St. Baldrick’s Foundation Announces a $81,533 Grant to University of California San Diego School of Medicine Researcher

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Traci Shirk
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St. Baldrick’s Foundation Announces a $81,533 Grant to University of California San Diego School of Medicine Researcher

SAN DIEGO (October 31, 2011) – It takes life-saving research to Conquer Kids’ Cancer! The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research, has awarded an $81,533 St. Baldrick’s Research Grant to Alice L. Yu, M.D., Ph.D., professor in pediatric hematology/oncology, University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine.

Worldwide, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year and it remains the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States. With only 4 percent of all federal cancer research funding dedicated to pediatric cancer research, St. Baldrick’s Foundation grant funds are critical to continue the battle against this devastating disease.

Dr. Yu is one of 21 recipients to receive funding in the research grant category from the Foundation. Dr. Yu has recently reported a major breakthrough in the treatment of neuroblastoma with anti-GD2 antibody and cytokines, but the treatment is accompanied by serious side effects including an allergic reaction. This project is to test a possible reason for this reaction, using blood samples from patients enrolled in the immunotherapy trials for measurement of anti-sugar antibodies.

“We are grateful to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for the generous award to support the ongoing clinical laboratory correlative study of immunotherapy of neuroblastoma conducted under the auspices of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG),” said Dr. Yu. “Now that this immunotherapy has been proven to improve the cure rate of this dreadful childhood cancer, this award will allow us to identify certain biomarkers that may contribute to toxicities, which may provide a direction for reducing them.”

This grant is part of more than $19.6 million in new grants by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, bringing the total to more than $21 million awarded for the fiscal year. All funding applications were peer-reviewed by leading pediatric cancer researchers who volunteer their time and expertise and make funding recommendations to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s board of directors. The Foundation’s next round of grants will be announced in November.

St. Baldrick’s signature head-shaving events are the fastest growing, volunteer-driven fundraising opportunity benefitting childhood cancer research. In 2011, the Foundation’s volunteers and supporters have led the way to raising a record-breaking $27.4 million by organizing more than 1,000 St. Baldrick’s events and shaving more than 44,000 heads to stand in solidarity with kids with cancer.

Everyone can do their part to support St. Baldrick’s! To locate or organize an event in your community, sign-up to shave, donate or volunteer, visit www.StBaldricks.org. You can also become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, join our letsCONQUER movement and visit the Foundation’s YouTube and Vimeo channels.

About the St. Baldrick’s Foundation
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. The Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. St. Baldrick’s funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds awarded also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, a child’s best hope for a cure. Since the Foundation’s first grants as an independent charity in 2005, St. Baldrick’s has funded more than $76 million in childhood cancer research. For more information about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation please call 1.888.899.BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.