Research Grants
Research represents the greatest promise for curing childhood cancer. Children deserve more than just treatment options. They deserve a cure and a hope for tomorrow. All types of childhood cancers respond differently to treatment, so options are needed that target specific types or groups of cancers like Sarcomas. Joanna had Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma.
Research Milestones:
- 18 research grants to 9 different institutions
- More than $200,000 spend on research grants since inception
- Abstracts citing JMCCF funding
- Clinical trial featuring one of the drugs funded
Disturbing is the fact that the overall survival rate for pediatric sarcomas has not increased in the past 20 years.1 Joanna died from Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma so we feel strongly that our first grants should fund either sarcoma research or Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma research, but we will re-evaluate grant priorities each year.
In accordance with the Bylaws of the The Joanna McAfee Childhood Cancer Foundation, Inc. an application must be submitted in order to be considered for a grant. Although the requirements and limitations for our grants will be reviewed each year, they are currently limited to institutions and organizations conducting/supporting sarcoma research (ideally Rhabdomyosarcoma).
Research Grants provided in 2011:
Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Researcher: Janos Sumegi, MD., PhD.
Project: "Global gene expression profiling analysis to identify PAX3-NCOA1 and PAX3-NCOA2 target genes"
Previous years funded 2009, 2010
Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU)
Project: "60 by 60: Finding the Very Best Targeted Therapy Combination for Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma"
Researcher: Charles Keller, MD
Previous Years funded: *2008, *2009, 2010 (While at the University of Texas)
Institution: National Institute of Health
Project: "Molecular Basis and Functional Significance of Copy Number Alterations in Rhabdomyosarcoma"
Researcher: Frederic Barr, MD, PhD
Years funded: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (While at the University of Pennsylvania)
Data-Farber Cancer Institute (Harvard)
Project: "Gremlin1 as a candidate target to inhibit sarcoma growth and angiogenesis"
Researcher: Simone Hettmer, MD
Previous years funded: None
Other Institutions receiving grant funding since inception:
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA
Funded in: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Pediatric Cancer Foundation
Tampa, FL
Funded in: 2006, 2007
University of Minnesota Department of Pediatrics
Minneapolis, MN
Research Project: “The Hope Study”
Targeted Cancer(s): HepatoblastomaResearch project funded by Dr. Jeff and Angel Easom, and Middle Georgia Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine in memory of Macy Easom.
Funded in : 2008
University of Texas Health Science Center - Greehey Childhood Cancer Research Institute
San Antonio, TX
Funded in 2008, 2009
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, TN
Funded in 2008
