Prostate Cancer Foundation Issues $4.5 Million in Grants to Support Innovation from Young Investigators
April 13, 2010
SANTA MONICA, CA – April 13, 2010 – The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) today announced the funding of 21 new Young Investigator Awards at 17 leading cancer centers in the U.S. and Canada. Designed to encourage the most innovative minds in cancer research to focus their careers on prostate cancer, the awards provide recipients with three years of funding to test transformational research questions for prostate cancer patients. The 2010 Young Investigator Awards represent a new $4.5 million investment in the global cancer research community by PCF.
With the announcement of the 2010 Young Investigators, PCF is now funding 43 research projects led by young investigators around the world. These Young Investigator projects are three years in duration. Each award is $225,000 total and is matched dollar for dollar or matched in kind by the recipients’ research institutions, making the total award worth $450,000 in support.
The 2010 PCF Young Investigator Award recipients include Justine Bruce, MD from the University of Wisconsin Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center for her work on TRC105 which is under clinical investigation at a biotechnology firm named TRACON. TRC105 is a monoclonal antibody against the endoglin protein found on the surface of tumor blood vessel cells. TRC105 blocks the proliferation of vascular cells required for tumor blood vessel growth, cutting off the tumor’s nutrient supply – preventing disease progression. Dr. Bruce will utilize advanced molecular imaging methods include PET/CT scans to monitor tumor responses in patients treated with TRC105 and assess its overall efficacy.
Delia Alvarez, (858) 550-0780 ext. 232, info@traconpharma.com