Source: GlobeNewswire
The AKC Canine Health Foundation announced Dr. Lisa Freeman of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University as the recipient of the inaugural 2025 Canine Health Discovery of the Year Award. A Veterinary nutritionist and professor, Dr. Freeman was honored for her groundbreaking research into diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a serious and often fatal heart disease affecting dogs. Her work has identified a promising biological mechanism that may explain how certain diets contribute to the condition, offering new avenues for prevention and treatment.
Dr. Freeman expressed gratitude for the recognition and for the Foundation’s continued support of research that improves canine health. Established this year, the Discovery Award recognizes transformative advances in canine health research and includes $75,000 in potential research funding and a $10,000 cash prize, which Dr. Freeman plans to reinvest in her DCM research. She and fellow finalists were honored at the Foundation’s annual Canines & Cocktails gala in December.