Epigenetics of Cancer

Course Information

Date: Anytime
Duration: 60 Minutes
Location: Virtual
Audience: ACVIM, ECEIM, ECVIM-CA and ECVN Diplomates and candidates
Specialty: Oncology
Type: On Demand
CE Hours: 1.0

Course Overview

This lecture describes the common, currently understood epigenetic mechanisms of mammalian cells that contribute to carcinogenesis.  It will explain an overall mechanism for each type of epigenetic modification, and give specifics in veterinary oncology where they have been published.  The student should be able to describe the effects of these epigenetic modifications on gene expression and cell function after this lecture.

Learning Objectives:

  • How DNA methylation contributes to cancer
  • How histone changes contribute to cancer
  • How miRNAs and IncRNAs contribute to cancer
  • The clinical impact of epigenetic changes

RACE Application Status

This module has been submitted and approved for 1.0 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval.

For additional questions, please contact us at Learning@ACVIM.org.

Presenter

Jeffery Bryan, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology)

Jeffrey Bryan, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology) 
Associate Professor of Veterinary Oncology
Director of Comparative and Epigenetics Laboratory
The University of Missouri

 

Dr. Jeffrey Bryan’s research focuses on comparative examination of cancers in companion animals to better understand cancers in all species. Dr. Bryan is an associate professor of veterinary oncology and director of the Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory. His particular areas of interest are targeted imaging and therapy and epigenetics of cancer. Targeted imaging and therapy agents take advantage of particular properties of cancer to deliver an imaging or therapy payload to tumors. Dr. Bryan is leading research projects studying an immunotherapy agent targeted to the low-oxygen environment of cancer, an herbal derivative that targets iron in tumors, and a nanoparticle chemotherapy targeted to the lymphatic drainage of cancer. The agents under evaluation are destined for use in both dogs and humans to treat lymphomas as well as solid tumors like sarcomas, head and neck cancer, and breast cancer. Each of these trials is designed to develop an approach that is less toxic and more effective than our current cancer treatments.

Dr. Bryan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in veterinary science from the University of California - Davis in 1991. He received his DVM from the University of California - Davis in 1993. He then worked as an Associate Veterinarian from 1993-1995, and then served as Medical Director of the Irving Street Veterinary Hospital in San Francisco, CA from 1995-2002. Dr. Bryan then completed a medical oncology residency, a Masters of Biomedical Sciences, and a PhD in Pathobiology at the University of Missouri. He received certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in Oncology 2005. He has been a research assistant professor at the University of Missouri and an assistant professor of Oncology at Washington State University prior to his current post at the University of Missouri. He is the Director of the Tom and Betty Scott Endowed Program in Veterinary Oncology, the Comparative Oncology Radiobiology and Epigenetics Laboratory, and the PET Imaging Center of the University of Missouri.