Help fund cancer research and save lives
while earning frequent flyer miles.

Lack of funding is limiting our ability to initiate and carry out critical clinical trials.  For example, the Gene Therapy investigator-initiated trial holds enormous potential for the development of a vaccine. It will take approximately three to five years to fully run this trial at an estimated expense of $150,000 per year. We currently have three clinical trials that will open new pathways for diagnostics and treatment that would cost an estimated $450,000 annually or $1,350,00 for three years.   Funding for this research will allow us to investigate new leading-edge research discoveries developed in our laboratory with the ultimate goal of bringing the latest scientific discoveries from the laboratory to the patient confronting CLL thereby offering the strong possibility of a cure within their lifetime.

Our laboratory’s national and international reputation attracts fellowship applications from post-doctoral candidates from around the world.  These are exceptionally talented individuals who pursue specific lines of investigation in critical areas of CLL discovery.  Because of a lack of funding, we are forced to turn down many applicants whose expertise and knowledge would considerably enhance and advance the research we are carrying out.  Funding to support a post-doc on an annual basis is approximately $40,000 per Fellow.  Fellows normally spend an average of 2 to 3 years in our laboratory.  This offers a unique opportunity for the Fellow to take the knowledge gained back to his or her own country to be shared with other investigators.  We maintain a very close collaboration with our Fellows once they have left our laboratory by working together and sharing new discoveries and developments generated in our laboratory and theirs.  Funding for Fellowships would allow us to continue this multi-international collaboration with the brightest and dedicated young investigators in the field of CLL.

Critical aspects of investigation are supported by supplies such as mice, molecular reagents and sequencing, cytogenetics, antibodies including those required for the ZAP-70 flow cytometry.  These activities are carried out in the Cancer Center’s shared Tissue Core Laboratory to effect cost-savings.  We require about $50,000 per year for these supplies.  We also require equipment such as the Amaxa Nucleofactor device and kits, which cost about $12,000.  Funding for laboratory supplies and new state of the art equipment is the corner stone for the continuation of research activities and basic science.

Data management is an essential aspect of both our clinical trials activity and our basic science investigations.  The cost of computer equipment and the salary time (50%) for a data manager run about $25,000 per year.  Data management is the means by which you can validate the effectiveness of a clinical trial.