Bruce F. Smith, VMD, PhD
Professor
Director, Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer (AURIC)
Department of Pathobiology
Scott-Ritchey Research Center
Auburn University
College of Veterinary Medicine
1130 Wire Road
Auburn, AL 36849
Education
PhD, University of Pennsylvania, Molecular Biology and Genetics, 1993
VMD, University of Pennsylvania, 1988
Biography
Dr. Smith is the Director of the Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer (AURIC), a Professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Scientist in the Scott-Ritchey Research Center. He earned the V.M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988, where he was appointed a Kleberg Fellow in Medical Genetics. He received a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993. Over his career, Dr. Smith has made significant discoveries in the identification of canine models of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), nucleic acid immunization, CpG based immunomodulation, and Oncolytic virus therapy for cancer. Dr. Smith’s current work focuses on understanding the molecular cascades involved in DMD and developing next-generation oncolytic viral vectors for a variety of cancers.
Research Interests
Dr. Smith’s current research focuses in two areas of genetic therapy, gene therapies for inherited muscular dystrophies, and genetic approaches to therapy for cancer.
Dr. Smith’s research program in muscular dystrophies is currently focused on identifying canine models of these diseases and applying novel genetic therapies to their treatment. Currently, four models of X-linked Duchenne-like muscular dystrophy (DMD) are being studied.
The laboratory has identified the gene defects in three of these models and is working to develop gene therapy approaches to the muscular dystrophies. Of particular interest is understanding and subsequently addressing the cardiac defects seen in this disease.
Dr. Smith’s research program on immunologic and gene therapy for cancer is currently focused on developing novel oncolytic viruses, using canine cancer as both a target and a model of human cancer. This work utilizes RNA Sequencing to understand the gene expression profiles of individual tumors, which in turn drives development of personalized viral vectors, designed to specifically replicate in and attack individual tumors. Projects have initially employed canine adenovirus, however additional viruses are being evaluated. In order to produce custom oncolytic viruses in a time frame that will allow treatment, the laboratory is utilizing synthetic biology approaches to create entire novel adenovirus genomes. Among the tumors of interest to the laboratory are osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, melanoma, and mammary cancer.
In addition, Dr. Smith has multiple investigators from Auburn University, Washington University, St. Louis and the University of Alabama, Birmingham.