To accelerate breakthroughs, Damon Runyon provides today's best young scientists with funds to pursue innovative cancer research.
April 1, 2013 > Mutation linked to pediatric brain cancer
Oren J. Becher, MD (Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator ’12-’15) of Duke University, Durham, Laura A. Banaszynski, PhD (Angelo Family Fellow ‘08-‘11) of The Rockefeller University, New York, and colleagues, reported results that, for the first time, link a mutated histone protein to a rare brain stem cancer in children called diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG). This histone typically silences expression of certain genes; when the histone is mutated in DIPG, cancer-promoting genes are aberrantly turned on. This study was published in the journal Science.
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Annual Breakfast to Support Cancer Research
New York’s leading business people and philanthropists come together each year to raise funds in support of innovative cancer research.
Held at a premier New York City location, our Annual Breakfast is an entertaining cancer fundraising event that gives guests the chance to learn about the important work of our scientists and network with well known New Yorkers – all before the work day starts.
Annual Breakfast 2013
The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation honored Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive of WPP, the world's leading communications services group, at our Annual Breakfast held on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The event's keynote speaker was Shirley M. Tilghman, President of Princeton University and a leader in the fields of science and American higher education. Guests also heard from two current Damon Runyon scientists, Gregory Beatty, MD, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Stirling Churchman, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, who discussed their current projects and the importance of funding innovative cancer research.
> Read the complete media release from the 2013 Annual Breakfast
> View photos from the 2013 Annual Breakfast
March 20, 2013 > Promising immunotherapy for acute leukemia
Renier J. Brentjens, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon-Lilly Clinical Investigator '06-'11) and colleagues at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, reported the success of immunotherapy treatment of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Patients were treated with their own T immune cells, which had been genetically modified to target and attack the cancer cells. The treatment induced rapid remissions in these patients. The exciting findings were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine and featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
March 18, 2013 > 2013 Pasarow Award
Elaine V. Fuchs, PhD (Damon Runyon Board Member, Damon Runyon Fellow ‘77-‘79) of The Rockefeller University, New York, is one of three recipients of the Robert J. and Claire Pasarow Foundation Medical Research Awards in Cancer Research. She is honored for her extraordinary achievement, creativity and distinction in the field of skin stem cells. Matthew P. Scott, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellowship Sponsor) of Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, is also a recipient of the award.
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March 11, 2013 > Aspirin and melanoma prevention
Jean Y. Tang, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator '11-'14) of Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, and colleagues, reported that women who take aspirin regularly have a reduced risk of developing melanoma. Overall the risk is reduced by over 20 percent. The findings, based on a study of nearly 60,000 women aged 50 to 79, suggest the anti-inflammatory effects of aspirin may help protect against this type of skin cancer. The study was published in the journal Cancer.
Click here for more. Watch Jean talk about this research on ABC News and NBC News.
Industry and Academic Researchers Gather for Innovative Accelerating Cancer Cures Research Symposium
Accelerating Cancer Cures is a unique collaboration between Damon Runyon, a prestigious cancer charity that supports the most innovative young cancer researchers, and leading biopharmaceutical companies. The goal of this multi-million dollar initiative is to rebuild the ranks of specially trained physician-scientists who conduct both the cutting-edge laboratory research to identify new therapeutics, as well as the clinical trials to bring these new treatments to patients. The companies involved in this initiative, while competitors in the marketplace, are committed to supporting the best young clinical investigators so that they can drive the next breakthroughs in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The President and CEO of Millennium, Dr. Deborah Dunsire, opened the meeting with remarks that focused on the need for greater collaboration between industry and academia. Additionally, David Nathan, MD, President Emeritus, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Robert A. Stranahan Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, delivered a keynote address about the promise of cancer research and the critical role of patient-oriented physician-scientists in advancing progress against the many forms of cancer. Richard B. Gaynor, MD, Vice President, Cancer Research/Clinical Investigation, of Lilly, and Alan Leventhal, Chairman and CEO of Beacon Capital Partners and Chairman of the Board of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, also spoke about this groundbreaking collaboration.
”It is extraordinary that industry competitors have come together to address a major obstacle to developing new treatments for cancer patients,” said Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation President and CEO, Lorraine Egan. “Through Accelerating Cancer Cures, we are ensuring that the best young physician-scientists can continue to be the critical link between the research lab and the patients.”
