More than $13.2 million was presented recently to Texas A&M University research groups and a College Station company to help with the exploration of new ways to detect and treat cancer.
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas gave the grant money to help find improved versions of a drug used to treat lymphoma and leukemia.
Bill Gimson, executive director of the state agency, which was created by state voters' approval of a 2007 constitutional amendment, said Texas is acquiring a reputation as a leader in cancer research and prevention.
The institute has awarded more than $550 million in funding for 350 cancer research, prevention and commercialization projects in the past two years. The organization accepts applications for grants and then awards cancer prevention programs and services by public and private entities in the state.
Texas A&M program directors, Robert S. Chapkin and Zhilei Chen, each received funding for their proposals.
Chapkin's project will examine ways of curbing colon cancer by targeting the byproducts of the body's digestion of fats, which can encourage the growth and spread of the disease. Chapkin will use mice to help determine if the project is successful.
Chen's project will work on developing more effective ways to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells in an effort to better target cancer cells with anti-cancer drugs.
The idea, Chen said, is to get away from having to use chemotherapy because it has so many bad side effects. She said she hopes the funding will help the project advance enough and fund enough preliminary results to later be able to apply for larger grants.
"There is therefore an urgent need to identify both molecular signatures unique to cancer cells and agents capable of delivering therapeutic cargo specifically to the cancer cells," Chen said.
The cancer institute also awarded $12.8 million to College Station-based Caliber Biotherapeutics. The pharmaceutical company works to find new effective vaccines and biotherapeutics for cancer, infectious diseases and other afflictions.
RSS
Mobile
Daily Emails
Twitter
Facebook
