Now, based on the trial’s results, researchers at Northwestern University are moving forward with human clinical immunotherapy trials. Levine is optimistic about the potential discovery.
“The survival time for people with gliomas has not significantly improved since the 1970s,” Levine shared. “We need new pathways to develop promising drugs, and our work is paving the way for more trials to give pets access to new treatments, which are superior to traditional ways of moving therapies directly from mice to people.”
Along with his groundbreaking research on gliomas, Levine has conducted research on MRIs, other diagnostic methods and canine spinal cord injuries that occur naturally. Some of these naturally occurring injuries being studied, which often result from displaced disks, could mimic injuries from combat or automobile accidents.
A Gift that Lives On
Levine’s research is made possible through a planned gift from the late Helen McWhorter, a generous benefactor to the CVMBS. Through a gift she planned in her will and a charitable remainder trust, McWhorter created an endowed chair and scholarship. Levine, who was appointed to the Helen McWhorter Chair in September 2014, emphasized just how integral McWhorter’s planned gift has been to his research.
“Anyone can be curious about their field, but without Helen McWhorter’s support, I could not do the early-stage work needed to conduct my research,” he said. “It gives me the opportunity to do exciting, impactful work and the flexibility to fund outside-the-box ideas that agencies are not yet ready to fund.”
