We are proud to announce…

Ohio Cancer Research (OCR) is proud to announce $120,000 in seed money grants to two Cincinnati-area researchers dedicated to the cure, prevention, and treatment of cancer. With these vital starting funds, OCR will kickstart the research careers of these young investigators and help ensure their future success as they bring new and innovative ideas to the fight against this debilitating and deadly disease.

Andrew Volk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center within the UC Department of Pediatrics has been awarded $60,000 for his research project, The Role of Chromatin Assembly in Down Syndrome-related Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia.

Dr. Volk said, “Our hearts and our efforts go out to the families struggling with a leukemia diagnosis. This grant from OCR is the first major award for our independent research group, and we are incredibly grateful to the organization and its donors for their critical support while we are establishing our research program. We will use these funds to probe the molecular drivers of the leukemias that affect children with Down syndrome, and we hope that our research can improve the quality of care that they, and by extension all leukemia patients, receive as they battle this disease.”

Michael Kemp, Ph. D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine has been pledged $60,000 for his research proposal, Circadian Clock Modulating Drugs in Cancer Prevention and Treatment.

Dr. Kemp commented, “Funding from OCR will allow us to explore the exciting idea that the body’s circadian rhythm can be therapeutically modified to both prevent cancer development and improve the effectiveness of existing anti-cancer therapeutics.”

OCR has awarded nearly $2 million to Cincinnati-area researchers at institutions including the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The success of these projects has lead to over $71 million in additional funding from other sources, continuing and advancing life-changing cancer research in Cincinnati and across Ohio. Statewide OCR has provided nearly $8 million in seed money for research projects which have generated well over $265 million in new research dollars.

None of this life-saving research would have received the vital starting funds needed without your support. Please consider making a donation to OCR today so together we can continue our mission to give new ideas a chance and… Be a Life Changer!

Dr. Volk’s grant was generously provided through Ohio Cancer Research’s McCurdy/Kimball Midwest Cancer Research Fund.