New cancer research projects at The Hormel Institute funded through PTTP
Paint the Town Pink had set ambitious goals this year and reached them. The popular fundraiser brought in more than the $300,000 goal and today, the majority of those funds were distributed. Through multi-community PINK events ranging from signature events such as Paint the Rink Pink and Plunging for Pink Polar Plunge to Adam’s PINKO BINGO and more, over $306,000 was raised.
Eight $25,000 grants to fund innovative research were announced to some of the cancer research professors of The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota. The grants awarded are:
· Dr. Rhoderick Rick Brown: “Role of Inflammation in Breast Cancer Initiation and Progression: Intervention Potential by Sphingolipid Transfer Proteins”
· Dr. Yibin Deng: “Targeting Therapy for BRCA1/Trp53 Mutation-Driven Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in vivo”
· Dr. Sergio Gradilone: “CILIOTHERAPY: Restoration of Primary Cilia as a Targeted Therapy in Breast Cancer”
· Dr. Edward Hinchcliffe: “The role of Repo-Man/PP1γ in regulating chromosome instability”
· Dr. Luke Hoeppner: “New treatments that promote recovery from radiation dermatitis are necessary to improve the quality of life and clinical outcome of breast cancer patients by alleviating painful short- and long-term radiation side effects to ensure completion of radiation therapy regimens”
· Dr. Shujun Liu: “The clinical implications of the FABP4-DNMT1 cascade in breast cancer”
· Dr. Rebecca Morris: “Blood epithelial trafficking in mammary cancer”
· Dr. Anna Sundborger: “EGFR down-regulation may be a superior strategy to develop efficient EGFR based treatment option for triple negative breast cancer”
Seed grants to fund innovative research projects have been distributed for a few years since PTTP started in 2011 with a $23,000 fundraiser “Paint the Rink Pink” founded by the Austin Bruins. The Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau expanded the initiative the following year, and now nearly $1.2 million has been raised for cancer research. A portion of PTTP funds support instruments and technologies that can be used by all HI research faculty. Thanks to the annual support from The Hormel Foundation, 100% of every cancer research donation is applied to research.
“We are deeply honored by Paint the Town Pink and thankful to every group and every person who supports it,” said Dr. Zigang Dong, executive director of The Hormel Institute. “It raises awareness about personal healthcare and early detection and the funds raised are so important to further research. We know lives are extended and therapies improved and cancer prevented altogether because of research. These donations are how people can help and we thank our generous communities.”