“The future of oncology research and the creation of novel treatments rests in the hands of talented scientific leaders like those who are presenting at this year’s Accelerating Cancer Cures symposium, which Millennium is proud to host,” stated Dr. Karen Ferrante, Chief Medical Officer, Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company. “This event underscores the importance of collaboration between the biopharmaceutical industry and its academic partners, and how these partnerships will ultimately create new cancer treatments for patients.”
Scientists from the nation’s leading research institutions, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Stanford University, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, attended the symposium to hear presentations on a diverse range of promising research, from advances in colorectal cancer detection to novel therapeutic approaches to breast cancers, and to brainstorm about new approaches to speed new treatments to cancer patients.
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About Accelerating Cancer Cures
Accelerating Cancer Cures addresses the critical shortage of clinical researchers working on breakthroughs in cancer treatments and cures. Under the leadership of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and with the support of industry and academia, this project fosters the talent desperately needed to accelerate breakthroughs in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Accelerating Cancer Cures is supported by some of the world’s leading companies including: Eli Lilly and Company, ARIAD, Celgene, Genentech, Merck, Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company, and Pfizer. For more information, visit www.damonrunyon.org/accelerate.
About the Foundation
To accelerate breakthroughs, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation provides today’s best young scientists with funding to pursue innovative cancer research. The Foundation supports emerging leaders who have great potential to achieve breakthroughs in how we diagnose, treat and prevent cancer. Since its founding in 1946, Damon Runyon has invested over $260 million and funded more than 3,380 early career scientists. 100% of all donations to the Foundation are used to support scientific research. Its administrative and fundraising costs are paid from its Damon Runyon Broadway Tickets Service and endowment.
For more information visit http://www.damonrunyon.org.
February 20, 2013 > First Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Awards Named
Eleven inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences awards were named, nine of which are members of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation community of scientists:
DAMON RUNYON COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Cornelia I. Bargmann, PhD (Former Fellowship Award Committee), The Rockefeller University, New York
David Botstein, PhD (Former Innovation Award Committee), Princeton University, Princeton
Napoleone Ferrara, MD (Current Innovation Award Committee), University of California, San Diego
DAMON RUNYON FELLOWSHIP SPONSORS and CLINICAL INVESTIGATOR MENTORS
Lewis C. Cantley, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York
Eric S. Lander, PhD, the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge
Titia de Lange, PhD, The Rockefeller University, New York
Charles L. Sawyers, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
Bert Vogelstein, MD, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore
Robert A. Weinberg, PhD, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge
The winners are scientists who “think big, take risks and have made a significant impact on our lives.” Each awardee will receive a $3 million prize in recognition of their scientific achievements.
February 14, 2013 > Evolution of genetic mutations in leukemia cells
Catherine J. Wu, MD (Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator '07-'12), Matthew L. Meyerson, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow '95-'98), and colleagues at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, and the Broad Institute, Cambridge, demonstrated how genetic mutations evolve over time in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. The researchers used next-generation gene-sequencing technology to monitor genetic changes in tissue samples from cancer patients, demonstrating that subsets of cells in each tumor contain different genetic makeup. These genetic mutations can predict how patients respond to different therapies and whether CLL will recur after treatment. The studies, published in the journal Cell, are likely to be important for development of improved therapies.
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February 3, 2013 > Protecting stem cells from radiation damage
David G. Kirsch, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovator ‘08-‘10), and colleagues at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, reported that epidermal growth factor (EGF) speeds the recovery of blood-making hematopoietic stem cells after exposure to radiation. Mice with high levels of EGF were protected from radiation damage. EGF may be able to accelerate the recovery of the blood system in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy or radiation. The study was published in the journal Nature Medicine.
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Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Awards granted for pioneering ideas in cancer research
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation awards $3.15M to seven innovative young scientists
New York, NY (January 4, 2013) – The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, announced that seven scientists with novel approaches to fighting cancer have been named 2013 recipients of the Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award. The grant of $450,000 over three years is awarded each year to early career scientists whose projects have the potential to significantly impact the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
The Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award funds cancer research by exceptionally creative thinkers with “high-risk/high-reward” ideas who lack sufficient preliminary data to obtain traditional funding. The awardees are selected through a highly competitive and rigorous process by a scientific committee comprised of leading cancer researchers who are innovators themselves. At the final stage of selection, candidates are screened by an in-person interview with committee members. Only those scientists with a strong vision and passion for curing cancer are selected to receive the prestigious award.
