IASLC and LCRF announce first grant recipient for lung cancer research

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) announce the first grant recipient of the IASLC LCRF Team Science Research Grant on the Next Step in the Cure of Oncogene-Driven Lung Cancers Award. Patients with oncogenic-driven lung cancer account for approximately 40-50% of the lung cancer population. Oral pills are effective at controlling the disease, but patients are not cured due to the development of drug resistance.

The project entitled "Immune elimination of drug-tolerant persister cells in oncogene-driven lung cancer" is being led by Dr. David A. Barbie at the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Center. In addition to Dr. Barbie, the research team is comprised of his colleagues Eric Smith, MD, PhD and Pasi Janne, MD, PhD at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Aaron Hata, MD, PhD of Massachusetts General Hospital; and Shunsuke Kitajima, PhD from the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research. 

The research is divided into two major projects, both of which aim to harness the body's immune system to target and destroy these persister cells. In the first project, the team will explore how to use the body's immune system to recognize and eliminate these cells. They will identify and test specific molecules and pathways that can be manipulated to enhance the ability of the immune system to attack persister cells.

In the second project, the team will focus on engineering and improving on a type of immunotherapy known as CAR T-cell therapy. This involves modifying a patient's immune cells to better recognize and kill cancer cells. The team aims to improve the effectiveness of CAR T-cell therapy specifically against drug-tolerant persister cells by designing new CAR T-cells that can better recognize and attack these cells.

"It is a very exciting time for lung cancer research, and we are confident that our team will uncover approaches that will make a difference for patients living with oncogenic-driven lung cancer," says Dr. David Barbie. "This award will allow us to make a significant impact that will hopefully result in a clinical trial."

Partnerships are essential to advancing the pace of research. We are excited that this project is collaborating with Japanese researchers to tackle this high-priority challenge and that we have an ideal partnership with the LCRF to co-sponsor this grant mechanism."

Dr. Jennifer C. King, PhD, and IASLC Chief Science Officer

"Being able to stop resistance before it begins would be practice-changing for oncologists and lifesaving for patients," says Dr. Antoinette Wozniak, Chief Scientific Officer for LCRF. "Working together-;funders, patients, and research teams-;we can help move science forward, faster. LCRF is thrilled to be partnering with IASLC to fund this project and this team of researchers."