evaluate accurately and when MRI is still needed, helping veterinarians choose the most useful imaging test for each dog.

Principal Investigator: Chris Tollefson, DVM, Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences

Developing Ready-to-Use Immune Cells to Fight Cancer in Dogs

Platforms to produce canine cancer-fighting T cells and natural killer cells

Two types of white blood cells are especially good at killing abnormal cells. CD8+ T cells recognize specific targets on cancer cells, while natural killer, or NK, cells detect signs that a cell is stressed or dangerous. These cells have helped transform human cancer treatment. In dogs, however, cell-based therapy usually requires collecting and preparing cells from each individual patient. That process is expensive, and cells taken from a dog with cancer may already be weakened.

Dr. Rudd’s team will develop two laboratory systems. First, the researchers will build an artificial thymic organoid—a small, three-dimensional model of the organ where T cells mature—to produce canine CD8+ T cells from stem cells. Second, they will develop “memory-like” canine NK cells that have been trained to respond more strongly to cancer. The team will then test how well the resulting cells kill canine cancer cells.

This early-stage work is designed to build the tools needed for future treatments. If successful, it could create a repeatable source of high-quality immune cells and expand access to immunotherapy for dogs with cancer.

Principal Investigator: Brian Rudd, PhD, Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

Building Better Antibody Tests for Canine Health and Disease

New monoclonal antibody tools to measure canine IgG and IgM immune responses

Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system. Two major groups are immunoglobulin M (IgM), which often appears early in an immune response, and immunoglobulin G (IgG), which includes several subtypes with different jobs. Scientists need dependable reagents—special laboratory tools that recognize a specific antibody—to determine which immune responses are present and how strong they are. Compared with human medicine, canine researchers have relatively few well-characterized reagents available.

Dr. Wagner’s team has developed monoclonal antibodies designed to recognize canine IgM and IgG. The researchers will now determine exactly what each tool detects. They will purify canine antibodies, produce the different canine IgG subtypes in laboratory cells and test the new reagents using several methods. They will also identify matched pairs of reagents that can measure the amount of IgM and each IgG subtype in a dog’s blood.

The final tools will be made available to support canine research and diagnostic development. By allowing laboratories to measure immune responses more accurately, this project could speed progress across a wide range of diseases and treatments.

Principal Investigator: Bettina Wagner, DVM, PhD, James Law Professor of Immunology, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences