Patrick Hwu, M.D., joined MD Anderson in 2003 as the first chair of Melanoma Medical Oncology.
Spring 2015 : Cancer Frontline
MD Anderson receives $22.3 million in CPRIT research funding
The awards will fund research for treatment and prevention of many types of cancer.
Photo: Wyatt McSpadden
MD Anderson received more than $22 million in research grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) in February.
Approximately half the funds awarded for Individual Investigator Research Awards (IIRA) went to MD Anderson faculty. Additionally, 40% of total IIRA funds were awarded for research in children’s and adolescent cancer and early detection and prevention.
The CPRIT awards will go toward studies in the areas of breast, skin, prostate, pancreas, colon and lung cancers in adults; leukemia and brain cancer in children; and for studies aimed at preventing colon and lung cancers.
These include:
- $16 million for Individual Investigator Research Awards
- $3.8 million for children and adolescents
- $2.5 million for prevention and early detection.
In addition, Immatics Biotechnologies was one of four Company Formation Awards funded by CPRIT. At more than $19 million, the project will further enable translation of immunotherapy knowledge from MD Anderson into new therapeutics for cancer patients.
“This is an astounding accomplishment and we’re extremely pleased that CPRIT has again recognized the significant scientific contributions being made by our world-class researchers,” says MD Anderson President Ron DePinho, M.D. “We could not be more proud of the work that occurs every day at this institution and we commend those investigators who were awarded funding by CPRIT, as well as all the scientists and clinicians whose daily goal is no less than to end cancer.”
In 2014, MD Anderson received more than $47 million from CPRIT for research, prevention, recruitment and training. In total, the institution has received more than $215 million from CPRIT since its formation in 2009.
In November, CPRIT adopted new annual priorities to guide its grant awards, and specified that 10 of the awards would focus on childhood and adolescent cancers. Five would address prevention and early detection of cancer.
MD Anderson was awarded two grants in each of these new categories, totaling more than $6.3 million.
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