Research Collaboration

To maximize the impact of funding certain types of research or studies, we often collaborate with other organizations. Projects include:

• The Bridge Project - In 2012, we became a funding partner in the Bridge Project being conducted by the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT and Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. The Bridge Project is an unprecedented research collaboration that brings researchers and clinicians together with the goal of solving the most complex challenges in cancer research and care, starting with two lethal cancers: pancreatic and brain (glioblastoma). Koch Institute and Dana Farber/Harvard researchers are collaborating to develop new tools and methods in cross-disciplinary environments involving, for instance, engineers, cancer biologists, and clinical oncologists. See the grant recipients.
• SPORE Collaborative- Public-private partnership to fund two (2) promising clinical trials through the brain tumor SPORE (Specialized Programs of Research Excellence) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

  Legacy Funding of Brain Tumor Society

  In 2007, the Brain Tumor Society joined forces with other public and private funders to ensure the continued progress of two research collaborations by leading brain tumor centers. Other collaborators for this undertaking are Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, American Brain Tumor Association and the National Cancer Institute.

  The National Cancer Institute funds Specialized Programs Of Research Excellence (SPORE) for specific cancer types. At the four fully-funded brain tumor SPOREs, researchers have met the challenge to advance their collaborative research to the point of clinical trials. This year, two top peer-reviewed projects were identified and sat poised for clinical trials – but could not advance due to limited funding. BTS and other leaders combined their research funding power to bring these two immunotherapy projects to clinical trial. Timely testing of therapies is essential, and this multi-source funding allows these projects to advance immediately.

  The Brain Tumor Society was honored to offer its funding in honor of the late Dennis Roth, former Chair of the BTS Board of Directors.

  See grant recipients
• Brain Tumor Funder's Collaborative- Both the National Brain Tumor Foundation and the Brain Tumor Society joined six other nonprofit philanthropic and advocacy organizations* to launch the Brain Tumor Funders' Collaborative (BTFC). Our goal is to promote collaborative, innovative, and novel research approaches for pre-clinical systems to accelerate more effective outcomes for patients with gliomas. This joint funding initiative provided three, $2 million, multi-year grants that began in 2006.

  John Laterra, MD, PhD
  Kennedy Krieger Institute- Johns Hopkins University
  Baltimore, Maryland
  Tumor stem cell-based drug discovery for adult and pediatric glioma

  Paul Mischel, MD
  David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California
  Los Angeles, California
  Molecularly guided clinical trials for glioma

  Minesh Mehta, MD
  American College of Radiology, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
  Identifying and overcoming resistance mechanisms in glioblastomas: a joint EORTC-RTOG effort

  *Partners: American Brain Tumor Association, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, Goldhirsh Foundation, James S. McDonnell Foundation, and Sontag Foundation

• AACR/NBTS Fellowship - A one (1) year fellowship funded by National Brain Tumor Society and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) to support early-career brain tumor researchers. Research projects are restricted to basic, translational, clinical, or epidemiology research with 100% applicability to brain tumor science. This fellowship is made possible by the fundraising efforts of Karen Brooks, in honor of the late Bonnie Brooks. See fellows
• AANS/CNS Section on Brain Tumors Award - We are committed to supporting brain tumor physicians and research that directs therapies to our patients. In pursuit of that goal, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (AANS/CNS) Section on Tumors collaborated with us to fund a translational research grant. This $50,000 award was given to a faculty/attending neurosurgeon with the best proposal for translational research in the area of brain tumor investigation and treatment. See grant recipients
• Glioblastoma: ASCO Tumor Boards - This is a free case-based activity that includes discussion of a 20 year old male patient with a glioblastoma, presenting with his first relapse after radiation therapy. Along with the patient case, there is a discussion board on ASCO Connection, where users can post comments/questions to each other and to the faculty. Access the course.