Groups join forces to fund promising lung cancer research

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Two health groups are joining forces to fund three promising lung cancer researchers. The LUNGevity Foundation and the American Cancer Society are contributing $370,000 to fund the first-ever LUNGevity Foundation and American Cancer Society Lung Cancer Postdoctoral Fellowships.

The grants will go to three researchers whose novel approaches may help improve the understanding of how lung cancer develops and could lead to more effective treatments.

The new collaboration will fund three promising research grant applications, grants that passed a rigorous peer review process but could not be funded because of a shortfall of available funds. The three post-doctoral researchers who will receive support are:

•Timothy K. Starr, PhD, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, whose work on the "Sleeping Beauty transposase” will identify genes specifically involved in lung tumor formation;

•Steven P. Zielske, PhD, University of Michigan, who hopes to modify special cells so they can deliver high concentrations of chemotherapy to lung tumors; and

•Dwight Seferos, PhD, Northwestern University, who will develop a strategy to use nanoparticles to deliver a highly concentrated package of therapies to a specific cellular target.

"It gives us great satisfaction to see these promising researchers get the support they deserve,” said John Stevens, MD, American Cancer Society vice president of extramural grants. "These new fellowships join 76 other multi-year lung cancer research grants totaling more than $42 million the Society currently funds, as we continue to look for answers to improve the lives and prognoses for patients with this top cause of cancer de ath in the United States.”

"These fellowships are a wonderful opportunity for LUNGevity to continue our support for the most promising lung cancer research,” said Jill Feldman, president of the LUNGevity Foundation. "We are determined to invest in this type of leading-edge research until a cure can be found to treat the 200,000 American diagnosed with lung cancer each year.” Funding for the grants was also provided by a generous estate gift from Catherine and Timothy Fitzgerald to the American Cancer Society.

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States.

(Last updated on Thursday, April 12, 2007, and first posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007)