The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has received more than $22 million in research grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The CPRIT awards will go toward studies in the areas of breast, skin, prostate, pancreas, colon, and lung cancers in adults, and leukemia and brain cancer in children.
The grants included:
- $16 million for Individual Investigator Research Awards (IIRA)
- $3.8 million for Children and Adolescent Cancer
- $2.5 million for Prevention and Early Detection
In addition, Immatics Biotechnologies was one of four Company Formation Awards funded by CPRIT. At more than $19 million, the project will further enable translation of immunotherapy knowledge from MD Anderson into new therapeutics for cancer patients.
MD Anderson has received $215 million in total awards since CPRIT was founded in 2009.
“This is an astounding accomplishment, and we’re extremely pleased that CPRIT has again recognized the significant scientific contributions being made by our world-class researchers,” said MD Anderson President Ron DePinho, MD. “I could not be more proud of the work that occurs every day at this institution and I commend those investigators who were awarded funding by CPRIT, as well as all the scientists and clinicians whose daily goal is no less than to end cancer.”
In November 2014, CPRIT adopted new annual priorities to guide its grant awards, and specified that 10 of the awards would focus on childhood and adolescent cancers, and five would address prevention and early detection of cancer. MD Anderson was awarded two grants in each of these new categories, totaling more than $6.3 million.
For a listing of individual MD Anderson studies provided with funding by CPRIT, please visit http://www
.mdanderson.org/newsroom/news-releases/2015/prit-award-md-anderson-22-3-million-in-grants.html. ■
