Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge
TClaudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research
Scientific Impact
Projects supported by the Barr Program have had an enormous impact on our understanding of cancer and our ability to treat it. Here are some highlights:
Cancer Genetics
- Matthew Meyerson, MD, PhD, and William Sellers, MD, completed a catalog of cancer-related mutations in a family of genes called "kinases" that can be targeted by new drugs. An important and practical consequence was the discovery of a mutation in lung cancer which, when present, makes the disease respond to a pill called gefitinib.
- David Fisher, MD, PhD, identified some of the genetic mutations that cause melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, and ways to protect against these changes.
- Myles Brown, MD, developed a complete map of all of the genes controlled by estrogen, which will provide new ways of treating breast and ovarian cancers.
New Cancer Therapies
- Kim Stegmaier, MD, developed an innovative method for discovering drugs that are effective against a variety of cancers. Her work has led to the initiation of several new clinical trials.
- Glenn Dranoff, MD, developed a new and highly effective way to stimulate the body's immune cells to reject cancer. His discoveries are now being tested in several clinical trials.
