Research Innovation Fund

Guest Author: Peter Weinberger, Chair, Case Cancer Council

The Case Cancer Council is comprised of 40 dedicated volunteers who help promote and support the work of nearly 380 physician-scientist members of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC). I am proud to serve as Chair of the council, and consider myself privileged to work on behalf of the Case CCC and its accomplished membership. 

Thanks to the support of Case Cancer Council members and friends of the Case CCC, the Research Innovation Fund was launched in July of 2015. The Fund allows researchers at the Case CCC to test and advance promising developments swiftly. Through a competitive application and review process led by Case CCC Director, Stan Gerson, MD, the most deserving projects receive critical early stage support. Investments from the Fund thereby enable the groundwork necessary to secure preliminary data that increases the likelihood of additional support from federal and foundation sources, often yielding a return on investment upwards of 10-to-1.

Five pilot grants were recently awarded to support the following promising research projects: 

Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, PhD
Associate Director for Bioinformatics, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Profiles of protein heterogeneity and invasiveness in glioblastoma 

Ruth Keri, PhD
Associate Director for Basic Research, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Epigenetic modulation of super-enhancers to enhance platinum sensitivity in high grade ovarian serous carcinoma

Peter Scacheri, PhD
Associate Professor, Genetics and Genome Sciences, CWRU
Targeting metastasis in osteosarcoma by inhibiting tissue factor

Bill Schiemann, PhD
Professor, Div. of General Medical Sciences - Oncology, CWRU
Regulation of breast cancer metastasis and dormancy by the lncRNA BORG

Bingcheng Wang, PhD
Co-Leader, Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Targeting EphA2-HSP27 signaling axis in glioblastoma 

For more information about the Research Innovation Fund, visit giving.case.edu/cancercenter