Advancing feline medicine through research: A Q&A with Murdoch University researchers
At Murdoch University, a dedicated team of researchers is working to improve early detection of kidney disease in cats—one of the most common and life-threatening conditions in feline medicine. Supported by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) and the EveryCat Health Foundation, this research aims to validate new biomarkers that could allow for earlier diagnosis and better treatment outcomes.
In alignment with AVMF’s mission to advance veterinary science and improve both animal and human health, this research has the potential to significantly enhance clinical practice, providing veterinarians with more effective tools to diagnose and manage kidney disease. In this Q&A, the research team shares insights into their project, the impact of funding, and their passion for veterinary research.
How did your research project support the AVMF’s mission “to develop charitable resources to advance the science and practice of veterinary medicine and to improve animal and human health”?
Kidney disease is a severe and common problem in feline health. Approximately 50% of cats with acute kidney injury do not survive, and many of those that do go on to develop chronic kidney disease. The window of opportunity for treatment to reverse kidney injury is small and occurs early on in the disease process. There is a great need in veterinary medicine to develop better biomarkers of kidney injury in cats, as current markers do not increase until more than 75% of the kidney is already damaged and are affected by other factors such as hydration, muscle mass, etc. Our research aims to assess the validity of some potential earlier biomarkers of kidney injury in cats. This is the first step in determining if these biomarkers may one day replace the current available biomarkers and aid in earlier identification of kidney injury in cats, so that we can decrease the mortality rates and offer cat owners better outcomes than the profession currently does.
How did the support from the AVMF / EveryCat Health Foundation help advance your research project?
This study is only possible thanks to the generous contribution from EveryCat Health Foundation. Before using new diagnostic markers in clinical settings, it is critical to ensure that they are reliable. Unfortunately, validation studies are quite expensive and they are not possible without financial support. To properly validate a study, several tests need to be performed, which requires the purchase of multiple assays. The majority of the support from the EveryCat Health Foundation will be towards purchase of these assays. Without this support, the number of assays will be limited, and we may not be able to perform any useful validation, which means that if another research group wanted to carry out this project, they will likely have to start from the beginning regardless. We do not have other available funds that could cover the research to the degree that EveryCat Health Foundation has kindly done, and thus we are extremely grateful for the support.
Where is your research project today?
We have obtained the approval from the animal ethics committee at Murdoch University to start the research (Permit No. R3529/24). We are collecting samples to be used for assay validation, and hope to begin the first step of validation in the next month. We have also placed the order for the first assay (uromodulin) and when validation is completed, we will order the additional kits for the other biomarkers we are going to investigate.
Ideally, where do you plan to publish your findings?
There are multiple options available, but we want to target veterinarians who are most likely involved with the management of cats with kidney injuries. Thus, we will send the manuscript for publication in clinical-oriented journals. Probable options are Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery or the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. The first is a journal with a very good reputation that aims to publish papers of global significance that improve the veterinary care and welfare of domestic cats. The latter is a journal that aims to advance veterinary medical knowledge and improve the lives of animals and is the main journal read by veterinary professionals with an interest in internal medicine. Murdoch University has an agreement with both publishers, and it will give us the possibility to publish the paper as open access, which usually is reflected into a broad visibility of the research results.
What applicable learnings do you hope to share with others?
The goal of our study is to offer a broad and specific panel of tests that can be used in each veterinary diagnostic laboratory around the world, which will facilitate veterinarians to identify early stages of kidney injury allowing early interventions and reducing the risk of life-threatening complications. If our research is successful, we will be able to promote a panel of tests that can be easily measured both in research and clinical settings. An early diagnosis of acute kidney injury will make the difference between a complete recovery and death or chronic irreversible damages. We are aiming to present our results to international conferences in order to share our findings with as many veterinarians as possible.
Why did you get into a career in research?
I participated in my first research project as a veterinary student many years ago when I was imaging myself going into small animal clinical practice. I was lucky my supervisor for the research project was one of the best academics with a true passion for research, and his passion was contagious. After few years in clinical practice, I went back to the university to complete my PhD (under supervision of the same professor), and after competition of my PhD, I worked as research in university for several years before moving to another country to start my academic career. Having such a good mentor instilled a true passion for research, which still persists after more than 15 years. I have focused my research on investigation of new biomarkers, which may have a clinical application with an actual benefit on patient well-being.
What would you say to veterinary students who are interested in pursuing a career in veterinary research?
The requisites to being a good researcher are an inquisitive mind and a good problem-solving ability, and those are aspects that cannot be trained. All other features—such as research rigorousness, study design, data analysis, etc.—can be learned. I have mentored and supervised numerous researchers, and I try to show them the beautiful sides of research, particularly the satisfaction of thinking outside the box and the pride associated with the ability to change the veterinary industry. Pursuing a career in veterinary research can be both rewarding and challenging. It’s important not to get overwhelmed by the workload; instead, take it one step at a time. Break tasks down into manageable pieces and celebrate your progress along the way to maintain motivation and reduce stress. Your research plan might also change along the way, so it’s essential to remain open to these shifts.
Is there anything else you would like to share about working in veterinary research?
Veterinary research is crucial to evolve how we diagnose and treat animals, and ultimately, to improve animal welfare. Thanks to the research, we are now diagnosing and treating diseases that were fatal a few years ago. There is a constant evolution of medicine, with new technologies and new drugs. It is important to investigate the possible application of new technology to improve clinical outcomes. Research grants play a vital part of research, and the generosity of donors allows researchers to explore new treatment and new diagnostic markers. Thanks to the donors, veterinary medicine has drastically evolved in the last decades, which resulted in a massive improvement on animal welfare.
About the researchers:
Dr. Gabriele Rossi
Associate Professor in Veterinary Clinical Pathology
Murdoch University
Associate Professor Rossi completed a Veterinary Medicine degree at University of Milan (Italy), he worked in a small animal practice before returning to University of Milan to complete a PhD in Veterinary Clinical Pathology. After his residency, he became a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Clinical Pathology. Associate Professor Rossi teaches in several veterinary, animal science and biomedical sciences units in 2nd, 3rd, and 5th year.
He coordinates the Systemic Pathology and Medicine unit (VET377), and he is responsible for the Clinical Pathology section of the Production Animal, Public Health and Pathology rotation (VET687). He is supervising honors students, PhD students and residents. He is an active researcher in the fields of analytical and biological validation of novel diagnostic biomarkers, inflammation and sepsis in both animal and human patients and acute and chronic kidney diseases.
Dr. Miranda Tong
Internal Medicine Resident
The Animal Hospital At Murdoch University
Miranda grew up in New Zealand and attended vet school at Massey University, graduating with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 2020. She made the move to Australia in 2022, initially to Brisbane for a small animal medicine internship before joining TAHMU as a postgraduate trainee in small animal medicine in 2023. During this time she was adopted by a sassy British Shorthair kitten who told her to stay on at TAHMU for a small animal medicine residency, so she obliged. This has turned out to be a great decision so far and she is excited to be pursuing a Masters of Philosophy alongside her residency. Outside of work Miranda enjoys hiking, exploring new cafes, board games, and playing guitar.
Animal health research is crucial to the future of veterinary medicine. AVMF devotes its efforts to raising financial support for research projects that will help lead to improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of prevalent, life-threatening diseases in animals. If you are interested in joining us to further veterinary pharmacology, consider providing a tax-deductible gift today. Your gifts matter!