Dr. Chand Khanna, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Medical Oncology)

Dr. Khanna is a graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. His specialty training included a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, followed by a residency in Internal Medicine and Oncology at the University of Minnesota. He is board-certified with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology). Dr. Khanna’s training in cancer research includes a PhD from the University of Minnesota, where he studied immunotherapy of metastatic cancers, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health where he was a Senior Staff Fellow at the National Cancer Institute.

Since moving to the Washington, D.C. area, he has been able to couple his research interests with his love for clinical veterinary oncology through his work with The Oncology Service, LLC.

Dr. Khanna is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, and the American Journal of Veterinary Research. He has authored several manuscripts and textbook chapters in the field of veterinary oncology and cancer biology.

Dr. Christina Manley, DVM, DACVIM (Medical Oncology)

Dr. Christina Manley earned her bachelor degree from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree from The Ohio State University. She then completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Red Bank, New Jersey. After her internship, Dr. Manley pursued a three-year residency in medical oncology at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. During that time, Dr. Manley was part of the clinical team that conducted studies using immune-based therapies to treat canine melanoma and canine lymphoma. Dr. Manley has recently joined The Oncology Service at TLC in Leesburg, Virginia. Dr. Manley has experience treating all forms of cancer with a particular professional interest in histiocytic sarcoma and myeloid neoplasms. She is also actively involved in clinical research evaluating new therapies for common canine and feline tumors such as lymphoma and mast cell disease.

Dr. Ira Gordon, DVM, DACVR (Radiation Oncology)

Dr. Gordon is a Californian and obtained his veterinary degree from the University of California, Davis. He then completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at The Ohio State University. He returned to UC Davis and completed a residency in Radiation Oncology and is board-certified with the American College of Veterinary Radiology in the discipline of Radiation Oncology. Due to a strong interest in veterinary education and training, he stayed at UC Davis as an instructor in Radiation Oncology and founded VetPrep, a company dedicated to providing learning resources to veterinary students that has helped over 10,000 veterinarians prepare for and pass their licensing examination. In 2008, he moved to the Washington D.C. area where he is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Radiation Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute in addition to his work with The Oncology Service as a consultant and clinician.

Dr. Gordon’s primary clinical interests include the use of advanced imaging and radiation delivery techniques to improve tumor control and patient quality of life. He has special interests in tumors of the head and neck and in tumors of the central nervous system. His research interests include the identification and investigation of drugs that increase tumor responsiveness to radiation or improve the tolerance of normal tissues to radiotherapy. Dr. Gordon has published primary research and review articles on these subjects and has spoken at national meetings about these topics. He has also received multiple awards for his work and research including the George H. Hart Research Grant, Myrtle L. Oliver Memorial Resident Research Award, and the Gerald Ling Award for Small Animal Research. He lives in Bethesda with his Dalmatian, Jezebel, and his wife, Tamara, a reporter for National Public Radio.

Dr. Tony Rusk, DVM (Medical Oncology Hospitalist)

Dr. Rusk is a native of southern Indiana, and a graduate of the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. He completed his internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Friendship Hospital for Animals in June 2000. Dr. Rusk was a staff veterinarian at Friendship Hospital for Animals until he joined Dr. Khanna and the Animal Clinical Investigation in January 2001. Dr. Rusk became Director of Clinical Trials in September 2001 and Vice President of Clinical Trials in July 2005. He had been a staff doctor at Friendship Hospital since June of 1999 but now works exclusively in The Oncology Service, LLC. Dr. Rusk is also the Vice President of clinical trials for Animal Clinical Investigation, LLC where he has successfully managed more than 20 clinical trials for dogs and cats.

Dr. Alexandra Sahora, DVM (Medical Oncology Resident)

Dr. Alexandra Sahora is the oncology associate working with Drs. Khanna and Rusk. Dr. Sahora graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006 and practiced in a small animal general practice in South Florida last year. She is very excited to join the oncology staff and looks forward to working with The Oncology Service this year. When not in the hospital, Dr. Sahora enjoys running, swimming, and hanging out with her dog Mouffie. Mouffie is an 14 yr old Tibetan terrier that is the master of the house and spends his day sleeping, barking, sleeping, eating, and again barking. Dr. Sahora is also an avid football fan. Her interests besides oncology are internal medicine and clinical pathology, and she hopes to pursue a residency in medical oncology and subsequent specialization.

Dr. Jennifer McDaniel, DVM (Medical Oncology Intern)

Dr. McDaniel is a native of Michigan. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and then continued on to veterinary school at Michigan State University. After veterinary school she completed a one year, small animal internship at Friendship Hospital for Animals. Dr. McDaniel has a long standing interest in oncology that stems from her own dogs (Wembly and Kirby) both having been treated for cancer. She is very excited to be joining The Oncology Service this year. Her interests besides oncology include emergency medicine and critical care. After her internship she hopes to obtain an oncology residency and subsequent specialization. When not in the hospital, Dr. McDaniel enjoys spending time with her basset hound Walter and cheering on the University of Michigan football team.