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Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson’s Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia have received an Institutional Research Grant (IRG) from the American Cancer Society (ACS) for $210,000 over three years. Kimmel Cancer Center director Richard Pestell, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of Cancer Biology at Jefferson Medical College, is the principal investigator on the grant. Marja Nevalainen, M.D., Ph.D, associate professor of Cancer Biology, is the co-principal investigator.

The award enables Jefferson to give small grants of $30,000 each to beginning investigators who have no national peer-reviewed research grant support, with the goal of attracting them into cancer research.

Specifically, the IRG supports the development of newly independent investigators to conduct cancer research, fosters direct relationships between the research institution and the local ACS and supports research by such investigators in areas of special interest to Jefferson and the ACS. It helps junior faculty in their research efforts so that they can get preliminary results that will enable them to compete for future funding.

According to Dr. Nevalainen, such support is crucial, as recent cutbacks in government funding has created an extremely competitive environment for scientists. Funding for new scientists is especially challenging.

“We thank the ACS for helping provide a needed extra boost for many of our scientists at the Kimmel Cancer Center to continue their outstanding research,” notes Dr. Pestell. “The award speaks highly of their quality.”