Funded Investigators

Research Programs

Advances in Cancer
    Research

Brain Cancer Program
Novel engineered animal models that mimic human brain cancers are now being used to discover key pathways that cause or maintain these deadly cancers so as to develop novel ways to treat them. These animal models will be provided to other SWCRF scientists and future grantees for our expanding program in brain cancer. By accepting SWCRF support, these scientists commit to sharing results and tools developed by their research to amplify the public health impact of their work. As with other SWCRF programs, basic scientific research is being matched with translational research studies with the hope of developing therapeutic clinical trials for brain cancers.

Breast Cancer Research Program
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. A majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer are missing a vitamin A receptor, which is needed for normal breast cell growth and differentiation. Engineered mouse models are being used to learn how breast cancers form and how to better treat them. Our translational goal and clinical research program will apply this research to women predisposed to breast cancer because they lack this protein. Strategies are underway to develop pharmacological treatments. A member of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Committee has identified a pathway called NOTCH that breast cancer stem cells need for survival. A clinical trial now underway is translating this work into the clinic.

Liver Cancer Research Program
Liver cancer is a devastating malignancy with few treatment options when surgery is not possible. Basic scientific research is being matched with translational studies involving development of new clinical trials. The major discoveries of this program include complete gene profiling of human liver cancer due to hepatitis C from initial infection through advanced cancer. A recent SWCRF report showed that certain critical genes can be used to better classify liver cancer. This will lead to simple molecular tests that will uncover how best to tailor therapy and improve prognostic information for liver cancer.

Lung Cancer Research Program
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women. In a recently published report, a translational and clinical phase I trial developed through SWCRF support combined two drugs that independently target the cell cycle machinery to turn it off. Promising early clinical results have been seen with prolongation of life for treated patients. A phase II trial has begun; the encouraging results of which might even lead to a definitive phase III trial. This program will increase the number of SWCRF collaborators to rapidly test this regimen in a larger number of patients and further understand its use in lung cancer.

Melanoma Research Program
Metastatic melanoma is a lethal disease on the rise. With SWCRF support, a potentially paradigm-shifting program has just been funded. It supports a distinguished team of cancer researchers to spearhead an international effort to combat melanoma through an innovative gene therapy initiative. This would confer long lasting immune therapy to treated cancer patients by inserting a critical gene into normal bone marrow stem cells. This program independently provides us a better understanding of how mutation of a single oncogenic gene, B-raf, present in 80% of patients’ melanomas, simultaneously contributes to melanoma development and targeted therapy. SWCRF funding is being used in animal model treatments that optimize use of different B-raf inhibitors in advance of clinical trials. A novel clinical trial using B-raf inhibitors will also receive your support.

Pancreatic Cancer Research Program
Pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis when surgical treatment is not an option, and is almost uniformly resistant to current treatments. The reason for this may reside in the unique nature of the pancreatic stem cell, the root cause of this cancer. Pancreatic cancer stem cells are being isolated to explore which genes are abnormally expressed in them. These insights would illuminate mechanisms for pancreatic cancer development and at the same time provide clues about novel therapeutic targets. Given the pressing societal need for advances in this area, the SWCRF plans to fund additional scientists in the future to build upon this important collaborative program.

Prostate Cancer Program
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. This recently initiated, interactive program was selected for its cutting edge approach to new prostate cancer treatments. Basic scientific research is being matched with translational studies involving hypothesis-driven clinical trials and analysis of specimens obtained from prostate cancer patients. Predictive animal models that mimic prostate cancer in men are being examined to target common genetic alterations so as to rapidly translate discoveries into the clinic.

Tumor Dormancy Program
Amongst this program’s major accomplishments is the development of a human cancer model useful to discover a single but key protein on the surface of cancer cells. This protein can make a cancer cell dormant and less aggressive. Specific inhibitors of this protein have been designed to maintain this cancer dormancy. These inhibitors are being refined using structural biology methods. It is anticipated that preclinical development including collaboration with pharmaceutical companies will result in drugs that will be tested in clinical trials to drive cancer cells to become dormant. This would represent a groundbreaking advance as it would help convert cancer into a chronic disease.

Research Equipment
Cutting-edge research requires contemporary tools. Your support is essential to help our Foundation’s scientists achieve their important work. They need specialized equipment to conduct their studies. Your partnership with our team of highly collaborative and accomplished scientists will help provide them the tools they need for their work to succeed.