(ABC 6 News) – New advancements are being made in Austin to help humans and dogs with Melanoma.

A scientist at The Hormel Institute has received a nearly $2.5 million grant to help aid a preclinical study, aiming to create a vaccine for oral melanoma, a form of rare and hard to treat cancer.

The study, in collaboration with the Veterinary Clinical Investigation Center, will try to determine if the vaccine is effective in treating dogs with the cancer.

“It’s getting not only me but the entire team very excited because we’ve been struggling, like any research, with the lack of the fund, particular funds for this project,” said Dr. George Aslanidi, a professor at the Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota.

The grant will last five years as researchers hope the study reveals enough evidence to submit to the FDA and possibly start early stages of a clinical trial for humans.

Dr. Aslanidi also extends his gratitude to the Paint the Town Pink seed grants that helped support the initial research.