Cancer Formation

Dear Friends, A little over a week ago I was part of something truly remarkable: the NFCR Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship. This is the 4th year that NFCR has hosted our Global Summit event, in partnership with the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund and the Asian Fund for Cancer Research and each year the event continues to impress – with 2024 being the best yet. Not only was the latest progress in cancer research shared, but also how experts and leaders from research, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and investment sectors discuss, and think about what needs to be done and how to work together to move cancer care forward, with the focus on big-picture views and forward-thinking.  I was so moved by the insightful, proactive, and inspiring discussions of a constellation of shining stars under one roof.   From the speakers and presenters, award recipients, to those attending, what I just experienced on October 18th is frankly… what gets me out of bed every morning, ready to fight for cancer patients. This event captures the spirit of progress through collaboration unlike any other event. Real progress and change is happening in the fight against cancer. Change isn’t easy. It is often not comfortable. It requires critical thinking, taking calculated risks, guts and determination. It also requires teamwork and resources.  Change means breaking status quo and working for possibilities that can become reality. NFCR and our research community is all about changing status quo for cancer patients. I am excited to see critically needed changes, innovative solutions, new hope, and real progress happening through discussions that are stemming at the NFCR Global Summit. At the NFCR Global Summit, all parts of the ecosystem working to cure cancer came together to work in the true spirt of collaboration, to listen to one another, to address the unmet needs, to offer new solutions and new ideas to fight cancer from all angles - Researchers, cross-sector industry representatives, advocacy leaders, doctors, patient care specialists, government officials, budding (and seasoned) entrepreneurs, academics, patients, survivors, and caregivers. All parts of curing cancer united and worked as a community toward a common quest to cure cancer. There were no ego’s, just leaders with the means to change the course of cancer coming together – united – by a common cause: The collective efforts of everyone will achieve more than the efforts of individuals. The NFCR Global Summit, in just 4 years, has become the global event where this “collective” gathers once a year to discuss and influence the next stage(s) of progress against cancer. Not to add more meetings to everyone’s calendar but… if we are able to assemble the same group of leaders and influencers more than once a year and provide them the critically needed resources – imagine how much more quickly we could advance against cancer. Here's the Problem We Face There is one primary problem that stands in our way of progress at the rate which I think is achievable. Financial resources - it’s something nobody really likes to talk about but we live in the real world where it takes [...]

Global Leaders in the Fight Against Cancer Gathered in Washington, DC on October 18, 2024, for the NFCR Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship Washington, DC -  The 2024 National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship, co-hosted with the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund, convened the world’s top experts across cancer research, biotech entrepreneurship, pharmaceuticals, investment, and patient advocacy. This prestigious event, held at the National Press Club, served as a unique forum for advancing groundbreaking science, fostering innovative collaborations, identifying critical unmet needs for patients, and driving forward breakthrough solutions. This event highlighted cutting-edge cancer research advancements, the emerging area of early detection and early intervention research, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) in improving cancer diagnostics, drug development, and personalized treatment strategies—revolutionizing the future of cancer care. An Event that Consistently Addresses the Critical Unmet Needs for Cancer Patients The NFCR Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship is organized every year to foster groundbreaking collaborations across the cancer research ecosystem. Each year, this event brings together researchers, clinicians, community physicians, biotech/biopharma entrepreneurs, biotech investors, cancer survivors, and advocates to create actionable strategies to directly impact cancer care. Critical discussions initiated at this summit become the launch-pad for future advancements in research and drug diagnosis and treatment—ensuring that the fight against cancer moves forward with a decisive purpose and a worldwide movement from all aspects of the cancer-addressing ecosystem. A Unique and Essential Gathering for Cancer Research and Collaboration The collaborative efforts formed here are advancing research and creating a future where curing cancer is possible. Leaders from across the globe come together to share insights, build partnerships, challenge the barriers and status quo, and work collectively toward a common goal: to save lives. The 2024 NFCR Global Summit showcased powerful exchanges of knowledge, insights, and visions that will create positive ripple effects in cancer research and patient care for years to come. Keynotes on Cancer Breakthroughs The event began with a keynote address from Drew Pardoll, M.D., Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University Medical School), who discussed the transformative impact of checkpoint inhibitors on cancer immunotherapies. Dr. Pardoll addressed the urgent need for biomarkers to predict patient responses, improved clinical trials, and emphasized the need for better combination therapies to make immunotherapy more effective for a broader range of cancer patients. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., delivered the evening keynote, fully engaging the audience with his fascinating stories about how cancer care has evolved over a long period.  Weaving history and personal anecdotes, he captivated the audience and he shared his vision for the future of cancer treatment. Focusing on the evolving landscape of gene editing, cellular engineering, and the pivotal role AI-powered immunotherapies will play in shaping the next decade of cancer care. Dr. Mukherjee explained that, by leveraging AI and utilizing mature and low cost drug manufacturing capabilities in India, he expects to produce some treatments such as the CDK-4/6 inhibitor, palbociclib, at just 1/10th to 1/20th the cost of traditional drugs. This forward-looking approach to cancer treatment production has the potential to profoundly impact countless lives [...]

We proudly congratulate NFCR-Supported Dr. Lisa Coussens of Oregon Health & Science University for her recent election to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the health and medicine field. Dr. Coussens is widely respected for her expertise in cancer research, including breast cancer, immunotherapy, genomic biomarkers, and more. She is also a frequent participant in NFCR's Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship. In 2022, she was among the panel discussing New Approaches to Treat Breast, Pancreatic, and Head & Neck Cancer. In 2024, Dr. Coussens lead a panel discussion on New Approaches to Cancer Treatments. This event unites thought leaders across all sectors that help make cures possible for all types of cancer. NFCR believes the NFCR Global Summit is essential to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among our community to improve progress in cancer research. Dr. Coussens contributes significantly to these efforts. With NFCR support, her lab is evaluating the pathways and protein candidates from omic’ data – such as genomic and proteomic data, (DNA, RNA, and proteins) – in breast cancer models that contribute to a response or resistance to these four treatments. The biomarkers can help stratify patients for doctors to precisely deliver the treatments to individual patients, improving outcomes for patients with Triple-negative breast cancer and other breast cancers. NFCR believes the researchers we support are among those who will make a cure for cancer possible, and Dr. Coussens is no exception. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Coussens on her exceptional commitment to advancing breakthroughs in cancer research. Sign-up to Stay Informed About Cancer Research Breakthroughs with NFCR!