Cancer patients in Broward County are gaining greater access to cutting-edge research and treatments thanks to new grants from the Community Foundation of Broward totaling $900,000. The grants were awarded to Memorial Foundation, Lung Cancer Biomarkers & Precision Therapy — $450,000 over three years ($150,000 per year); and Nova Southeastern University, Exosome-Based Immunotherapies for Melanoma — $450,000 over three years. The latest round of cancer-fighting grants is made possible by dedicated local philanthropists who partner with the Community Foundation to support innovative opportunities to make cancer research and patient support more accessible in Broward.

The Community Foundation aims to advance local, breakthrough cancer research that makes lifesaving clinical trials, precision medicine and targeted therapies accessible to Broward cancer patients. It also strives to enable accessibility to revolutionary discoveries in cancer therapy and provide support systems for all Broward cancer patients. It seeks to make Broward known for its innovative cancer research and to become a hub for ideas and collaborative cancer research.

The Community Foundation believes that every Broward County resident diagnosed with cancer should have the best treatment and support where they live. Many Broward residents, including lower-income neighborhoods with minority residents, face barriers like poverty, discrimination and systemic inequities, creating obstacles for care. The Foundation’s cancer grants aim to close health equity gaps by prioritizing inclusive care and ensuring that diverse populations are represented and supported throughout their cancer journey.

• Memorial Foundation, Lung Cancer Biomarkers & Precision Therapy: This research aims to expand and enhance a biobank focused on lung cancer by collecting and analyzing matched tumor tissue, circulating tumor DNA, and liquid biopsy samples from 150 patients. Samples will be collected from a diverse patient pool who are both the early and advanced stage lung cancer. This project is a collaborative effort between the Memorial Cancer Institute and Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. FAU will provide the long-term biobank storage and infrastructure to support the samples integrity and accessibility for future research. This project will enable real-time discovery of predictive and prognostic biomarkers, allowing clinicians to tailor treatments based on tumor biology and resistance patterns. The principal investigator is Luis E. Raez, MD, FACP, FASCO, chief scientific officer and medical director at the Memorial Cancer Institute.
• Nova Southeastern University (NSU), Exosome-based Immunotherapies for Melanoma: This research studies how exosomes from melanoma cells treated with their proprietary H1/H2 inhibitors affect the immune system, especially when combined with immunotherapies. The researchers will analyze whether the exosomes help immune cells recognize and destroy melanomas more effectively, as well as study the changes of RNA and protein molecules found in exosomes upon treatment of melanoma cells with H1/H2 inhibitors. This will allow for discoveries that can be leveraged to develop better melanoma treatments. The principal investigator is Dmitriy Minond, Ph.D., professor at the Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy at NSU. The co-investigator is Vladimir Beljanski, Ph.D., associate professor at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Allopathic Medicine.

“Our new cancer-fighting grants are made possible by dedicated local philanthropists who partner with the Community Foundation to advance cancer research that fuels new discoveries and better treatments,” said Community Foundation President/CEO Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D. “Our grants help jump-start initial research and leverage additional support, enabling these innovative scientists to strive for breakthroughs that bring hope to cancer patients in Broward and beyond.”

Since 2016, the Community Foundation and its Fundholders have invested more than $3 million in bolstering local cancer research, increasing accessibility to breakthrough clinical trials and enhancing support systems for Broward County cancer patients.

The Community Foundation of Broward shepherds 571 charitable funds. In more than 40 years, it has provided $200 million in support of student achievement, the arts, career readiness, seniors in need, HIV/AIDs prevention, equity and social justice, environmental resilience, health care, mental health, affordable housing, disaster relief, nonprofit empowerment and much more.

For more information about the Community Foundation of Broward, please visit https://www.cfbroward.org/.

About the Community Foundation of Broward:

Founded in 1984, the Community Foundation of Broward partners with families, individuals and organizations to create personalized charitable funds that deliver game-changing philanthropic impact. 571 charitable funds represent $300 million in assets, distributing $200 million in grants over the past 40 years. The Community Foundation transforms our community through focused leadership that fosters collaboration, builds endowment, advances equity and connects people who care to causes that matter. The Foundation empowers visionaries, innovators and doers to create the change they want to see in the community we love. www.cfbroward.org

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