You Decide
CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. SHOLLER AND HER TEAM FOR RECEIVING THE MOST VOTES (83%) IN OUR YOU DECIDE VOTE. DR. SHOLLER WILL RECEIVE $75,000 TO FURTHER HER RESEARCH FOR MOLECULAR-GUIDED THERAPY. A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OF LILLIES FRIENDS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND VOTE!!
You decide means just that, YOU DECIDE. You, Lillie’s Friends, will decide which research project Lillie’s Friends Foundation will fund.
As friends, family and especially parents of neuroblastoma patients we often times feel like so much is out of our control, we feel helpless. At Lillie’s Friends we want to empower you to direct the foundation’s resources to specific neuroblastoma research projects. You know exactly where the funding goes. As most of us know, circumstances change rapidly when it comes to neuroblastoma and this includes research. Therefore, Lillie’s Friends Foundation will support any institution conducting promising innovative neuroblastoma research. Most, if not all, neuroblastoma physicians and researchers work tirelessly to find better treatments and cures for this awful disease and exciting breakthroughs can happen from year to year. Because of this dynamic environment, we believe in evaluating current research and providing support to the best candidate in a given year.
So, Lillie’s Friends, you have the power…YOU DECIDE!
Here’s how it works:
We have three research projects showcased below. A brief description has been provided by each candidate. Vote for the project you would like to see funded. The project with the most votes will be awarded funds from Lillie’s Friends to be paid out in February 2010. Deadline to vote is January 31, 2010.
Spread the word, tell your friends and family to vote. Post this link (http://www.lilliesfriends.org/give-a-hand/you-decide/) on your caringbridge site, email and facebook. Remember to sign up to stay connected (to your right) and we'll send you an email with the "winner".
Be a friend and VOTE!
- Project A:
A Clinical Trial Using Molecular-Guided Therapy For The Treatment Of Patients With Refractory Or Recurrent Neuroblastoma
This will be the first study in pediatric oncology evaluating the feasibility of using patient specific genetic information as a predictive tool in personalized therapy. We hypothesize that transcriptome analysis of individual tumor samples can be combined with data concerning molecular pathways and knowledge of drug targets and activity to allow for more rational and individualized selection of potentially active drugs in this population. Read more about this project by clicking here.
Giselle Sholler, M.D. (Lead Investigator)
Learn more about Dr. Sholler at http://www.vermontcancer.org/index.php?id=471
- Project B:
Improving The Effectiveness Of Tumor Targeted MIBG Therapy For Patients With Neuroblastoma
In this study, we will evaluate whether Vorinostat will improve the effectiveness of the MIBG therapy without increasing side effects. Vorinostat is a drug that is taken by mouth that is approved for some adult cancers and has been tested in children to determine the safe dose. Vorinostat is a histone deacetylase inhibitor, and therefore affects the way the DNA that carries our genes is folded into cells; hence whether genes are sending their message or are silent. Vorinostat slows the growth of neuroblastoma tumors in the laboratory and has also been shown to make neuroblastoma more sensitive to the effects of radiation therapy. Read more about this project by clicking here
Katherine Matthay, M.D. (Lead Investigator)
Learn more about Dr. Matthay at http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/matthay_katherine.php
- Project C:
Discovering The Genetic Basis Of Neuroblastoma
The primary goal of this project is to discover mutations in both the germline and cancer genomes at regions marked by our genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals using next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. We believe that we have the opportunity to discover all of the genes that cause neuroblastoma, and we think that many of these can then be targeted with new therapies. The bottom line is that we believe that the genes that cause the disease will be the disease’s Achilles heel. Read more about this project by clicking here
John Maris, M.D.
Learn more about Dr. Maris at http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/maris/profilemaris.php
Vote Now
A Clinical Trial Using Molecular-Guided Therapy For The Treatment Of Patients With Refractory Or Recurrent Neuroblastoma
This will be the first study in pediatric oncology evaluating the feasibility of using patient specific genetic information as a predictive tool in personalized therapy. We hypothesize that transcriptome analysis of individual tumor samples can be combined with data concerning molecular pathways and knowledge of drug targets and activity to allow for more rational and individualized selection of potentially active drugs in this population. Read more about this project by clicking here.
Giselle Sholler, M.D. (Lead Investigator)
Learn more about Dr. Sholler at http://www.vermontcancer.org/index.php?id=471
Improving The Effectiveness Of Tumor Targeted MIBG Therapy For Patients With Neuroblastoma
In this study, we will evaluate whether Vorinostat will improve the effectiveness of the MIBG therapy without increasing side effects. Vorinostat is a drug that is taken by mouth that is approved for some adult cancers and has been tested in children to determine the safe dose. Vorinostat is a histone deacetylase inhibitor, and therefore affects the way the DNA that carries our genes is folded into cells; hence whether genes are sending their message or are silent. Vorinostat slows the growth of neuroblastoma tumors in the laboratory and has also been shown to make neuroblastoma more sensitive to the effects of radiation therapy. Read more about this project by clicking here
Katherine Matthay, M.D. (Lead Investigator)
Learn more about Dr. Matthay at http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/matthay_katherine.php
Discovering The Genetic Basis Of Neuroblastoma
The primary goal of this project is to discover mutations in both the germline and cancer genomes at regions marked by our genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals using next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. We believe that we have the opportunity to discover all of the genes that cause neuroblastoma, and we think that many of these can then be targeted with new therapies. The bottom line is that we believe that the genes that cause the disease will be the disease’s Achilles heel. Read more about this project by clicking here
John Maris, M.D.
Learn more about Dr. Maris at http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/maris/profilemaris.php
Vote Now
Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose."
