Recipients
CONCERN Foundation has raised over $46 million for cancer research during its 44-year history. Since 1968, Concern Foundation has funded well over 650 pediatric and adult cancer researchers worldwide studying many forms of cancer, primarily in the areas of immunology, immunotherapy, and the genetics of cancer. Concern specifically funds researchers who lack financial support for their first major research project and provides critically needed start-up funds for promising projects. By focusing funding to new investigators, Concern helps to bridge a gap that currently exists in the scientific research community. It is difficult for new investigators to obtain initial grants from major funding sources without sound data. At the same time, it is difficult to obtain sound data without funding.
Concern Foundation is Proud to Announce our 2012-2014 Research Grant Recipients!
Lifeng Xu Ph.D.
The Regents of the University of California (University of California Davis)
TYPE OF CANCER: Blood & Bone Marrow
PROJECT TITLE: Characterizing the Role of TIN2 in Telomerase Activation
Scott Welford Ph.D.
Case Western Reserve University - School of Medicine
TYPE OF CANCER: Kidney – Renal Cell
PROJECT TITLE: Modulation of the tumor microenvironment by the MIF Signaling Program.
Xaralabos Varelas Ph.D.
Trustees of Boston University, B U Medical Campus
TYPE OF CANCER: Breast
PROJECT TITLE: Defining polarity cues that control tumor initiation and progression
Dean Tantin Ph.D.
University of Utah
TYPE OF CANCER: Blood, Bone Marrow, Leukemia
PROJECT TITLE: Control of myeloid leukemia self-renewal
***This grant is co-funded by Wendy & Tom Nogradi***
Matthew Strout M.D., Ph.D.
Yale University
TYPE OF CANCER: Blood, Lymph nodes, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
PROJECT TITLE: The Role of Immune Diversification in Lymphomagenesis
Andrew Snow Ph.D.
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc.
TYPE OF CANCER: Blood, Bone marrow, Leukemia, Leukocytes, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Spleen
PROJECT TITLE: Differential signaling of oncogenic CARD11 mutants in lymphocytes
Matthew Pratt Ph.D.
USC/University of Southern California
TYPE OF CANCER: Breast, Lung, Prostate
PROJECT TITLE: Cancer Metabolism and Protein Glycosylation
***This grant is co-funded by the Save The Ta-Tas Foundation***
Niv Papo Ph.D.
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
TYPE OF CANCER: Brain, Breast, Liver & Ovarian
PROJECT TITLE: Developing Antagonistic Protein Ligands for Cancer Imaging and Therapy
Sanaz Memarzadeh Ph.D., M.D.
The Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles
TYPE OF CANCER: Uterus
PROJECT TITLE: Potential utility of a PARP inhibitor in targeting endometrial cancers
Sergei Koralov Ph.D.
New York University School of Medicine
TYPE OF CANCER: Leukemia, Lymphatic system, Skin- non-melanoma
PROJECT TITLE: Stat3 in T cells: At the crossroads of inflammation and cancer
Thomas Graeber Ph.D.
The Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles
TYPE OF CANCER: Melanoma
PROJECT TITLE: Signaling changes that confer resistance to BRAF-targeted melanoma therapy
Boyi Gan Ph.D.
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
TYPE OF CANCER: Pancreas
PROJECT TITLE: study the impact of FoxO reactivation on pancreatic cancer treatment
Thomas Fazzio PhD
University of Massachusetts Medical School
TYPE OF CANCER: Blood, Bone Marrow
PROJECT TITLE: Function of the Mbd3/NURD chromatin remodeling complex in myeloid leukemias
Timothy Donahue M.D.
The Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles
TYPE OF CANCER: Pancreas
PROJECT TITLE: Targeting The Immunosuppressive Activity of MDSC in Pancreatic Cancer
Erin Dickerson Ph.D.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
TYPE OF CANCER: Ovarian
PROJECT TITLE: Targeted Approaches for Overcoming Drug Resistance in Ovarian Cancer
Weihang Chai Ph.D.
Washington State University
TYPE OF CANCER: Basic Research
PROJECT TITLE: Function of CST in telomere maintenance and cancer cell growth
Jennifer Carew PhD
Univ of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
TYPE OF CANCER: Ovarian
PROJECT TITLE: Targeting NAE: A New Strategy for Ovarian Cancer Therapy
Concern Foundation Ongoing Research Grants
Karolinska Institute under the direction of George Klein, M.D.
Stockholm Sweden
Concern Foundation’s annual endowment to the Karolinska Institute supported 18 researchers who are developing new and novel approaches in four areas:
A) Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus (HHV-8)
B) Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressor Genes
C) Tumor Immunology
D) Cytotoxic Drug Sensitivity
The Lautenberg Center/Hebrew University
Jerusalem, Israel
For twenty years, Concern Foundation has been proud to support the fine work of the Lautenberg Center. This annual endowment is supported by a generous grant from the Ahmanson Foundation. Fourteen scientists are currently supported by the endowment:
Rami I. Aqeilan
Michael Baniyash
Yinon Ben Neriah
Shlomo Z. Ben-Sasson
Ruth Gallily
Ygal Haupt
Shoshana Israel
Eli Kedar
Moshe Kotler
Ofer Mandelboim
David Naor
Eli Pikarsky
Michael Steinitz
Eitan Yefenof
SPECIAL GRANT AWARDS GIVEN BY CONCERN FOUNDATION
PEDIATRIC CANCER – BRAIN
Anat Epstein
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
***Funding matched by Mrs. Mimi Feldman***
THE ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT (AYA@USC) PROGRAM
Tissue Registry
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center & Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
POPULATION SCIENCES – SECONDARY CANCER DEVELOPMENT
Smita Bhatia, M.D.
City of Hope
Duarte, California
***Funding matched by the Teller & Shapiro Family & David and Merryl Alpert***
HEMATOLOGIC SUPPORTIVE CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER:
“Transfusional Iron, Anthracyclines and Cardiac Outcomes among Childhood Cancer Survivors”
Kathy Ruccione
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
CONCERN FOUNDATION STEM CELL RESEARCH AWARD
Heather Christofk, PhD
UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center
Los Angeles, California
