Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, has announced a $10 million gift from Evan and Sue Ann Werling that will be used to establish a cancer research center at its College of Veterinary Medicine.

The Comparative Oncology Research Center will partner with the Purdue Center for Cancer Research to advance cancer research benefiting pets and humans. To that end, the center will conduct high-impact research in pets with naturally occurring forms of cancer that mimic those in humans, making the collaboration beneficial to pets and people. In addition, the gift will create an endowment to provide unrestricted support for promising research and clinical trials. In recognition of the gift, the center will be named after the Werlings.

“This gift will have a huge impact on advancing our studies in the field of comparative oncology, which is aimed at improving the outlook for pet dogs and potentially other pets, as well as humans, facing cancer,” said Purdue Comparative Oncology program director Deborah Knapp, who worked with the Werlings when their family dog was diagnosed with cancer. “[W]e may learn something important…that will ultimately help humans at the same time we help their pet[s].”

“Advances in cancer treatments are identified through research, and Purdue is one of the finest research institutions,” said Evan Werling. “We hope the university will be able to expand the early detection of cancers so we can identify them before they’re untreatable.”

(Photo credit: Purdue University)