PHILADELPHIA –– November 10, 2016 – Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is making $7.5 million in research grants available to early-career scientists who are pursuing innovative cancer research projects focusing on immuno-oncology, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) announced today. Funded by a grant from SU2C Visionary Supporter, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, a total of 10 Innovative Research Grants (IRGs) will be available, each up to $750,000, over three years.
“Immuno-oncology is an exciting field in research today,” said William G. Kaelin, Jr., MD, professor of medicine and associate director of basic science at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School and chair of the SU2C Innovative Research Grant Committee. “It has yielded a number of revolutionary new approaches to cancer treatment, and we are eager to find and support scientists early in their careers who can help move the field even further forward.”
The IRG program is open to young investigators no more than seven years into their first independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) appointment, pursuing novel, high-risk, high-reward cancer immunology research proposals that have significant potential for translation to clinical application and hold great promise for advancing SU2C’s overarching goal of improving and saving lives. Provided that these criteria are met, proposals may focus on any discipline within basic, translational, or clinical research.
“There is potential for immuno-oncology in a wide range of cancers, and so investment in new research is critical,” said Julie Hambleton, MD, vice president, head, U.S. Medical, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “As part of our ongoing support of Stand Up To Cancer, we are proud to help the next generation of researchers progress the field forward with new and exciting research that has the potential to lead to advancements for the benefit of patients.”
The deadline for proposals from eligible investigators is at 12:00 p.m. ET on January 12, 2017. Program guidelines are available at http://www.aacr.org/IRG2017. Proposals should be submitted online via proposalCENTRAL at https://proposalcentral.altum.com.
The SU2C Innovative Research Grant Committee, composed of leading cancer physician-scientists and researchers, will review proposals and select finalists who will be invited to present their proposals to the committee in person in early 2017.
For general information on eligibility criteria, the application process, and the research conducted by previous IRG recipients, please visit http://www.aacr.org/IRG. Inquiries may also be directed to AACR’s Scientific Review and Grants Administration Department at 215-446-7190 or su2c@aacr.org.
As Scientific Partner of SU2C since its launch in 2008, the AACR provides scientific leadership, expert peer review, and grants administration for SU2C’s extensive research program.
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Media Contacts:
SU2C
Jane Rubenstein
646-386-7969
jrubinstein@eifoundation.org
AACR
Rick Buck
215-446-7162
rick.buck@aacr.org
About the Stand Up To Cancer Initiative
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by film and media leaders who utilize the industry’s resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, and to increase awareness about cancer prevention as well as progress being made in the fight against the disease. As SU2C’s scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, conduct rigorous, competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and provide expert review of research progress. Current members of the SU2C Council of Founders and Advisors (CFA) include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, Ellen Ziffren, and Kathleen Lobb. Noreen Fraser and the late Laura Ziskin are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, Ph.D., R.N., has served as SU2C’s president since 2011. For more information on Stand Up To Cancer, visit www.standup2cancer.org.
About the American Association for Cancer Research
Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world’s first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes more than 37,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 108 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 30 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with nearly 19,500 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes eight prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients, and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration, and scientific oversight of team science and individual investigator grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and other policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit www.AACR.org.