Research Funded To Date
The Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for brain cancer. We strive in improve the quality of life and increase the life expectancy of those diagnosed with brain cancer by funding promising research that creates more diagnostics and treatments for patients.
Since 2008, we have funded 33 separate institutions with over 107 different research grants totaling over $150 million. These grants have involved research in phase 0 clinical trials, biomarkers, genomics, imaging, immunotherapy, stem cell, vaccines, and the development of possible new drugs.
2013
A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES EDUCATION, LIFESTYLE IMPROVEMENT SKILLS, MEDICAL, AND COUNSELING SERVICES TO ADULTS, CHILDREN, AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES AND PREDIABETES AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMORBIDITIES.
PI: Janice Ertl, Clinic Director
Director, Family Wellness Program
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
COMBINING A PATIENT’S OPTIMIZED DENDRITIC CELLS (POTENT IMMUNE STIMULATORS) WITH POOLED AND WELL-CHARACTERIZED LYSATES FROM OTHER PATIENT’S BRAIN TUMOR CULTURES TO GENERATE AN ANTI-TUMOR VACCINE INCORPORATING NEW METHODS FOR MONITORING CHANGES IN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. PROJECT EXPANDED IN 2014 TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS TO PROVIDE STRONG STATISTICAL CONFIRMATION OF RESULTS AS WELL AS INCLUDE PATIENTS WITH RELAPSED GLIOBLASTOMA TO THE STUDY.
PI: Allan B. Dietz, Ph.D.
Scientific Director, Human Cell Therapy Lab
Mayo Clinic
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AT TGEN DESIGNED TO GIVE HIGH SCHOOL AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS INTENSIVE, HANDS-ON RESEARCH EXPERIENCE WORKING ALONGSIDE A MENTOR-SCIENTIST TO LEARN ABOUT TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH WHILE INVESTIGATING QUESTIONS WITHIN THE NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES.
PI: Brandy Wells
Director, Public Affairs and Education
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
TRANSLATIONAL GENOMICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, BARROW NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE, AND NEUMOCORE, INC. COLLABORATING TO TEST FDA APPROVED DRUGS KNOWN TO PASS THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER FOR EFFICACY AND ACCELERATED USE IN GBM PATIENTS.
PI: Jeffrey M. Trent, Ph.D.
President and Research Director
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
DEVELOPING AND CLINICALLY TRANSLATING TECHNOLOGIES AND BIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE DESIGNED TO HELP ANTICIPATE AND TREAT THERAPY RESISTANCE IN GBM PATIENTS, PRIOR TO THE APPEARANCE OF THAT RESISTANCE.
PIs: Timothy Cloughesy, M.D.
Director and Professor, Neuro-Oncology Program
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
James R. Heath, Ph.D.
Elizabeth W. Gilloon Professor of Chemistry
California Institute of Technology
Paul S. Mischel, M.D.
Member and Head Professor, Laboratory of Molecular Pathology
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
University of California San Diego (UCSD)
PRECLINICAL EVALUATION OF A PATIENT-SPECIFIC NEOANTIGEN VACCINATION STRATEGY, AN IMPLANTABLE VACCINE DEVICE AND COMBINATORIAL REGIMENS TO ENHANCE ANTI-TUMOR IMMUNE RESPONSES.
PI: David A. Reardon, M.D.
Clinical Director, Center for Neuro-Oncology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
A PHASE O CLINICAL TRIAL OF A NOVEL MOLECULARLY-TARGETED THERAPY FOR RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA PATIENTS.
PI: Nader Sanai, M.D.
Director, Division of Neurosurgical Oncology
Director, Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center
Barrow Neurological Institute
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ORAL FORMULATION AND TOXICITY STUDIES FOR INHIBITOR, WP1066, OF THE SIGNAL TRANSDUCER AND ACTIVATOR OF TRANSCRIPTION 3 – A PATHWAY THAT DRIVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF MALIGNANT BRAIN TUMORS AND IMMUNE SUPPRESSION.
PIs: Amy Heimberger, M.D.
Professor, Neurosurgery
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Waldemar Priebe, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Professor, Experimental Therapeutics Department
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Charles A. Conrad, M.D.
Professor, Neuro-Oncology
MD Anderson Cancer Center