Colorado State University will welcome alumnus Dr. Rodney Page as the newly named Director of the Animal Cancer Center in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Page will take the helm of the center on July 1 from Dr. Steve Withrow, the current Director and founder of the center. Dr. Withrow will work with Dr. Page to transition leadership over the next three years until Dr. Withrow retires.
Dr. Page comes to Colorado State University from Cornell University, where he was Director of the Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research. Dr. Page was the founding director of the institute at Cornell and oversaw fundamental cancer research programs, faculty members caring for animals with cancer, and the center’s Division of Cancer and Environment, which is an outreach and education program for cancer risk reduction in humans.
“My vision for the Animal Cancer Center is to continue improving how CSU effectively drives discovery and clinical innovation throughout the University and within a wide variety of partnerships,” said Dr. Page. “I am committed to working toward advancements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer for all species.”
Before receiving specialty training in medical oncology at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, Dr. Page graduated from Colorado State’s veterinary medical program. Dr. Page has stayed in close contact with many of the faculty members under whom he studied.
The Animal Cancer Center was founded by Drs. Withrow and Ed Gillette, a radiation oncologist at CSU, 25 years ago. As an internationally renowned expert in cancer research and treatment, Dr. Withrow is credited with changing the way veterinarians treat cancer. Today, oncologists at the center book about 8,000 appointments a year, seeing patients from around the world, and provide an additional 5,000 consultations via the phone or e-mail to veterinarians and animal owners. Dogs, cats, orangutans, bears and many other species have been examined and treated for cancer by the center.
“After 32 years at CSU it is time for me to step down as director of the Animal Cancer Center and spend more time on clinical duties, teaching, research, and fundraising,” Dr. Withrow said. “Being the director of the Animal Cancer Center and watching it grow to what it is today has been an honor and privilege. I step down with great faith in the future and the people who have taken on leadership roles in clinical service, research, teaching, and public outreach.”
