Cold Spring Harbor, NY - December 30, 2015 - The Clark Gillies Foundation presented $50,000 to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) in support of the Sarcoma Research Project on December 22, 2015. These funds will be used to support research in the lab of CSHL Associate Professor Chris Vakoc, that will look into a rare and often fatal cancer, Rhabdomosarcoma (RMS).
Ice hockey legend Clark Gillies, a star of the NY Islanders who now heads The Clark Gillies Foundation, observed that “Long Island is very fortunate to have a world-class cancer research institution like CSHL leading RMS research.” He added: “On behalf of The Clark Gillies Foundation and our teammates in this effort, I’m proud to be here at the face-off against RMS.”
The Clark Gillies Foundation joined with the Friends of T.J. Foundation, Michelle Paternoster Foundation for Sarcoma Research and the Christina Renna Foundation to generate the funding and support to make this research possible.
Using cutting-edge molecular biology, Vakoc's team will pinpoint genetic weaknesses within RMS cells. His strategy has already been successful in developing a new drug candidate for AML (acute myeloid leukemia), now in clinical trials. CSHL is also collaborating with Dr. Charles Keller, Scientific Director at the Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, who is one of the world leaders in RMS research. “We are grateful for the support of Clark Gillies Foundation, which is enabling us to identify new therapeutic targets in RMS, in collaboration with Charles Keller”, said Vakoc. “Our initial pilot experiments in RMS have already shown promise in helping Dr. Keller move an investigational drug towards a clinical trial in RMS patients. Thus, we are eager to intensify these research efforts in RMS.” For more about the CSHL Sarcoma Research Project, visit online
About The Clark Gillies Foundation
The Clark Gillies Foundation is a non-profit corporation developed to help children who are physically, developmentally, and/or financially challenged. This assistance can be in the form of payments for medical services, family financial aid, events to enhance the quality of life, and many other forms. The goal is to help children improve the quality of life and be of assistance in a time of crisis. For more information, please visit: www.clarkgillies.org
About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2015, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. Home to eight Nobel Prize winners, the private, not-for-profit Laboratory employs 1,100 people including 600 scientists, students and technicians. The Meetings & Courses Program hosts more than 12,000 scientists from around the world each year on its campuses in Long Island and in Suzhou, China. The Laboratory’s education arm also includes an academic publishing house, a graduate school and programs for middle and high school students and teachers. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu
Using cutting-edge molecular biology, Vakoc's team will pinpoint genetic weaknesses within RMS cells. His strategy has already been successful in developing a new drug candidate for AML (acute myeloid leukemia), now in clinical trials. CSHL is also collaborating with Dr. Charles Keller, Scientific Director at the Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, who is one of the world leaders in RMS research. “We are grateful for the support of Clark Gillies Foundation, which is enabling us to identify new therapeutic targets in RMS, in collaboration with Charles Keller”, said Vakoc. “Our initial pilot experiments in RMS have already shown promise in helping Dr. Keller move an investigational drug towards a clinical trial in RMS patients. Thus, we are eager to intensify these research efforts in RMS.” For more about the CSHL Sarcoma Research Project, visit online
About The Clark Gillies Foundation
The Clark Gillies Foundation is a non-profit corporation developed to help children who are physically, developmentally, and/or financially challenged. This assistance can be in the form of payments for medical services, family financial aid, events to enhance the quality of life, and many other forms. The goal is to help children improve the quality of life and be of assistance in a time of crisis. For more information, please visit: www.clarkgillies.org
About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2015, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. Home to eight Nobel Prize winners, the private, not-for-profit Laboratory employs 1,100 people including 600 scientists, students and technicians. The Meetings & Courses Program hosts more than 12,000 scientists from around the world each year on its campuses in Long Island and in Suzhou, China. The Laboratory’s education arm also includes an academic publishing house, a graduate school and programs for middle and high school students and teachers. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu