New foundation brings together teams from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT
Break Through Cancer (www.breakthroughcancer.org) today announced its formal launch as a public foundation designed to find new solutions to the most intractable challenges in cancer. The foundation is being launched with an extraordinary challenge pledge of $250 million from Mr. and Mrs. William H. Goodwin, Jr. and their family, and the estate of William Hunter Goodwin, III. This represents one of the largest gifts ever in support of cancer research. Led by Dr. Tyler Jacks, Founding Director of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the David H. Koch Professor of Biology and Co-director of the Ludwig Center for Molecular Oncology, Break Through Cancer will fund and support collaborative research teams drawn from several of the country’s top cancer centers.
Multidisciplinary research teams will be selected from across five participating institutions: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT.
Break Through Cancer will focus on historically highly challenging cancer types, including pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, glioblastoma, and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), for its initial programs, aided by the guidance of a scientific advisory board of cancer experts from outside the participating institutions. Teams will receive substantial funding to bring new approaches and new thinking as rapidly as possible to the clinical challenges of cancer.
“Break Through Cancer’s model builds on the outstanding efforts of the broader cancer research community and presents the potential for major advances in our shared fight against these intractable cancers,” said Dr. Jacks, President of Break Through Cancer. “Our tagline, “collaborating for cures,” captures our collective goal to empower many of the brightest, most dedicated minds in cancer research and to maximize the capabilities of these highly respected institutions. In the future, we look forward to partnering with the broader philanthropic, biotech, and pharmaceutical communities to expand the impact of Break Through Cancer further still.”
The organization is supported by a board that includes leaders from each of the participating institutions, with William G. Nelson, V, MD, PhD, the Marion I. Knott Professor of Oncology and Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, serving as Chairman.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to the Goodwin family and the late Hunter Goodwin, whose vision and generosity made this powerful collaboration possible,” said Dr. Nelson, Break Through Cancer’s Chairman. “Their contributions have been key both financially and conceptually, as we worked together to create a research model that will provide a compelling advantage in the search for cures. We are fortunate to have such strong commitments from all of the parties involved.”
“We realize there are no guarantees, yet we believe this effort to fight cancer, particularly with collaborative research, has a realistic probability of success,” said Bill Goodwin. “We want to help people have better lives. And we sincerely hope that by being public with our support, we will inspire others to support this incredible effort.”
About Break Through Cancer
Break Through Cancer (www.breakthroughcancer.org) is a public foundation that brings several of the top cancer research centers together to collaborate on and accelerate research, clinical trials, and ultimately cures for the deadliest cancers. The organization provides funding to research teams selected from across its partner institutions, with input and insight from a scientific advisory board composed of cancer experts from outside the participating centers.
Break Through Cancer is currently partnering with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. The institutions are committed to working across their respective facilities to provide grant recipients with greater access to resources in support of their research.
