Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

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High Risk, High Reward Ideas Granted $1.35M

Three years ago, Andy Rachleff, a highly-successful investor, decided that he wanted to apply a venture capitalist approach to cancer research funding.  He and his wife Debra shared the belief that the vast majority of true breakthroughs will likely come from high risk, high reward research – unlike the safe, incremental research preferred by traditional funding institutions.  Andy also believed that this research should be carried out by young investigators, because they have the creativity, drive and open-mindedness to ask new questions.  

The resulting partnership is the Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award, an annual grant of $1.35 million divided between three winning ideas by early career scientists.

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Cancer Research News Roundup: April 16-21

Every week, we round up articles from reputable sources, linking you to the latest news and commentary related to recent discoveries, new trends in cancer research, government policy and more.

This week’s roundup includes the following and more:

Federal cancer research is ‘at a breaking point,’ IOM study finds - Kaiser Health News
“The government’s cancer research network is ‘approaching a state of crisis’ as waste and inefficiency cause 40 percent of late-stage trials it funds to be abandoned before completion, according to a report released yesterday.”

Licenses drive gene debate - Wall Street Journal
“Genetic research holds the promise of pinpointing a person’s risks for diseases. But Duke University researchers, in a study published Wednesday, said the practice of granting exclusive licenses on individual genes could slow down or even derail that promise.”

Study: Two good choices to prevent breast cancer - Associated Press via New York Times
“Older women at higher risk for breast cancer now have two good drug options for preventing the disease, but they will have to weigh the trade-offs, a major study shows.”

Hope for targeted lung-cancer treatment - Wall Street Journal
“An unusual clinical trial involving four different drugs offered promise that guiding treatment based on the molecular traits of a tumor can improve survival from lung cancer. ”

> Read the full roundup

Cancer Research News Roundup: April 22-28

Every week, we round up articles from reputable sources, linking you to the latest news and commentary related to recent discoveries, new trends in cancer research, government policy and more.

This week’s roundup includes the following and more:

Editorial: Faltering cancer trials - New York Times
“The nation’s most important system for judging the clinical effectiveness of cancer treatments is approaching “a state of crisis.””

A cancer field ‘conundrum’: comparative effectiveness research - Wall Street Journal  Health Blog
“A Duke oncologist is warning that the emphasis on comparative effectiveness studies may present obstacles for the field of cancer research, Scientific American’s Observations blog reports.”

Doctor groups set new policy to curb industry sway - Associated Press via New York Times
Dozens of leading medical groups announced a new ethics code Wednesday “aimed at limiting the influence that drug and device makers have over patient care. It’s the most sweeping move ever taken by the Council of Medical Specialty Societies to curb conflict of interest.”

5-minute colon cancer test could save thousands - Associated Press via New York Times
“A five-minute colon cancer test could reduce the number of deaths from the disease by about 40 percent, a new study says.”

> Read the full roundup

Presidential Early Career Award Honors Damon Runyon Scientist

Last month, President Barack Obama honored 85 early career scientists, including Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovator Muneesh Tewari, MD, PhD, with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).  The PECASE is the nation’s highest accolade for young scientists.

“I am confident that these individuals, who have shown such tremendous promise so early in their careers, will go on to make breakthroughs and discoveries that will continue to move our nation forward in the years ahead,” President Obama said.

> Read the whole post: Presidential Early Career Award Honors Damon Runyon Scientist

Lung Cancer Drug Shows Promise Against Neuroblastoma

A team of researchers in Philadelphia, including former Damon Runyon Scholar Mark A. Lemmon, PhD, announced that the recently-approved lung cancer drug crizotinib (Xalkori) could potentially be used to treat neuroblastoma patients. The most common cancer among infants, neuroblastoma is a disease of the developing nerve cells. Treatment options are currently limited to surgery and chemotherapy.

> Read the whole post: “Lung Cancer Drug Shows Promise Against Neuroblastoma”