This program is possible through the generous support of Andy and Debbie Rachleff, the Island Outreach Foundation and Nadia’s Gift Foundation.
2013 Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovators:
Michael Z. Lin, MD, PhD
Stanford University, California
Currently available cancer treatments, such as chemotherapeutics, targeted inhibitors or immunotherapies, are not capable of fully eradicating cancers and are limited by toxicities and side effects.
Dr. Lin aims to take a new approach to cancer treatment by engineering a virus that will infect and replicate specifically in cancer cells, triggering their destruction. This strategy aims not to suppress oncogenic signaling, but to use it as a trigger for a smart biological therapy. If he succeeds, progress will be made toward developing a much-needed “magic bullet” against cancer.
Christine Mayr, MD, PhD [Island Outreach Foundation Innovator]
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
Cancer is thought to arise through a series of genetic mutations in the DNA sequence. Depending on the location of these errors and the genes that are affected, these mutations lead to the many different features that characterize cancer cells such as uncontrolled proliferation, escape from cell death and metastasis.
Dr. Mayr proposes the existence of a new type of anomaly that can lead to cancer: non-genetic aberrations induced by modifications of RNAs, which have so far been excluded from large-scale cancer genomics efforts. She has developed a new method to identify this type of aberration in different cancers and will investigate its frequency and functional consequences for tumor growth. Her studies will help to broaden the understanding of cancers and may also help in the design of new therapeutics.
Nicholas E. Navin, PhD [Nadia’s Gift Foundation Innovator]
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Texas
Tumors evolve from single cells. As they expand to form the tumor mass, the cells diverge and form distinct subpopulations with different genetic mutations. This salient characteristic is called “intratumor heterogeneity” and confounds basic research and clinical diagnostics. The challenge is that standard genomic tools require a large amount of input material and thus are limited to measuring an average signal from a complex population of cells.
Dr. Navin proposes the development of an innovative single-cell sequencing tool that can detect genomic mutations in single cancer cells, allowing heterogeneity in tumors to be delineated. He will apply this technique to study how single breast cancer cells disseminate from the primary tumor into the circulatory system and seed metastatic tumors. In addition, this method will have a myriad of clinical applications, which have prognostic value in predicting invasion, metastasis, survival and response to chemotherapy. Translating these methods into the clinic is likely to have a profound effect on reducing morbidity in breast cancer and other cancer types.
Trudy G. Oliver, PhD
University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, Utah
Many cancers initially respond to therapy. However, cancers often acquire resistance and stop responding to further treatment. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an example of a cancer that is highly sensitive to initial treatment, but quickly acquires a vicious resistance resulting in a five-year patient survival rate of less than 4%. In order to combat drug resistance and improve the quality of life for patients with SCLC, it is important to understand the key genetic changes and cellular pathways that drive resistance.
Dr. Oliver will use the most innovative next-generation sequencing technologies to comprehensively identify critical genetic changes associated with resistance. These findings will be essential for understanding how lung cancer, and potentially other types of cancer, evades chemotherapy. In addition, this work will identify novel pathways that could be targeted to re-establish drug sensitivity and thereby provide new treatment options for patients with drug-resistant disease.
Bradley L. Pentelute, PhD
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts
Antibodies have proven to be powerful tools in cancer research, facilitating the elucidation of disease mechanisms and generating novel and effective anti-cancer therapeutics. However, antibody biotechnology is limited by one major factor: the inability of antibodies to effectively cross the cell membrane to reach the inside of the cell, or cytosol. A new strategy is clearly necessary—one based on facile and reliable delivery of active antibody-like molecules into various cell types.
Dr. Pentelute plans to construct a new, targeted delivery platform capable of introducing stable molecules that mimic antibodies (deemed “intrabodies”). He will use this proposed delivery platform to strike the intracellular cancer target Bcr-Abl for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. He also aims to target the cancer-promoting complex p53/MDM2 in cancer cells. Through these innovative studies, he aims to advance the frontier by delivering a diverse array of antibody-like molecules into cells for cancer therapy.
