American Brain Tumor Association Awards 11 Research Grants to Advance Brain Tumor Research

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Oct 30, 2020, 07:00 ET

CHICAGO, Oct. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation's first nonprofit organization committed to funding brain tumor research and providing education and information across all tumor types, the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) persists in its mission, announcing today the investment of $368,000 towards 11 new research grants to foster innovation in diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors in adults and children.

The ABTA's grant program plays an integral role in advancing the understanding and treatment of brain tumors. Dedicated to investing in early-stage investigators who have unique perspectives to drive the future of brain tumor science and treatment, the ABTA provides research grants to medical students, post-doctoral fellows, and early-career faculty. This investment is even more critical with the COVID-19 pandemic shifting research priorities and impacting government funding for brain tumor research.

"We are excited to continue our legacy of supporting innovative research and early-career researchers, especially during this challenging time. With almost $33 million invested to date, the ABTA is committed to funding the research that will one day lead to cures," said Nicole Willmarth, Ph.D., chief mission officer, ABTA.

With the Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation (SBTF) investing more than $100,000 to support three research projects, the ongoing partnership between the ABTA and SBTF exemplifies the strengths of the ABTA's rigorous grant selection process and accelerates the research investments of both organizations.

"The vast potential of the new projects we fund and the incredible efforts by the researchers, renews my optimism that better treatments are on the horizon. Our collaborations with organizations, like SBTF, amplify our ability to achieve our common goal of improving outcomes for brain tumor patients," said Nicole Willmarth.

This year's slate of research investigates critical areas in neuro-oncology research including experimental therapeutics, the role of the immune system and immunotherapies, as well as factors that modify gene function in brain tumor cells.

The ABTA congratulates the 2020 grant recipients listed below. To learn more about the grant recipients and their research projects, visit https://www.abta.org/research/research-funding-impact/.

Basic Research Fellowships are two-year, $100,000 grants awarded to post-doctoral fellows who are mentored by established and nationally-recognized experts in the neuro-oncology field.

Emily Darrow, Ph.D., St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Tyler Miller, M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Discovery Grants are one-year, $50,000 grants supporting cutting-edge, innovative approaches that have the potential to change current diagnostic or treatment standards of care for either adult or pediatric brain tumors.

Munjal Acharya, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine
Lan Hoang-Minh, Ph.D., University of Florida
Gary Kohanbash, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Medical Student Summer Fellowships are $3,000 grants awarded to medical students to conduct brain tumor research projects under the guidance of neuro-oncology experts. Through these grants, the ABTA seeks to encourage physician-scientists to enter and remain in the brain tumor field.

Hasan Alrefai, B.S., University of Alabama at Birmingham
Ian Burns, McMaster University
Andy Ding, B.A., Johns Hopkins University
Emily Lavell, M.H.S., Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
Brian Lien, M.S., University of California, San Francisco
Edith Yuan, B.A., University of Southern California

In the coming weeks, the ABTA will begin accepting applications for the next round of research funding. Available grant opportunities include Discovery Grants and Medical Student Summer Fellowships.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN BRAIN TUMOR ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1973, the American Brain Tumor Association provides comprehensive resources to support the complex needs of brain tumor patients and caregivers, across all ages and tumor types, as well as the critical funding of research in the pursuit of breakthroughs in brain tumor diagnoses, treatments and care. To learn more, visit abta.org or call 1-800-886-ABTA (2282).

SOURCE American Brain Tumor Association