How an Australian man used artificial intelligence to fight dog's cancer

AI tools helped analyse tumour data and design a custom vaccine for a dog with cancer, but experts say such treatments require careful validation

When a pet is diagnosed with cancer, most owners prepare for the worst. Yet one Australian man chose to take an entirely different route. Instead of stopping at conventional treatments, he turned to artificial intelligence to search for answers. 

 

What began as a desperate attempt to save his dog soon turned into a groundbreaking experiment.

 

Paul Conyngham, a tech entrepreneur from Sydney, was told that his eight-year-old rescue dog Rosie had aggressive mast cell cancer and only a few months to live. Conventional treatments like chemotherapy and surgery had failed, and the tumours continued to grow.

 

Rather than accept the prognosis, he turned to AI tools including ChatGPT and AlphaFold to explore alternative approaches. With a background in machine learning, he used these tools to analyse scientific research and identify possible treatment pathways.

 

 

"The chat bots empowered me as an individual to act with the power of a research institute - planning, education, troubleshooting, compliance, and yes, real scientific design work in converting genomic data to a vaccine prescription and designing the treatment protocol around it. But they worked alongside humans at every step. The combination is what made it possible," he wrote on X.

 

How a personalised vaccine was designed

 

The process was complex:

 

• Rosie’s tumour DNA was sequenced with help from researchers at the University of New South Wales
• AI tools helped analyse the genetic mutations driving the cancer
• These mutations were used to design a targeted mRNA cancer vaccine
• Scientists and veterinary experts then developed and administered the treatment

 

The vaccine was tailored specifically to Rosie’s cancer, which is what makes this case so unique. Unlike traditional treatments, it focused on the exact mutations in her tumour rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

 

Conyngham worked with Martin Smith, a computational biologist at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), to sequence the DNA of Rosie’s tumor. After selecting which parts of the protein could be used to produce a personalized mRNA vaccine, he turned to Pall Thordarson, an expert in bio-mimetic chemistry at the UNSW RNA Institute, and asked him to produce the mRNA for Rosie’s neoantigens from a DNA template.

 

Within two months, the vaccine was ready, while Conyngham also worked through the necessary ethics approvals so that Rosie’s veterinarian could administer it.

 

Alongside the vaccine, supporting drugs were used to weaken the cancer’s defences, because without them mRNA vaccines may be rendered ineffective before they can reach and target the tumour.

 

Encouraging results, but not a cure

 

The results were promising. Reports suggest that some of Rosie’s tumours shrank significantly, while her overall health and energy levels improved.

However, the treatment involved more than just the personalised mRNA vaccine. It was given alongside an immune checkpoint inhibitor, which means it is difficult to determine how much each approach contributed to the outcome. Researchers are now working on booster doses that aim to target new mutations in the remaining tumours.

 

Conyngham has remained cautious throughout, emphasising that this is not a cure, yet it has helped extend Rosie’s life and improve her quality of living.

 

Sam Altman reacts: ‘Amazing story’

 

The case went viral online. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, shared that he met Conyngham in person and heard the details of Rosie’s treatment firsthand. Sharing his reaction on X, Altman described it as an “amazing story”, highlighting how AI is beginning to intersect with real-world healthcare challenges in unexpected ways.

 

His comment added momentum to the story online, as many saw it as an example of how artificial intelligence can support highly personalised medical approaches. At the same time, it also sparked discussions about the limits of AI and the importance of expert oversight in such complex treatments.

The coolest meeting I had this week with was Paul, who used ChatGPT and other LLMs to create an mRNA vaccine protocol to save his dog Rosie. It is amazing story.  "The chat bots empowered me as an individual to act with the power of a research institute - planning, education,… https://t.co/akgD2Wz7d0

— Sam Altman (@sama) March 27, 2026

Experts urge caution

 

Key concerns include:

 

• AI is not a doctor: It acted as a research assistant, while experts handled the scientific work
• Complex infrastructure: The process required DNA sequencing, lab support and specialist knowledge
• High costs and approvals: Ethical clearances and funding made the treatment possible
• Unclear outcomes: Rosie also received other therapies, making it hard to isolate the vaccine’s impact

 

Experts warn that while AI can accelerate research, it cannot replace rigorous clinical testing or medical expertise.

 

The way ahead

 

This case shows how AI, genomics and personalised medicine can come together to create highly targeted treatments, not just for humans, but also for animals. Researchers believe such approaches could eventually transform cancer care, making therapies faster, more precise and more accessible.

 

Adam Grippin, a physician-scientist at the MD Anderson Cancer Centre and University of Florida, said Rosie’s case is a great example of the power of mRNA vaccines and artificial intelligence in the treatment of both animals and humans, and is enthusiastic about the application of this approach in human patients.

 

Thordarson said he strongly believes that mRNA technology should be able to be accessed in an equitable manner and that the decentralized workflow used in Rosie’s case is an example of the power of doing things differently.

 

While it may not be a blueprint for others to follow just yet, it does open the door to new possibilities and perhaps, more breakthroughs that begin with a simple question posed to AI.

   

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This report is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.