August 29, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and AACR to Award More Than
$3.1 Million in Pancreatic Cancer Research Grants

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-AACR Grants will Open for Applications on Sept. 1, 2011

PHILADELPHIA — The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and the American Association for Cancer Research are pleased to announce the opening of the 2012 research grants program on Sept. 1, 2011. The program is administered using the AACR’s rigorous peer-review process to ensure that the highest quality cancer science and medicine are supported by the important funds raised by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

This grants program is designed to help incubate innovative research projects, increase the number of researchers directly working on pancreatic cancer, nurture collaborations across disciplines and institutions and expedite scientific progress for patient benefit. In addition to receiving financial support for their research, grantees will participate in a mentorship program that connects them with leading scientists in the cancer field and facilitates their ongoing professional development opportunities.

“We are thrilled to offer more than $3.1 million in research funding for the 2012 research grants program. This is the largest funding level since 2003, when we introduced the program,” stated Julie Fleshman, president and CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. “Previous grant recipients have successfully leveraged the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s research investment, allowing them to expand their scientific investigations and take the next steps in pursuing medical breakthroughs for pancreatic cancer. In fact, for every dollar that we spend, grantees have received an average of $8.61 in additional research funding.”

“Pancreatic cancer is a very challenging disease with significant morbidity and mortality, and one that urgently requires innovative research to improve clinical outcomes,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), CEO of the American Association for Cancer Research. “The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is a remarkable organization that has a track record of addressing this challenge through its funding of cutting-edge scientific research, and the AACR is very proud to be of assistance in this quest.”

Applications will be accepted for the following four grant mechanisms:

Pathway to Leadership Grant
The Pathway to Leadership Grant is designed to build future leaders in the pancreatic cancer research community by supporting a promising early-career scientist in his/her postdoctoral position through the transition to research independence. Applicants must have started their postdoctoral or clinical research fellowships on or after July 2, 2007 (i.e., must be in the first five years of a fellowship at the start of the grant term). The Pathway to Leadership Grant provides up to five years of support, totaling $600,000.

Fellowship
The Fellowship supports an early-career scientist during the mentored research phase. Applicants must have started their postdoctoral or clinical research fellowships on or after July 2, 2009 (i.e., must be in the first three years of a fellowship at the start of the grant term). The Fellowship is a one-year grant, totaling $45,000.

Career Development Award
The Career Development Award supports newly independent investigators to develop or strengthen their research programs in pancreatic cancer. Applicants must be in the first four years of a full-time faculty appointment at the start of the grant term (i.e., cannot have had a full-time faculty appointment before July 2, 2008). This is a two-year grant, totaling $200,000.

Innovative Grant
The Innovative Grant supports creative and cutting-edge ideas and approaches, including those successful in other areas of cancer that have justifiable promise in pancreatic cancer research. This two-year grant totals $200,000 and is available to independent junior or senior investigators.

The deadline for Letters of Intent for the Innovative Grant is Oct. 3, 2011. Applications for the Pathway to Leadership Grant, Fellowship and Career Development Award are due Oct. 31, 2011. Submissions must be completed online using the proposalCENTRAL website at https://proposalcentral.altum.com/.

Funding decisions will be announced in March 2012. The grant terms begin July 1, 2012.

Since the collaboration with the AACR began in 2003, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has awarded 66 grants, totaling more than $10 million for meritorious pancreatic cancer research. To learn more about the 2012 Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-AACR Grants Program, visit: www.aacr.org/funding, and to learn more about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, visit www.pancan.org.

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About the American Association for Cancer Research
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 33,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 18,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Discovery; Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Prevention Research. AACR journals received 20 percent of the total number of citations given to oncology journals in 2010.

About the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the national organization creating hope in a comprehensive way through research, patient support, community outreach and advocacy for a cure. The organization is leading the way to increase the survival rate for people diagnosed with this devastating disease through a bold initiative–The Vision of Progress: Double the Pancreatic Cancer Survival Rate by 2020. Together, we can know, fight and end pancreatic cancer by intensifying our efforts to heighten awareness, raise funds for comprehensive private research, and advocate for dedicated federal research to advance early diagnostics, better treatments and increase chances of survival.

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MEDIA INQUIRIES ONLY CONTACT:
Jennifer Rosen
Senior Manager, Public Relations
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Direct: 310-706-3362
Email:jrosen@pancan.org

ALL OTHER INQUIRIES, PLEASE CALL THE PANCREATIC CANCER ACTION NETWORK AT 877-272-6226 OR EMAIL INFO@PANCAN.ORG. Michele Sharp
(267) 646-0622
Michele.Sharp@aacr.org