Cancer doesn’t care what species you are
Cancer is a large group of diseases caused by out-of-control cell growth. Cancer harms the body when altered cells divide uncontrollably to form masses of tissue called tumours. Tumours can grow and interfere with almost every single part of the body, including the digestive, nervous, reproductive and circulatory systems, and they can release hormones that totally alter normal body function.
There are hundreds of different types of cancer indiscriminately affecting families around the world.
View our video case study demonstrating the potential for One Medicine in this area:
One Medicine Cancer Discovery Fund
This funding was awarded to a pioneering study that will focus on oronasal mucosal melanoma (OMM), a rare but aggressive cancer of the mouth and nose that behaves almost identically across species. This groundbreaking cancer research could transform treatment for both humans and dogs. Find out more.
The aim of our Cancer Discovery Fund is to create collaborative multi-disciplinary partnerships and projects that can change the landscape of cancer research.
Cancer does not discriminate between species. Approximately 1 in 4 dogs, 1 in 3 cats, and as many as 1 in 2 humans will develop cancer during their lifetime[1].
Tumour biology, development and prognosis can be remarkably similar between humans and animals for some types of cancer. Humans and companion animals also live in the same environments and may share similar lifestyles. These and other factors open up huge opportunities for cross-discipline knowledge sharing and learning between human and veterinary researchers and clinicians in cancer research.
This call has been designed to harness spontaneous disease and encourage collaborative projects that aim to improve cancer diagnosis and understanding of cancer disease biology; develop new cancer treatments or improve existing treatments; and improve quality of life for humans and animals with cancer.
The Fund is up to £250,000 for a single project.
[1] Data from the American Veterinary Association and Cancer Research UK (for UK adults born after 1960), accessed in July 2024.
Kelly Blacklock from the team delivering our Cancer Research Fund project was also the first speaker in our 2025/26 One Medicine webinar series:
Save time, save money, save lives
Sign the Humanimal Trust Pledge for ONE Medicine today