The St. Baldrick's Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research, proudly granted a $230,000 St. Baldrick's extended Scholar award to Dr. Noah Federman, assistant professor of pediatric hematology/oncology at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital.
Based on progress to date, Federman was awarded a new grant to fund an additional two years of this Scholar award. Although there are many powerful drugs to treat cancer, the means to deliver them directly to the intended targets (cancer cells) are lacking and this may cause cancer patients to suffer significant side effects. Federman is testing new ways of delivering treatments more directly using nanoparticles programmed to recognize particular cancer cells.
"The St. Baldrick's funding has been vital to moving this ground-breaking research forward using 'smart' nano-chemotherapy vehicles to target and kill pediatric bone and soft tissue cancers," Federman said. "If successful, this technology could revolutionize how we treat all cancers in childhood and adulthood."
Worldwide, a child is diagnosed with cancer every three minutes, and one in five children diagnosed in the U.S. will not survive, making the Foundation's efforts to conquer childhood cancers critical. Through the vigorous efforts of volunteers and supporters in the U.S. and around the world, the Foundation will fund a total of more than $23 million in its 2012 summer grant cycle.
The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. For more information about the St. Baldrick's Foundation please visit www.StBaldricks.org.
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, one of the highest-rated children's hospitals in California, is a vital component of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, ranked the fifth best hospital in nation and best in the western United States by U.S. News & World Report. Mattel Children's Hospital offers a full spectrum of primary and specialized medical care for infants, children and adolescents. The hospital's mission is to provide state-of-the-art medical and surgical treatment for children in a compassionate atmosphere and to improve the understanding and treatment of pediatric diseases. For more information, visit www.uclahealth.org/mattel.
