FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 15, 2009
CONTACT: Danielle Potuto
(571)483-1375
danielle.potuto@asco.org
Alexandria, Va.—The ASCO Cancer Foundation will award more than $6.1 million to support clinical and translational research designed to improve cancer prevention, treatment and care. The grants will be awarded to 63 researchers at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 45th Annual Meeting in Orlando, May 29 – June 2.
“ASCO is committed to supporting clinical investigators at varying stages in their careers by encouraging and rewarding their development of promising research initiatives in all areas of cancer treatment,” said Joseph S. Bailes, MD, chair of The ASCO Cancer Foundation Board of Directors.
Established in 1983, The ASCO Cancer Foundation Grants Program is one of the largest among professional medical societies and funds leading clinical oncologists across a broad range of specialties from around the world. Since its inception, the Grants Program has awarded nearly 700 grants totaling more than $55 million that have helped transform the way cancer is prevented, detected and treated.
Although each grant has its own set of specific criteria, leading candidates demonstrate the ability for independent investigation, a proven commitment to careers in clinical cancer research, and/or have made major accomplishments in their field. The promising research efforts of this year’s recipients demonstrate personalized medicine through targeted therapies, research on metastastic and drug resistant cancers, molecular changes involved in the progression of gliomas, and therapeutic and biological effects of PARP inhibitors.
Translational Research Professorship
The Translational Research Professorship is awarded to physicians who are full-time professors at academic medical centers and have made significant contributions to the field of cancer research. This year’s recipient will receive $500,000 over five years to support continued efforts to bring advances in basic sciences into the clinical arena, and will also serve as a mentor for other translational researchers. The 2009 recipient is:
Merrill Egorin, MD
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Preclinical and Clinical Studies of PARP Inhibitors as Cancer Therapy
Advanced Clinical Research Awards
Advanced Clinical Research Awards are presented to physicians who have five to 10 years of experience and are full-time faculty members in a clinical setting at an academic medical center. Each winner will receive a three-year award totaling $450,000 to support original research currently not funded. This year's recipients were chosen for their unique, patient-oriented approaches to research in breast cancer and glioma. The 2009 recipients are:
Shanu Modi, MD
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
PU-H71: A Novel HSP90 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Breast Cancer
Ingo Mellinghoff, MD
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Identification of Critical Signal Transduction Nodes during Glioma Progression
Career Development Awards
Career Development Awards are presented to physicians in their second, third or fourth year as full-time faculty members in a university setting. Each of this year's 11 winners will receive a three-year grant totaling $200,000 to establish an independent clinical cancer research program. The 2009 recipients are:
Don Benson, MD, PhD
The Ohio State University
Augmenting Natural Killer Cell Immunity: A Promising, Novel Therapy for Patients with Multiple Myeloma
Jaishri Blakeley, MD
Johns Hopkins University
Biologic Correlates of PARP-1 Inhibition in Malignant Gliomas
Daniel Cho, MD
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Targeting the PI3-K/Akt/mTOR Pathway in Renal Cell Carcinoma
Daniel Costa, MD
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Oncogenes in never smokers with non-small cell lung cancer
David Gerber, MD
University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center
A Pilot Study of the Biologic Effects of Chemotherapy Plus Bavituximab in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Margaret Kasner, MD
Thomas Jefferson University
mTOR Inhibitors in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
Rebecca Leboeuf, MD
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Reacquisition of RAI Uptake of RAI-refractory Metastatic BRAF(+) Thyroid Cancers by Pretreatment with the Selective MEK Inhibitor AZD6244: A Pilot Study
Richard Lee, MD, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
Evaluation of the Diagnostic Use of Circulating Epithelial Cells in Patients undergoing Prostate Biopsy
Deric Park, MD
University of Pittsburgh
Phase I Clinical Trial of Imatinib and Vorinostat in the Treatment of Recurrent Chordoma
Mary Sehl, MD
University of California, Los Angeles
Transitions in Functional Status in Elderly Breast Cancer Survivors
Brian Wolpin, MD, MPH
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Cohort Study of Biochemical and Genetic Risk Factors of Pancreatic Cancer
Young Investigator Awards
(For a list of recipients' names and research titles, please contact Danielle Potuto at danielle.potuto@asco.org)
Young Investigator Awards are presented to physicians in their final year of a fellowship program or in their first year post-fellowship. Each of this year’s 48 awardees will receive a one-year grant of $50,000 to fund his or her investigative studies as they begin their careers in clinical oncology research. One grant is a 2008 YIA Extension for $100,000.
Supporting Organizations
The 2009 Translational Research Professorship is supported by: Genentech BioOncology™
The 2009 Advanced Clinical Research Awards are supported by: The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (breast cancer) and Genentech BioOncology™ (glioma)
The 2009 Career Development Awards are supported by: Amgen, Genentech BioOncology™ (5), Lilly USA, LLC, Novartis Oncology, sanofi-aventis U.S. (2), The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The 2009 Young Investigator Awards are supported by: American Association for Cancer Research, American Cancer Society, Amgen, ASCO and The ASCO Cancer Foundation Boards of Directors, ASCO Clinical Practice Committee, Association of Specialty Professors, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene Corporation, Don Shula Foundation, Genentech BioOncology™ (5), Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kidney Cancer Association, Lilly USA, LLC, Merck Oncology, Merck Serono (2), Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2), Novartis Oncology (4), OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Pfizer Oncology (3), Prevent Cancer Foundation, Roche (5), sanofi-aventis U.S. (2), Sarcoma Foundation of America, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® (4), The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (2), WWWW Foundation, Inc. (QuadW), Wyeth (2), ZIOPHARM
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About The ASCO Cancer Foundation
As the charitable arm of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), The ASCO Cancer Foundation funds research, education and cancer care programs both in the U.S. and abroad. By harnessing the knowledge of ASCO’s 27,000 oncology professionals, we help deliver physician-approved information directly to those in need. Through these efforts, we improve the lives of those affected by cancer.
About ASCO
ASCO is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 27,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org/presscenter. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.
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