Project Cure CRC funding fuels innovative findings in cancer research

Project Cure CRC, a $100 million initiative by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance (Alliance), continues to revolutionize colorectal cancer research by announcing three new groundbreaking grants aimed at transforming patient care. To date, Project Cure CRC has reviewed more than 500 research proposals and invested nearly $13 million to fuel 32 innovative studies. Several grantees have already published progress from their work in prestigious scientific journals, reflecting the program’s impact on advancing the field. As the largest nonprofit dedicated to ending colorectal cancer, the Alliance is prioritizing Project Cure CRC to accelerate the development of cutting-edge treatments that improve outcomes for patients worldwide. 

“The discoveries emerging from Project Cure CRC represent the most exciting advances we’ve seen in colorectal cancer research in decades,” said John Marshall, M.D., Chief Medical Consultant, Colorectal Cancer Alliance, and Director, Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers at Georgetown University. “By strategically investing in bold ideas and brilliant scientists, we’re accelerating the pace of progress toward treatments that patients urgently need.” 

Recent funding from Project Cure CRC

The most recent Project Cure CRC grants support innovative research at leading institutions, including La Jolla, Virginia Tech, and the University of Arizona. These new projects focus on areas with high potential to change the landscape of colorectal cancer treatment:

- Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D., La Jolla Institute for Immunology – TRM-Reactivation Immunotherapy: A New Approach Against Metastatic Colorectal Cancer ($210,000)
- DaeYong Lee, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion – Rational Design of Bispecific Conjugates for Immunotherapy of Colorectal Cancers ($100,000)
- Kelvin Pond, Ph.D., University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center – Dissection of PI3K and MAPK Dynamics in Patient-Derived Colorectal Cancer Organoids for Accelerating Therapeutic Development ($188,000)

Project Cure CRC researchers with published articles

Several Project Cure CRC scientists have already published articles about their preliminary work in peer-reviewed journals, advancing scientific understanding and citing the Alliance for funding support:

- Ekaterina Dadachova, Ph.D., University of Saskatchewan – Actinium-armed antibody targeting CCR8+ regulatory T cells synergizes with immunotherapy to promote tumor rejection in syngeneic colorectal cancer models
- DaeYong Lee, Ph.D., Virginia Tech – Cancer researchers shape new strategies for immunotherapy
- Lisa Mielke, Ph.D., Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University – Key nervous system components shown to influence gastrointestinal tumour growth

“Colorectal cancer is the leading cancer killer among men under 50 and is predicted to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among people aged 20–49 by 2030, yet it remains less known and less funded than other less deadly cancers,” said Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. “Without research, there is no progress, so we are prioritizing Project Cure CRC to end this disease.”

Past Alliance-funded research has been instrumental in revolutionary advancements. In 2018, Alliance support for Josh Smith, M.D., Ph.D., now Chair of Colon and Rectal Surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center, was critical to his team’s groundbreaking work as they created and developed the first viable rectal cancer organoid models, which have since transformed options for patients with rectal cancer and the discovery of novel treatments.

Every breakthrough begins with research, and every discovery brings us closer to a cure. The Alliance invites the public, corporations, foundations, and philanthropists to help fuel this progress by contributing to Project Cure CRC.

For more information on Project Cure CRC, view our recent Curecast, get involved, donate, or learn about submitting a research proposal, visit colorectalcancer.org/curecrc.

About the Colorectal Cancer Alliance

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance empowers a nation of passionate and determined allies to prevent, treat, and overcome colorectal cancer in their lives and communities. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance advocates for prevention through initiatives like LEAD FROM BEHIND, magnifies support with BlueHQ, and accelerates research through Project Cure CRC. We are the largest national nonprofit dedicated to colorectal cancer, and we exist to end this disease in our lifetime. For more information, visit colorectalcancer.org.