The Translational Brain Tumor Center:
Redefining what is possible in veterinary brain tumor care:
Deliver cutting-edge treatment today
Pioneer discoveries that will transform care for patients tomorrow
The UC Davis Translational Brain Tumor Center brings together veterinarians, physicians, and brain tumor scientists to improve the way we treat brain tumors in companion animals and humans, alike. Led by Dr. Christine Toedebusch, this pioneering program leverages a rich network of research and discovery to bridge the gap between laboratory research and clinical medicine. The discoveries made here have the potential to accelerate new treatments for both people and their beloved animals—advancing the fight against one of the most challenging forms of cancer.
Partnering with the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, our experienced team of veterinary clinicians within the Translational Brain Tumor Center provide individualized, cutting-edge care to dogs and cats with brain tumors. This approach provides high-level care to pets with brain tumors and provides an opportunity to accelerate discovery and treatment for human brain tumor patients.
Putting the Puzzle Together:
Comparative Neuro-Oncology at UC Davis
Meet our Leadership and Clinical Team
A New Path Forward in Brain Tumor Treatment and Research
The Translational Brain Tumor Center combines the expertise of researchers, veterinarians, and physicians with the shared goal of improving the lives of brain tumor patients, both two- and four-legged. The collaborative framework of the Program facilitates communication and problem-solving across the key domains of research and patient care. This all-hands-on-deck approach gives a unique lens to identify critical problems and work together to develop innovative ways to solve them. We envision a multi-species iterative framework that will optimize the pipeline from laboratory research to clinical care, accelerating therapeutic breakthroughs for brain tumor patients across species.
Why Dogs Are Critically Important
Brain tumors remain some of the hardest cancers to treat. For many patients—both children and adults—outcomes have changed very little over the past several decades, and many brain tumors are still incurable. While most early research is done in laboratory animals like mice or rats, these models often fail to predict which treatments will actually work in people.
Pet dogs and cats offer a powerful and unique opportunity to change this. They naturally develop brain tumors that closely resemble human brain tumors. Dogs and cats share similar genetic changes, tumor growth patterns, symptoms such as seizures or neurological problems, and resistance to treatment. Because pets live alongside us—sharing our environments—and have diverse genetics and fully functioning immune systems, their tumors behave much more like those seen in human patients. Studying brain tumors in companion dogs and cats allows researchers to see how tumors grow and respond to treatment in real life, not just in the lab. Dogs also experience outcomes similar to humans, which means research can benefit both species at the same time—helping dogs receive better care while accelerating progress for people.
Benefits for Both Pets and People
This collaborative One Health approach creates meaningful benefits for both dogs and humans by advancing care and accelerating discovery.
For Dogs: earlier diagnosis, better treatment options, compassionate patient care.
For Humans: faster more accurate translation of therapies from the lab to the clinic.
By mapping the molecular and immune profiles of companion animal brain tumors and harnessing the resources of UC Davis’ veterinary and medical schools, UC Davis researchers are building a bridge between veterinary and human medicine—one that brings us closer to life-saving treatments for all.