Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center will launch a new multi-million dollar grant award program focused on prostate cancer research. It will be administered in collaboration with the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF).
Judge Richard G. Stearns of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts awarded DF/HCC approximately $11.7 million in a cy pres ("near as possible") distribution of unclaimed funds from the settlement of a nationwide class action involving the marketing of the cancer drug Lupron(R). Judge Stearns made the award to DF/HCC after reviewing a number of proposals solicited from class members and the public.
The DF/HCC grant program will emphasize large-scale research collaborations on a national level and smaller-scale innovative pilot projects as well as research conducted by promising young investigators and talented graduate students. The goal is to catalyze innovative and collaborative research that will translate to meaningful clinical advances for prostate cancer patients and others.
"It is our vision that this program will further our scientific and clinical understanding of prostate cancer, lead to better and new treatments, and provide critical funds to young investigators to help them develop into the next generation of prostate cancer researchers," said Philip Kantoff, M.D, director of DF/HCC prostate cancer program.