Agnel Sfeir, PhD
New York University School of Medicine/Skirball Institute, New York
Each cell contains organelles called mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of cells, producing energy in the form of ATP. Mitochondria contain their own separate DNA, which codes for key energy-producing enzymes. Maintaining the integrity of the mitochondrial genome is necessary for optimal cellular function and for protection against diseases. Alterations in mitochondrial DNA are associated with and can promote metastasis of many tumors, such as lung, breast and prostate. Such aberrations range from single base substitutions to large-scale deletions that remove segments of the mitochondrial genome. The mechanism by which these aberrations influence disease progression remains unclear.
Dr. Sfeir aims to uncover the underlying basis for accumulation of these highly dangerous deletions in mitochondrial DNA and the mechanism by which they shape tumor behavior. This work will help identify novel strategies to preserve mitochondrial function and thwart tumor progression.
Sarah (Sadie) M. Wignall, PhD
Northwestern University, Illinois
Cancer cells exhibit uncontrolled growth and proliferation, leading to the formation of malignant tumors. Therefore, many current cancer therapies are aimed at trying to block cell multiplication, with the goal of killing cancerous cells and halting tumor growth. However, many of these treatments also affect the growth and division of non-cancerous cells in the body, leading to severe side effects.
Dr. Wignall will investigate a pathway required for the division of cancerous, but not normal cells. This pathway regulates a physical structure in the cell called the centrosome. By learning more about this pathway, she hopes to ultimately contribute to designing therapies that will specifically attack cancer cells, leading to better treatment options for cancer patients.
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DAMON RUNYON CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
To accelerate breakthroughs, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation provides today’s best young scientists with funding to pursue innovative research. The Foundation has gained worldwide prominence in cancer research by identifying outstanding researchers and physician-scientists. Eleven scientists supported by the Foundation have received the Nobel Prize, and others are heads of cancer centers and leaders of renowned research programs. Each of its award programs is extremely competitive, with less than 10% of applications funded. Since its founding in 1946, the Foundation has invested more than $250 million and funded more than 3,350 young scientists. This year, it will commit approximately $12 million in new awards to brilliant young investigators.
100% of all donations to the Foundation are used to support scientific research. Its administrative and fundraising costs are paid from its Damon Runyon Broadway Tickets Service and endowment.
For more information visit http://www.damonrunyon.org/
CONTACT
Yung S. Lie, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation
yung.lie@damonrunyon.org
212.455.0521
December 17, 2012 > Damon Runyon Scientist named to Forbes Magazine “30 Under 30” list
Adam de la Zerda, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow '11-'12) of Stanford University, Stanford, was named to the Forbes Magazine “30 Under 30” list in Science and Healthcare for 2012. Adam is applying nanotechnology and novel medical imaging to look inside tumors and gather information on cellular changes that drive cancer progression. Those on this list “represent the entrepreneurial, creative and intellectual best of their generation.”
November 29, 2012 > Understanding the mechanism of metastasis
Jing Yang, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow '00-'03) and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, demonstrated how cancer cells control a developmental process known as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to metastasize, breaking free and spreading to other parts of the body, where they proliferate and grow into secondary tumors. The researchers reported that activation of a gene called Twist1 turns on EMT, promoting cancer cell release into blood circulation; EMT must then be turned off once the tumor cells reach new sites in the body to proliferate and form metastases. Their findings suggest that EMT inhibitors may be possible cancer treatments. This work was published in the journal Cancer Cell.
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November 28, 2012 > New targeted therapy effective in treating resistant leukemias
Frank G. Haluska, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow '94-'96) of ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, and colleagues, reported the success of the investigational targeted therapy Ponatinib (AP24534) in treating patients with resistant types of blood cancers, including chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and a subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-positive ALL). The drug blocks the kinase BCR-ABL, including its mutated form (T315I) which is resistant to existing kinase inhibitor drugs. In this Phase I trial, nearly all patients responded to treatment. Ponatinib is a promising new treatment for patients who have no other treatment options. The Phase I trial results were reported in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Updated December 14, 2012: The FDA approved ponatinib (Iclusig) for the treatment of these two forms of drug-resistant leukemia. Approval was based on a single phase II trial, results of which were reported last week at the American Society of Hematology's annual meeting.
