NCC announces grant recipients of Childhood Cancer Research Coalition program

The National Cancer Coalition (NCC) is pleased to announce research grant recipients, which include: Peter C. Adamson, M.D., of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Debra L. Friedman, M.D., M.S. of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center; Thomas W. McLean, M.D. of Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Tobey J. MacDonald, M.D. of Emory University Cancer Center; Edward V. Prochownik, M.D., Ph.D. of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; and Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, M.D. of Stanford University Cancer Center.

Through its Childhood Cancer Research Coalition (CCRC) program, the NCC has provided support to help medical centers to better treat their pediatric cancer patients via research funding or access to chemotherapies.  NCC's President Robert Landry stated, "NCC is proud to make these awards and our CCRC program will closely monitor these investigator's impact, as the research translates into advancements in pediatric cancer treatments." 

Dr. Edward Prochownik, Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics commented, "We greatly appreciate your work on our behalf, especially during these times of shrinking federal funds.  It has increased significantly our ability to maintain cell lines that are essential for our research."  Dr. Tobey MacDonald, Director of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at the Emory University Cancer Center in Atlanta stated, "Funding such as this by NCC is critical to helping to cultivate innovate ideas and novel concepts.  We are very grateful for such support."

The cancer research programs supported by the CCRC grants include: 

• Dr. Peter Adamson - pediatric pharmacokinetic studies to determine optimal dosing of anticancer agents.
• Dr. Debra Friedman - long-term academic and social development studies for cancer survivors.
• Dr. Thomas McLean - usefulness of routine imaging for detecting CNS tumor recurrence in children.
• Dr. Tobey MacDonald - investigation study of radiation's effect on the brain.
• Dr. Edward Prochownik - delivery of drug-like molecules to disrupt the functionality of c-Myc to achieve optimal anti-tumor effect.
• Dr. Alejandro Sweet-Cordero - optimal treatment of pediatric bone sarcomas.