Mesothelioma Research

Private Organizations

• Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

  The Mesothelioma Foundation offers research grants that relate to clinical trials that are not currently funded. They award 5 groups with $100,000 each per year.

• Pacific Meso Center

  The Pacific Meso Center also aids in research grants. They are currently funding research at UCLA regarding treatments for pleural mesothelioma.

• International Mesothelioma Program (IMP)

  IMP was created by Dr. David Sugarbaker and his former colleagues at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. They raise money and awareness about treatment for mesothelioma patients.

• American Cancer Society

  The American Cancer Society helps raise money for awareness of all cancer types, including mesothelioma. Through grants, rallies, and word of mouth, the American Cancer Society makes a substantial impact on the lives of cancer patients.

Specific Projects

The Larry Davis Grant

The Larry Davis Memorial Grant was given to Joost Hegmans. The grant awarded Hegmans $500,000. Hegmans is researching how macrophages (white blood cells within tissue) can serve as a diagnostic factor when it comes to finding pleural mesothelioma. If these cells are targeted, it could help with the treatment of mesothelioma. These immune cells make up for 60% of the tumor mass and are associated with tumor progression.

The Bankhead Family Fund

The Bankhead Family Fund of the Kazan, McClain, Abrams, Fernandez, Lyons, Greenwood, Oberman, Satterley & Bosl Foundation Grant was given to Il-Jin Kim. Kim was awarded $500,000. Kim is studying how different chromosomal changes occur when malignant pleural mesothelioma begins to take over the body. Researchers are attempting to recognize how oncogenic fusions play a role in the development of mesothelioma.