The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center just got a turbo boost! This week, Gov. Perry made public the creation of the Institute for Applied Cancer Science which is aimed at turning scientific discovery into actual therapies!
Back in 2007, Perry spearheaded a movement to make Texas a hub for the future of cancer treatment. This initiative spawned the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) which was funded by bonds approved by voters, which allowed the state of Texas to finance research grants, allowing them to attract top talent. Since 2010, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas has provided funding for over 350 awards for use in cancer research, commercialization and prevention.
Also, moving the state of cancer treatment centers in Texas forward is the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF), which was also created by Governor Perry. This fund, which has earned more than $800 million, has attracted cancer researchers form around the world. So far, the state has put forward almost $180 million to various Universities in Texas.
Says Perry, “The Institute for Applied Cancer Science will provide us with a better understanding of cancer, and will give researchers and scientists the ability to take promising new drugs from the laboratory to the doctor’s office. In Texas, we’ve had our sights set on wiping out cancer for quite some time, and this new institute brings us one step closer to destroying it in our lifetime.”
Also chiming in on the issue is Ronald DePinho, M.D., the president of MD Anderson. Says DePinho, “The Institute for Applied Cancer Science will exploit the enormous opportunities provided by recent truly transformative scientific and technological advances to improve the appallingly low rate of success in the nation’s current cancer drug development system.”
The goal of the Institute for Applied Cancer Science is to gather top scientists and researchers who have expert knowledge of cancer clinical trials, genomics, biology and cancer drugs and pharmacology.
