Search Results: “Cardiovascular disease”

Peanut Taking a Break

Peanut is a dog with a naturally-occurring form of muscular dystrophy. He is resting with his research technician after a round of walking across a specially-designed floor plate that measures and records the strength of his muscles to determine whether treatments to reverse the disease are effective.

Beagle Playing with Kong

Beagles have been important for many medical advancements, from understanding body systems and disease processes to the development of new medicines and treatments for both people and animals. Researchers, veterinarians and animal caregivers work together to provide for the needs of these amazing animals. Toys are provided and…

A Boy’s Best Friend

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a debilitating genetic condition that affects 1 in every 3,500-5,000 boys born worldwide. Golden retrievers have a spontaneously occurring muscular dystrophy that is genetically identical to that of young boys. The similarities don't stop there. In boys and dogs the disease can vary from…

Mice with “good cholesterol” gene

These mice are part of a study to help understand how HDL cholesterol, “the good cholesterol,"protects people from heart attacks. They are transgenic mice carrying the human gene APOA1, which produces a protein component of HDL cholesterol. Animals with this gene are highly resistant to heart disease. When…

Golden syrian hamster in a tube

Golden Syrian hamsters are susceptible to a virus called SV40 which is related to human-associated viruses in a family called polyomaviruses.  SV40 is a virus that causes cancer in hamsters making them a valuable model for studying how these types of viruses may cause cancer in humans in…

Immunodeficient mouse with caretaker

Immunodeficient mice, like this one, need specialized care to ensure their health is not compromised. They are important for several research areas including immunology, infectious disease, cancer, and organ transplantation.  These particular mice are bred so that they lack a thymus gland, which reduces the number of T…