Mount Sinai receives $1 million grant to advance understanding of prostate cancer

The Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has received a $1 million grant from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

This gift and a previous gift of $500,000 from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation will fund the Prostate Cancer Program at Mount Sinai, founded by Ash Tewari, MBBS, Chair of the Department of Urology at the Mount Sinai Health System and the Kyung Hyun Kim, MD Professor of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The program's mission is to advance immunotherapy and personalized genomic vaccine trials aimed at treating prostate cancer.

"The work being done by Mount Sinai has forever changed the course of research and medicine," said Mr. Blank, Chairman of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and member of the Urology Department's Chairman's Board. "I feel beyond fortunate to have been one of the lives saved because of their work and will continue to be a champion for their efforts."

We are tremendously grateful to Arthur Blank for his support in advancing our understanding of prostate cancer. From the laboratory to the clinic, the Prostate Cancer Program at Mount Sinai will enhance our treatment of this disease at all stages."

Ash Tewari, MBBS, Chair of the Department of Urology at the Mount Sinai Health System

The donation comes on the heels of the 2019 International Prostate Cancer and Urology Symposium at The Mount Sinai Hospital. The three-day program featured lectures from more than 100 urologists, surgeons, oncologists, and mid-level providers who offered in-depth training and instruction. The Prostate Cancer Research Gala was the kickoff event of the symposium. Mr. Blank and Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) and Director of Immunotherapy at The Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, were honored for their contributions to prostate cancer research.

The Department of Urology at the Mount Sinai Health System has more than 190 urologists on staff, more than any other health care system in New York City. Last year, its researchers published results in more than 176 scientific journals. Its robotic surgery program is among the most robust in the country. Genomic testing and advanced imaging are routine for patients with prostate cancer, providing personalized and precise treatment protocols.