Cancer Awareness Through Research and Education (CARE)

The CARE Science and Funding Committee (Committee) makes grant recommendations for Mayo Clinic and Honor Health Research Institute (HHRI) cancer research projects to the CARE Board of Directors. The Science and Funding Committee Members include: Stephen Goldfarb DO; Barbara Giovan; Stephen McMurray MD; Michael Mirro MD; Loiuise Ziretta; Michael Blaszyk, chair. The CARE Science and Funding Committee hold in-person meetings with physicians and researchers from both Mayo Clinic and HHRI seperately. The purpose of the meetings is to evaluate progress on the previous year grants and to receive current year grant request proposal presentations. Following those meetings, the Committee meets to evaluate which requests, are most aligned with CAREs stated goals. That is, research that addresses meaningful rare cancer initiatives, research that addresses early-stage novel approaches for cancers that effect a cross section of Desert Mountain members, and research that represents advanced scientific thinking not currently funded by the NIH or other sources. The committees position holds that proposed projects should predominantly be conducted in Arizona to benefit its residents and then to the broader US population. The Committee approved HHRIs requested continuation funds to support expanded research into Uveal Melanoma and its spread to the liver, often resulting death. By understanding this relationship, HHRI researchers seek to also better understand how other cancers metastasize to the liver as well. Additionally, the Committee approved additional funding for optional research in plant vesicle cells applied to cancer studies should residual funding be available. The Committee approved two grant requests for Mayo Clinic:1) Reactivating GATA6 Protein for Improved Therapeutic Response in Pancreatic Cancer.2) Efficacy of FN14-targeted CAR-T Cells in Combatting Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancer.Mayo Clinics use of expanded FN-14 Targeted CAR-T cells represents an expansion of previous research receiving CARE funding.