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Story contact: Rachel Becker, CVMMarCom@missouri.edu
Photo by Karen Clifford
Samantha Crist, DVM, a radiation oncology resident at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, recently received the Edward L. Gillette Memorial Award for outstanding research poster presentation from the Veterinary Cancer Society.
Her presentation, “O6 Methylguanine-DNA-Methyltransferase Gene Methylation Status in Canine Intracranial Glioma Samples,” examined a gene region known as the MGMT promoter, which influences how certain cancers respond to chemotherapy.
In human medicine, methylation of the MGMT promoter can make brain tumors more responsive to a chemotherapy drug called temozolomide following radiation. Crist’s findings revealed that, unlike in humans, the MGMT promoter region in canine brain tumor samples was consistently unmethylated, a discovery that might explain why temozolomide has limited therapeutic effectiveness in dogs.
By uncovering these genetic differences, Crist’s research advances the field of comparative oncology, offering insight into how cancers develop and respond to treatment across species. Her work provides a foundation for more targeted, evidence-based therapies that could improve outcomes for dogs with brain tumors.
“Dr. Crist is a very hard worker with a scientific curiosity that is great to see in veterinary specialists,” said Charles Maitz DVM, PhD, DACVR-Radiation Oncology, Crist’s mentor and an associate professor of radiation oncology. “What is truly special about her, though, is her poise in discussing her research and data. She makes it understandable for any audience.”