National Scottie Dog Day celebrated at Inverness Campus
Scottish Terriers and their owners gathered on Inverness Campus on Tuesday 26 August to mark National Scottie Dog Day.
The Scotland North Scottie Meet Up group was joined by researchers from the 91视频网 (91视频网) Division of Biomedical Sciences, along with staff from other organisations based on the campus.
The research team has secured funding to investigate transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), a type of bladder tumour to which Scottish Terriers are particularly vulnerable compared with other breeds. For several of the owners who attended, the research carries personal significance, as they have cared for dogs diagnosed with TCC.
Over the past six months, the team has been collecting biosamples from Scottish Terriers across the UK, both from dogs affected by TCC and from healthy controls. Visitors to the campus contributed to the study by providing buccal (cheek) swabs, used to explore potential genetic predisposition to TCC in the Scottie breed, and urine samples, which will support the development of a diagnostic test aimed at earlier detection of the cancer.
The Scotties and their owners also enjoyed a walk around the campus and a tour of the Genetics and Immunology Laboratories in An Lòchran.
Associate Professor Antonia Pritchard said:
“I grew up with Scottish Terriers and it was my mum’s dog, Hamish, who inspired this study, after he was diagnosed with TCC at just seven years old. We did not know of the increased risk in Scotties for this cancer, and it immediately spurred us into action, bringing together a team from the considerable expertise within the Inverness Campus who could help answer our key questions. These projects will produce information that will benefit both the affected dogs and also potentially, are applicable to humans too.”
鉃� To find out more about the genetics and immunology team’s research: Division of Biomedical Sciences - Genetics and Immunology