FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 6, 2008
CONTACT:
Danielle Potuto
703-519-1422
Alexandria, Va.—The ASCO Cancer Foundation will award $7.6 million to support clinical and translational research designed to improve cancer prevention, treatment and care. The grants will be awarded to 62 researchers and three community oncology practices at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's 44th Annual Meeting in Chicago, May 31 – June 3.
“We are currently in the longest period of flat and declining federal funding for cancer research to date, and without appropriate investment, the opportunity to develop better treatments for cancer care will be lost or delayed,” said Joseph S. Bailes, MD, chair of The ASCO Cancer Foundation Board of Directors. “The ASCO Cancer Foundation supports progress in cancer by funding researchers at all stages of their profession – enabling oncology’s best and brightest to pursue promising research initiatives.”
Established in 1983, The ASCO Cancer Foundation Grants Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The 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 Society has awarded over 600 grants totaling more than $48 million that have helped to transform the way cancer is prevented, detected and treated.
Although each grant has its own set of specific criteria, leading candidates demonstrate ability for independent investigation, 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 include patient use of complementary and alternative medicine, the investigation of new immunotherapy treatments, and the incorporation of personalized medicine and gene therapy strategies for the treatment of head and neck and lung cancers.
Translational Research Professorship
The ASCO Cancer Foundation’s newest grant, 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. Each recipient will receive $500,000 over five years to support continued efforts to bring advances in basic sciences into the clinical arena, and to serve as mentors for other translational researchers. The 2008 recipients are:
Bruce E. Johnson, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Everett Vokes, MD
University of Chicago
Advanced Clinical Research Awards
(For a list of recipients' research titles, please contact Danielle Potuto at 703-519-1422.)
Advanced Clinical Research Awards are presented to physicians who have 5 to 10 years' 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, sarcoma and hematologic malignancies. The 2008 recipients are:
Advanced Clinical Research Award in Breast Cancer
Lajos Pusztai, MD, PhD
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Advanced Clinical Research Award in Hematologic Malignancies
Mark J. Levis, MD, PhD
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
Advanced Clinical Research Award in Sarcoma
Raphael F. Rousseau, MD, PhD
Centre Léon-Bérard
Scott M. Schuetze, MD, PhD
University of Michigan
Career Development Awards
(For a list of recipients' names and research titles, please contact Danielle Potuto at 703-519-1422.)
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 13 winners will receive a three-year grant totaling $200,000 to establish an independent clinical cancer research program.
Young Investigator Awards
(For a list of recipients' names and research titles, please contact Danielle Potuto at 703-519-1422.)
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 43 recipients 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.
Community Oncology Research Awards
Community Oncology Research Awards are designed to support clinical researchers at the community level to enhance their research programs. Each practice will receive a one-year grant of $30,000 to help develop a high-quality clinical trials program. The 2008 recipients are:
Maine Center for Cancer Medicine
Scarborough, Maine
Northern New Jersey Cancer Association
Hackensack, New Jersey
Oncology Care Consultants
Frederick, Maryland
Supporting Organizations
The 2008 Translational Research Professorship is supported by: Genentech BioOncology™ and GlaxoSmithKline Oncology.
The 2008 Advanced Clinical Research Awards are supported by: The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (breast cancer); Genentech BioOncology™ (hematologic malignancies); Sarcoma Foundation of America and Capon Family; and ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (sarcoma).
The 2008 Career Development Awards are supported by: Amgen Oncology; Genentech BioOncology™ (5); Novartis Oncology; sanofi-aventis U.S. (2); Lilly Oncology; Pfizer Oncology (2); and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
The 2008 Young Investigator Awards are supported by: Abbott Oncology; Amgen Oncology; An Anonymous Donor; ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; ASCO and The ASCO Cancer Foundation Board of Directors; ASCO Clinical Practice Committee; AstraZeneca; The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (2); Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celgene Corporation; Don Shula Foundation, Inc. (2); Genentech BioOncology™ (5); The John A. Hartford Foundation/ The ASCO Cancer Foundation (2); Journal of Clinical Oncology; Kidney Cancer Association (2); Lilly Oncology; Merck Oncology; Merck Serono (2); Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Novartis Oncology (3); Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; OSI Oncology; Prevent Cancer Foundation; Roche (5); sanofi-aventis U.S. (2); and Wyeth (2).
The 2008 Community Oncology Research Awards are supported by: Astellas U.S.A. Foundation.
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About The ASCO Cancer Foundation
The ASCO Cancer Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which is composed of over 25,000 oncologists globally who are the leaders in advancing cancer care in the 21st century. The ASCO Cancer Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of people with cancer through programs that support cutting-edge research and education in oncology. The ASCO Cancer Foundation is the torch bearer for the next generation of oncology researchers and the purveyor of knowledge to cancer patients. With the support of the cancer community and the public at large, The ASCO Cancer Foundation is making a world of difference in cancer care. Visit www.ascocancerfoundation.org for more information.
About ASCO
ASCO is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 25,000 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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