Four childhood cancer researchers at three leading institutions across the country have been awarded Reach Grants this year by Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, the Bala Cynwyd nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for cancer in children.
The goal of the Reach Grant, which provides the recipient with $250,000 over two years, is to support cancer therapy research that looks likely to result in clinical trials within two to three years.
The grants were awarded to Patrick Zweidler-McKay of MD Anderson Cancer Center for a potential new treatment for protein-driven acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, while Michael Engel from the University of Utah received his for the development of a new treatment option for patients with T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma.
Michael D. Hogarty and John Maris of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia also received a grant each to study a new neuroblastoma drug for use in combination with chemotherapy and immunotherapy and for a new targeted radiation therapy to help children with relapsed neuroblastoma respectively.
“Traditional treatment protocols can fail many children fighting childhood cancer,” said Jay Scott, Co-Executive Director of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. “We are dedicated to bringing promising research forward from the lab to the clinic.”
