Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure has announced a record number of awards to support breakthrough research in areas on the cutting edge of scientific inquiry, including cancer vaccines, biomarkers and signaling pathways, cancer stem cells, and advanced MRI.

Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure has announced a record number of awards to support breakthrough research at leading institutions throughout the country. Since its founding in 2001, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure has fueled advancement in the field by funding outstanding and novel translational research to world-renowned researchers and creating novel collaborations with the medical community and academia, industry and government.

The 2007 Project Awards fund research in areas on the cutting edge of scientific inquiry, including cancer vaccines, biomarkers and signaling pathways, cancer stem cells, and advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Kate Carr, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure President and CEO, stated, "This year's Project Awards come at a critical and exciting time in this field and no doubt will help boost further progress to find new treatments and a cure."

Applications for the 2007 Project Awards increased nearly 50 per cent from the previous year. "In addition to top renowned brain cancer investigators like Dr. Al Yung from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, we attracted outstanding proposals from premier researchers like Dr. Alan D'Andrea from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, an investigator who is expanding his world-class work in signaling pathways and Dr. Duane Mitchell from Duke University, a clinical investigator who has concentrated his innovative vaccine research on finding effective treatments for brain cancer," continued Carr.

"Within the past year, we have seen an intensified public and institutional focus on programs to treat brain cancer," commented Dr. David Agus, Director of the Spielberg Family Center for Applied Proteomics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Scientific Advisor to Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure. "For example, the National Cancer Institute designated glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive form of brain cancer, as one of three primary diseases targeted by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). This will hasten our ability to deliver tailor-made treatments to brain tumor patients. In addition, clinical trials for promising therapeutic regimens, such as the combination of Avastin and CPT-11, offer new hope for patients."

This year, 12 investigators will receive Project Award grants for a total of $1.5m. "We are matching the increased interest in this field of research with much needed funds," said Carr. "Nearly 90 per cent of our funding goes directly into the hands of researchers, who will make a real difference for patients and their families."

"We hold ourselves accountable for bringing new therapies to patients and reaching the day when all patients who are given a brain cancer diagnosis are told they have a manageable disease," said Steve Case, Chairman of Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure's Board of Directors. "This year, increased fundraising support from patients, families and loved ones allows us to commit significant funding directly into research that holds the potential to hasten the discovery of a cure."

The Project Awards support one-year studies with a clear development path and potential to provide meaningful improvements in treatment outcomes for brain cancer patients in the near future (leading to a clinical trial in the next 18 months). This year's awards focused on three primary areas: Diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of disease status and response to therapy in glioma (including pediatric low-grade glioma); the development of molecularly targeted therapeutics from brain cancer; and quality of life in patients with brain cancer.

From more than 100 applications, 12 award recipients were selected:

• Ken Aldape, MD from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
• Panagiotis Anastasiadis, PhD from the Mayo Clinic
• Markus Bredel, MD, PhD from Northwestern University
• Joseph Costello, PhD from UCSF (co-funded with the Tug McGraw Foundation)
• Alan D'Andrea, MD from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Xing Fan, MD, PhD from Johns Hopkins University
• Qihong Huang, MD, PhD from The Wistar Institute
• Gary Landreth, PhD from Case Western Reserve University
• Meng Law, MD from Mount Sinai Medical Center
• Duane Mitchell, MD, PhD from Duke University Medical Center
• Inder Verma, PhD from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies
• Alfred Yung, MD from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

About Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure

Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure was founded May 2001 by Dan, his brother Steve Case and their families, along with leading scientists and entrepreneurs. Upon his diagnosis with brain cancer, Dan Case worked to mobilize change, focusing the mission of the organization to support new and effective treatments and hasten the discovery of a cure for brain cancer. The organization works to raise awareness about brain cancer and promotes advancements in critical scientific research through research grants and partnerships.

To learn more about our 2007 Project Award recipients, visit http://www.abc2.org/.


Source: Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, PRNewswire-USNewswire

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed