November/December 2022
ICRF and Cancer Research Institute Announce Co-Funding
of Translational Immunotherapy Grant
The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) and Israel Cancer Research Fund have partnered to award and co-fund a Clinic and Laboratory Integration Program (CLIP) Grant to support the promising immunotherapy research of Yifat Merbl, PhD, of the Weizmann Institute of Science. The CLIP grant, amounting to $200,000 over two years, was established by CRI to support investigators who are studying critical topics at the intersection of laboratory and clinical research. This collaboration builds on another partnership that supported immunotherapy research conducted in Israel—The Immunotherapy Promise—between CRI, the leading funder of immunotherapy research internationally, and ICRF.

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and ICRF is currently supporting several new and ongoing projects focused on early detection and novel treatments for pancreatic cancer. A few of these researchers are highlighted below:
ICRF Scientist Researching Tools for Early Detection
of Pancreatic Cancer
Lucio Frydman, PhD, of the Weizmann Institute of Science, is investigating techniques for understanding, diagnosing and assessing treatment for pancreatic cancer.  
As a renowned expert in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can you briefly describe the challenges in early detection of pancreatic cancer?   

My work focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a highly aggressive form of pancreatic cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. It is currently the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths, second only to colon and  lung cancer in the U.S. Seven percent of cancer deaths are due to PDAC, and with a five-year survival of 9 percent, it is among the deadliest of cancers. This is largely due to difficulties in its early diagnosis and the dearth of screening tests, compared to lung, colorectal, breast and prostate cancers. In fact, PDAC diagnosis comes too late for most patients, and even with its resection survival is little more than a year. 

Imaging methods have been remarkably ineffective in helping to change this state of affairs: CT, endoscopic ultrasound, MRI, and PET, are all used for detecting pancreatic cancer and guiding its needle biopsies – but they have been found lacking despite the period of ten years that it takes for PDAC to develop. PET plays an important role in monitoring for metastases, yet its PDAC sensitivity and specificity is not good – even worse than that of MRI. Compounding this bleak picture is the inability of most methods to distinguish PDAC from non-malignant pancreatitis, an uncertainty that leads to unnecessary biopsies in the best- case scenario, and to potentially fatal misdiagnoses and treatments in too many occasions.

ICRF has allowed us to achieve milestones.

Professor Lucio Frydman
ICRF Researchers Look For New Diagnostics and Clinical Approaches
to Pancreatic Cancer
Amit Tirosh, MD, now in the second year of an ICRF Clinical Research Career Development Award at Chaim Sheba Medical Center, is focusing on a hereditary syndrome called von Hippel-Lindau (or VHL). Patients with VHL have a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer, compared with the general population. Using tumor samples taken from patients with VHL, he found a specific compound that can potentially drive tumor development and believes that it can be blocked using specific drugs. He will continue to analyze the data derived from tumor samples using the most advanced genomic techniques available today, in order to gain additional insights on the molecular mechanisms that cause pancreatic tumors to develop, with the ultimate goal of testing potential drugs to reverse tumor progression.
Tomer Cooks, PhD, a new recipient of an ICRF Project Grant at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, is investigating the role of exosomes (nanoparticles produced by pancreatic cancer cells) in reprogramming the surrounding microenvironment to create favorable conditions for cancer cells to invade and metastasize. His lab specifically focuses on cancer cells with a mutated p53 gene, the most frequently altered gene in human cancers. Exosomes released by cells that contain the mutant p53 gene have the potential to 'educate' neighboring cells to promote cancer. Finding ways to stop this process could become instrumental in the development of clinical approaches for pancreatic cancer and other tumors.
Oren Parnas, PhD, of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is now in his third and final year of the ICRF Barbara S. Goodman Endowed Research Career Development Award in Pancreatic Cancer. Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage, after it has already spread to other organs; but, it actually develops over many years, starting from small changes that form pre-malignant lesions, eventually giving rise to the tumor. The Parnas lab is examining the role of two transcription factors (proteins involved in the process of converting, or transcribing, DNA into RNA) and how they change the behavior of normal cells to induce cancerous transformation. Their ultimate goal is to be able to detect secreted proteins that are regulated by these transcription factors in the blood of pancreatic cancer patients before the disease has spread. By shedding light on the basic processes that support pancreatic cancer development, their work has the potential to reveal new biomarkers for early detection of pancreatic cancer.

In case you missed it, view our Brilliant Minds webinar "Novel Treatments and Diagnostics for Pancreatic Cancer" featuring Professor Parnas.
Dubi Fishel Fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research Announces 2022 Campaign 
The Dubi Fishel Fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research was established in 2020 to honor the memory of Chicago ICRF Board Member Dubi Fishel, who lost his battle with cancer on Yom Kippur of that year. 
 
The fund supports an ICRF-funded scientist conducting research on early detection of pancreatic cancer. Last year, the fund raised more than $35,000. The campaign, which is chaired by family and friends, will be launched on November 1 and will continue until December 31, 2022. 
  
Dubi’s final wish was to share his journey with pancreatic cancer and generate support for ICRF’s cutting-edge cancer research. Please join us in helping to find treatments and cures for this devastating cancer. For more information, please contact sandy.rosen@icrfonline.org.

Attention Israeli Cancer Researchers

Now is the time to apply for an ICRF grant!

The deadline is Thursday, January 5, 2023@ 11:59PM EST
(The deadline for Acceleration Grant LOIs is ThursdayDecember 1, 2022)
Study Reveals Cancer is Replete with Bacteria, Fungi
ICRF Project Grantee Ravid Straussman, MD, PhD of the Weizmann Institute of Science discusses new research revealing that tumors may contain millions of microbes, including both bacteria and fungi. Some microbes not only attach to tumors but may help them grow. They may “cloak the tumor" from the immune system, neutralize drugs, or help tumors spread though the body. 
 
Skin Cancer Metastases Can Be Delayed, According to New Studies
Ninety percent of advanced-stage melanomas cause metastases in the brain. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, PhD, an ICRF Research Professorship grantee, and Sabina Pozzi, a PhD student, discovered a treatment, when applied immediately after surgery, that prevents metastasis from entering the brain. The researchers were able to delay the spread of the metastases by up to 80 percent.

Save the Date: Giving Tuesday 2022 is November 29
Join ICRF in funding the future of cancer research this Giving Tuesday, November 29, 2022! This year we are raising money towards funding a new Research Career Development Award (RCDA) grant, which is awarded to promising early career scientists who have recently established their own laboratories and are on their way to becoming outstanding independent investigators. 

Researchers who have begun their careers with RCDA awards have gone on to make significant contributions to cancer science, including Nobel Prize winner Aaron Ciechanover, MD, DSc, Doxil® co-developer Alberto Gabizon, MD, PhD, and Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, PhD, who recently developed the first 3D living malignant brain tumor. 

Watch our website and social media for updates as the date gets closer to support our goal and help us spread the word.
Upcoming Events
November
6
Sunday
7:00 AM
TCS New York City Marathon

A revved up team of nine will run the TCS NYC Marathon in November to raise funds for ICRF. Our runners will be joining us from New York, New Jersey, Florida, California and Israel. Each runner has committed to raise a minimum of $3,600. To date, Team ICRF has raised over $30,000 for this year’s marathon.

November
13
Sunday
11:00 AM
Montreal Women of Action Luncheon

ICRF Montreal is honoring three women at The Windsor Ballrooms who have made a difference in the business, scientific and philanthropic communities: Anzie Stein (Business), Catherine Melling Turner (Community), and Dr. Sara Soldera (Science). Hayley Arceneaux, Author, Astronaut, Physician Assistant and cancer survivor, will deliver the keynote address. Alanna Wexler Schwartz, Jenna Schwartz and Alex Schiller are event chairs.

November
23
Wednesday
6:30 PM
ICRF Presents: Legends of the Halftime Show in Toronto

Wear your favorite game day attire and join ICRF Toronto at Koerner Hall for ICRF Presents, featuring epic songs from halftime show performances. ICRF will honor the Alisa Lyons Award of Valour to Bryna Goldberg and introduce the Hayden Solomons Award of Distinction, which will be presented to the Solomons Family in memory of Hayden Solomons, z”l.

Chapter Highlights
Connecticut Gala Raises Funds to Support Innovative Cancer Research
ICRF Connecticut Chairman Leslie Freedman; Richard Kind; and Peggy Kalter
The Connecticut Tower of Hope Gala was held in October in Stamford, raising $250,000 to fund groundbreaking cancer research. The event was a tribute to the “Late Show with David Letterman” show announcer Alan Kalter, z”l , whose wife, Peggy Kalter, accepted the Humanitarian Award on his behalf. Award-winning actor and comedian Richard Kind entertained the guests as master of ceremonies and David Letterman orchestra leader Paul Shaffer performed an impromptu rendition of the theme song from Exodus. A group of community experts, Nicole Boxer, Genetics Counselor, Dr. Fran Ginsburg, Gynecologist and Reproductive Endocrinologist, Dr. Shara Israel, Internist, and Robyn Grosshandler, cancer survivor and advocate, led a stimulating panel discussion on “Mitigating Cancer Risks.”

New York Gala Raises Close to $800,000 to Support Israel's World-Class Scientists
Arnold M. Baskies, MD; ICRF National Executive Director Beryl Chernov; Ambassador Asaf Zamir; and Rob Densen
New York supporters of ICRF gathered together in late October at the Tower of Hope Gala, for a night of song, science and hope. The evening’s three awardees were Leadership Honoree Rob Densen, Founder & CEO of Tiller LLC and ICRF International Vice Chair and President Emeritus; Inspiration Honoree Arnold M. Baskies, MD, Surgical Oncologist, Former Chairman of the Board of the American Cancer Society and ICRF International Vice President; and Partnership Honoree Ambassador Asaf Zamir, Consul General of Israel in New York. The honorees spoke with passion about their personal journeys with cancer and their unflagging support of ICRF’s mission to support groundbreaking cancer research in
Israel. Michelle Makori, Editor- in-Chief and Lead Anchor, KITCO News, served as the gala host. Other special guests included Rabbi Stuart Gershon, Cantor Azi Schwartz, and Rabbi Charles Savenor.
 
Close to $800,000 was raised to support ICRF’s world-class researchers. As Rob Densen said: “The real honor should be reserved for the hundreds of brilliant scientists working tirelessly and without applause and acclaim in labs across Israel to better understand this dreadful disease and lead us to cures and life-extending treatments.”

News Roundup
Double the Impact of Your Tax-Deductible Gift
The end of the year is fast approaching! Did you know that you can double the impact of your tax-deductible gift to ICRF by taking a few seconds to check if your employer will match your gift?

This means that your gift + your employer's match can = 2x the impact on groundbreaking cancer research.

Simply visit icrfonline.org/doublethedonation to find out if yours is one of the many employers that participate in these programs.