Comparative Medicine Research Theme

Translating scientific and clinical knowledge of human and veterinary medicine to advance the well-being of people and animals.

Key aims and expertise

Comparative medicine seeks to promote the health and welfare of animals and people by exploiting advances in clinical and scientific knowledge of diseases arising in animals and humans. By identifying where disease processes are similar in animals and people, therapies developed for human medicine may be applicable to treat the disease in companion animals. Similarly an understanding of disease processes in animals can identify novel approaches to prevent and or treat pathogenesis in animals and humans. At Nottingham, researchers with expertise in human and veterinary diseases collaborate to ensure advances can be applied as soon as possible. We apply the most advanced molecular and genomic technologies including next generation sequencing, epigenomics, metabolomics, molecular biology. Our research efforts are supported by having expertise in bioinformatics, biostatistics and bioethics within the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.

Current projects

At present our research strengths are thematically organised, studying comparative aspects of

1. Cancer Pathogenesis

2. Cardiovascular Disease

3. Musculoskeletal Disease

4. Age-related Disease

Future directions

We aim to consolidate Nottingham’s position as the leading national centre for the Study of Comparative Medicine, linking with the Centre for Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine (CEVM) and existing centres of biomedical research excellence in human medicine at the University of Nottingham, the Queen’s Medical Centre and Royal Derby hospital.  We will extend our client and practice-based network of spontaneous disease in companion animals and use this as a unique opportunity to secure funding from research councils, industry and other stakeholders to study the one medicine of the future – Comparative Medicine.

Significant results

• Nottingham researcher advances geriatric care for older dogs
• Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in neurodegenerative disorders
• Cancer cells can be epigenetically reprogrammed to resemble non-malignant cells
• Nottingham team identifies a novel mechanism of prostate cancer recurrence which can be pharmacologically targeted to prevent metastases
• Researchers at Nottingham identify new mechanisms involved in stem cell pluripotency and stem cell differentiation:

      Plos One Article

      Oxford Journal Article

      Science Direct Article