About Vice-Principal ResearchFor the past 45 years, Queen’s University has cared for a unique colony of mixed-breed dogs with naturally occurring hemophilia to support groundbreaking research into bleeding disorders. Our goal is urgent but clear: to find a cure for hemophilia in people, dogs, and other animals.
Hemophilia is a naturally occurring inherited disease in both humans and dogs. Those dogs born to the colony without the disease are adopted out to loving homes in the local community.
The dogs in our program receive excellent care that meets or exceeds federal and provincial standards. Our facilities are subject to unannounced inspections by the provincial inspector, with the most recent inspection last year confirming our strong record of animal welfare.
These dogs are cared for through to the end of their natural lives and are treasured members of our research community for the unique role they play in improving health outcomes for both animals and people.
Queen's researchers are actively engaged in research focusing on both the molecular genetic diagnosis and potential gene therapy cures for hemophilia, a disease that affects more than 4,200 Canadians.
Some of our studies build on more than a decade of careful, non-invasive observation of dogs. Their natural longevity has made it possible to study the long-term effects of gene therapy. With the application of promising advances in this field, we are now seeing significant benefits: dogs that would normally experience multiple serious bleeding episodes each year are no longer bleeding. Our findings are regularly published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Our research has contributed to the regulatory approval of two hemophilia gene therapy products now being used by human patients, and the potential of a genetic cure for this disease appears increasingly possible.
Federal regulations do not allow the rehoming of dogs that have been treated with gene therapy. If our research program was cancelled due to legislative changes, the entire colony would have to be humanely killed — a heartbreaking outcome for the dogs, the researchers and staff who care for them, and the invaluable research progress that has been made.
Queen’s reports publicly on its Animal Use Data and has systems in place where people can report any suspected breach of animal welfare or compliance. Unannounced inspections are conducted on a yearly basis to ensure compliance with the Animals for Research Act.