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Small animal oncologist honored for presentation

Dr. Marilia Takada

Dr. Marilia Takada, an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, has been honored by the Veterinary Cancer Society for her research.

Takada received the E. Gregory MacEwen Memorial Award for outstanding oral research project, titled “Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the tolerability of Trametinib in dogs with cancer.” The award was given during the society’s annual conference, held in Norfolk, Virginia, where Takada presented her findings.

The research was conducted during Takada’s radiation oncology residency at the University of Wisconsin, which she completed in 2021 prior to joining UF’s faculty.

“My research focuses on a cancer called histiocytic sarcoma, which affects certain breeds of dogs, including Bernese mountain dogs, flat-coated retrievers and golden retrievers,” Takada said. “We found Trametinib, a drug that specifically targets molecules that cancer cells rely on to survive, to be effective against cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo, using a xenograft mice model.”

Because this drug had never been used in dogs before, Takada conducted a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the toxicity profile in dogs and cats. Her next step will be to conduct a Phase 2 multicenter clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of Trametinib in dogs with histiocytic sarcoma.

“We hope to define the role of Trametinib as a novel targeted therapy for dogs with histiocytic sarcoma, increasing the repertoire of drugs that can effectively improve their outcome,” she said.