October 24, 2012 > Aspirin improves survival in colorectal cancer patients with gene mutation
Andrew T. Chan, MD, MPH (Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator '08-'13) of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and colleagues, reported that regular use of aspirin after diagnosis was associated with significantly longer survival in patients with mutated-PIK3CA colorectal cancer, but not among cancer patients without the mutation. The findings suggest that the PIK3CA mutation in colorectal cancer may allow doctors to determine which patients can benefit from aspirin therapy. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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New Discoveries eNewsletter: July - Sept 2012
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New Discoveries eNewsletter: Oct - Dec 2012
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October 2, 2012 > 2012 MacArthur Fellows named
Sarkis K. Mazmanian, PhD (Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovator '08-'10) of California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, was named one of 23 MacArthur Fellows for 2012. He is recognized for his innovative research elucidating the critical role of bacterial microbes in human health, which could lead to new therapies or preventive treatments for a variety of human diseases including cancer. The MacArthur Fellows Program awards five-year, unrestricted fellowships to individuals across all ages and fields who show exceptional merit and promise of continued creative work.
October 1, 2012 > 2012 NIH Director’s Early Independence awards
Adam de la Zerda, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow '11-'12) of Stanford University, Stanford, was named one of 14 exceptional junior scientists who will be supported by the NIH Director's Early Independence award. This program encourages young scientists who have demonstrated outstanding scientific creativity, intellectual maturity, and leadership skills; these scientists have an accelerated career path, in that they either complete an abbreviated postdoctoral fellowship or skip the conventional postdoctoral training period, and move directly to an independent faculty position. Adam plans to develop new medical imaging technologies that can look inside a tumor and gather information on sugar molecules that are essential for cancer progression.
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Theater Benefits to Fund Cancer Research
Our Theater Benefits are exciting cancer fundraising events that offer the chance to attend a dinner at a premier New York restaurant, followed by tickets to a successful or highly-anticipated Broadway show. Guests also have the opportunity to hear first-hand from the scientists themselves about the impact that Damon Runyon funding and support has on their cancer research.
Spring Theater Benefit: Lucky Guy
On March 13, 2013, friends of the the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation joined us for a special preview performance on of Nora Ephron's new play Lucky Guy, starring Tom Hanks and Maura Tierney, for our Spring Theater Benefit. Set in New York in the 1980s, Lucky Guy tells the story of the charismatic and controversial tabloid columnist Mike McAlary, who investigates the scandal and corruption of the graffiti-ridden city. His coverage of the Abner Louima case won him the Pulitzer Prize, shortly before his untimely death from cancer in 1998. Guests had the opportunity to hear firsthand about the latest in cancer research from three current Damon Runyon scientists while enjoying dinner at celebrity chef Todd English's French-inspired brasserie, Ça Va.
Fall Theater Benefit: Glengarry Glen Ross
On November 7, 2012, friends of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation joined us for a special preview performance of the highly anticipated Glengarry Glen Ross. This limited engagement revival of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play stars four-time Golden Globe winner and Academy award winner Al Pacino and Bobby Cannavale as ruthless salesmen in a Chicago real estate office fighting to stay on top of the game and save their jobs. Theatergoers had the opportunity to hear firsthand about the latest in cancer research from four current Damon Runyon scientists while enjoying dinner at Etcetera, Etcetera.
For more information on our Theater Benefits, contact Kim Kubert, Director of Special Events, at 212.455.0501 or kim.kubert@damonrunyon.org.
September 6, 2012 > ENCODE project results: Encyclopedia of DNA Elements
Mark B. Gerstein, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow '94-'96) of Yale University, New Haven, and colleagues, announced the exciting results of the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) project. As reported in 30 publications in Nature and other journals, the consortium assigned a biochemical function to over 80% of the human genome—sequences that had previously been thought to be "junk DNA." The project was featured in The New York Times.
Updated December 21, 2012: ENCODE was selected as one of the "Runners-Up" for Science magazine's 2012 Breakthrough of the Year. Click here for more.