This new emphasis in medicine, popularly termed Molecular Medicine involves the use of powerful new laboratory methods of gene mapping, gene sequencing and gene therapy to improve our understanding of disease processes, improve diagnostic methods and develop new strategies for treating diseases. Many leaders of the medical profession believe that medical practice will change dramatically when this promising new technology is applied routinely to patient care. In a few years physicians and veterinarians will treat their patients with therapeutic genes just as we now use antibiotics, vaccines and other drugs. Although the press accounts emphasize applications to human health, such as the human genome project, the fact is that veterinary medicine will be a greater beneficiary of molecular technology. Molecular based methods have the ability to identify carrier animals with greater sensitivity and specificity than any other techniques.
Gene therapy is the treatment of a disease by replacing a missing or defective gene.
Gene therapy has much broader application than just treatment of inherited diseases, and may actually have its greatest immediate impact on therapy of cancer. The Scott-Ritchey Research Center is committed to take advantage of this exciting new technology to improve companion animal health. When Dr. Henry Baker was appointed Director of the Center in 1991, he brought a career long interest in medical genetics and the vision of a research program based on modern molecular technology. In 1992, he recruited Dr. Clinton Lothrop, Jr. to the Center who has an established research program in gene therapy and clinical background in inherited diseases, particular blood disease of dogs. Dr. Lothrop was given responsibility for Directing the newly organized Molecular Medicine Research Program.