As of 2021, ICRF began committing funds on a "rolling award" basis. An initial round of commitments was made to applications with the very top scores, and additional funding commitments were announced individually, as funds became available. This new approach enabled ICRF to fund a higher proportion of excellent applications than in the past, bringing the total number of grants for 2021-22 to 78. Below are details on the four additional new grants now being funded:

Erez Levanon, PhD of Bar-Ilan University, received an ICRF Acceleration Grant for his project entitled, “Inducing Neoantigens for Immunotherapy Through Splicing Modulation.” Acceleration Grants are intended to speed up our understanding of the biology underlying cancer and to provide new knowledge that will rapidly enhance the development of innovative therapeutics. This project involves improving responses to cancer immunotherapy, since not all patients exhibit a strong response. The research team will design molecules, predicted by computational analysis, that will force creation of new proteins within the tumor cells. These new proteins are predicted to help invoke a robust, anti-tumor, immune response.

Eran Meshorer, PhD of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, received an ICRF Project Grant for his project entitled, “Histone Turnover in Glioblastoma.” Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant brain tumor, and it is challenging to treat. A single mutation occurs frequently in a type of GBM that occurs only in pediatric patients. These experiments should identify specific mechanisms by which this mutation may drive malignancy, and potentially identify pathways for therapeutic intervention.

Reuven Wiener, PhD of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, received an ICRF Project Grant for his project entitled, “Mechanistic Understanding of Ufmylation for Anti-Cancer Drug Development.” Proteins are the workhorses of the cell and are responsible for almost all cellular processes. One protein that has been closely linked to cancer is UFM1. Improper regulation of protein modification by UFM1 (ufmylation) has been linked to several types of cancers, including breast, ovarian, and gastric cancers. The Wiener lab uses advanced methods for analysis of protein structure and activity in order to uncover the mechanisms by which UFM1 is attached to its target proteins, with the goal of making this pathway the target for novel anti-cancer drugs.

Assaf Zinger, PhD of Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, received an ICRF Research Career Development Award (RCDA) for his project entitled, “Modulating Triple Negative Breast Cancer Microenvironment Using Biomimetic Nanoparticles.” The Zinger lab develops nanoparticles to mimic the natural ways in which white blood cells target cancer and inflammation. Tumor-associated macrophages are cells that infiltrate the cancer microenvironment and promote tumor development. Greater infiltration directly correlates with poor patient prognosis. Using a mouse model for triple negative breast cancer, they plan to develop and test new biomimetic nanotechnology that will interfere with macrophages and help to inhibit tumor development.

Professor David Meiri, a new ICRF Project Grant recipient, talks about his research on a distinct combination of cannabinoids, which are able to induce cell death in leukemia cells.

Recently, the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids and the unique active compounds of the cannabis plant, have become relevant in cancer research. Cannabis is currently being used by cancer patients, primarily in palliative care, but recent pre-clinical and clinical data suggest that the right plant components can actually exert antitumoral effects.

As cannabinoids have also been shown to play key roles in modulation of the immune system, we tested the effect of cannabis in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). We found a specific cannabis extract that selectively induces apoptosis (cell death) in T-ALL cells that have a mutation in the signaling receptor Notch1. In humans, more than 50 percent of T-ALL cases display Notch1 autoactivation, making this signaling pathway a strong candidate for new therapeutics. 

Read the article.

Obese women have a higher risk of developing breast tumors that are resistant to therapies, and once diagnosed, cancer is more likely to recur and is associated with higher death rates. Professor Michael Elkin, an earlier recipient of an ICRF Research Career Development Award, has received a Project Grant to explore aspects of obesity-associated breast cancer progression.

Your research on the progression of cancer in overweight women was recently published in the prestigious Cancer Research journal. Can you describe your recent significant breakthrough?

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With February being National Cancer Prevention Month, including World Cancer Day on February 4, the focus shifts to steps to prevent cancer. An estimated 42 percent of cancer cases are attributed to potentially modifiable risk factors. Cancer prevention and early detection through screening can reduce the cancer burden. Some tips to include in your daily routine:

More than a decade later, Jeff Kreizelman’s multiple myeloma is in remission. Thanks to chemotherapy, stem cell procedures and Velcade^® — a drug developed based on the research of ICRF Professorship grant recipients and Nobel Laureates Professors Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover —Jeff is back practicing law, his life’s passion and, most importantly, living life to the fullest. In his son’s words: “It’s hard to tell the difference between the giving, energetic person he was before cancer and the giving energetic person he is now.”

“Today, the odds of surviving multiple myeloma," said Justin, are better than ever before. It used to be a death sentence. Cancer research saved my father’s life.”

This virtual event, "New Targets and Therapies in Cancer," is open to the public and has been made possible through the generous support of The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation, Jacki and Bruce Barron, and The Norman and Sadie Lee Foundation. If you would like to attend, register today.

Double the impact of your donation with a matching gift from your employer. Many companies match employee donations to ICRF — check if your company is one of them by visiting doublethedonation.com/icrf.