Education Seminar

Date/time: Wednesday, June 3rd, 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Speaker: Dr. Heidi Parker


Title: Canine Genetics: How to Find the Genes that Cause Disease

Dr. Heidi Parker is a Researcher at the Cancer Genetics Branch of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health. She has been studying the genetics of canine disease for over a decade. She was a significant contributor to the dog genome project. In conjunction with Dr. Elaine Ostrander, Dr. Parker has identified a gene that predisposes Bernese Mountain Dogs to malignant histiocytosis, a very aggressive type of cancer that is also very prevalent in Flat-Coated Retrievers. She has also been instrumental in identifying genes involved in squamous cell carcinomas and transitional cell carcinomas. She is currently working to identify genes in the Flat-Coated Retriever that make this breed susceptible to malignant histiocytosis and the related disease, histiocytic sarcoma.

Come to Dr. Parker’s talk learn about exciting breakthroughs in canine cancer genetics and show your support for our research studies.