Inaugural “Call for Ideas” Opens New Research Grant Competition for Two Dream Teams to Conduct Groundbreaking Cancer Research Focused on Breast Cancer and Cancer Stem Cells The first Stand Up To Cancer Canada Dream Teams in collaboration with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, Genome Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research will accelerate the pace of novel research
TORONTO—October 14, 2014—Stand Up To Cancer Canada (SU2C Canada), together with Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) with support from CIBC, Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC), Genome Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), is pleased to announce that up to $22.6 million CAD is available to fund two separate cancer research Dream Teams to accelerate the pace of groundbreaking research to bring new treatments from the laboratory to patients faster. Funding for this research is provided by these SU2C Canada collaborators and from the SU2C telecast which aired on September 5 and appealed to the Canadian public to pledge support for cancer research, awareness and education. Two Dream Team funding opportunities are available, one for translational research focused on breast cancer and the other on cancer stem cells: • The Stand Up To Cancer Canada-Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Breast Cancer Dream Team, will provide up to $6 million CAD over a four-year term and is funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, with support from the CIBC, and by SU2C Canada. Ideas are invited for a translational cancer research project that will address critical problems in breast cancer patient care and include new therapeutic interventions for breast cancer that would be expected to reduce progression and improve overall survival. • The Stand Up To Cancer Canada Cancer Stem Cell Dream Team will provide approximately $10.6 million CAD over a four-year term, with funds from the CSCC (through Genome Canada and CIHR) and SU2C Canada. The Call for Ideas seeks to support a single, integrated, and cohesive pan-Canadian team bringing together key stakeholders – researchers, clinicians, industry, nongovernmental organizations, and funders – with the goal of improving the outcomes of hard-to-treat cancers by focusing on the role of cancer stem cells and stem cell programs on resistance and treatment failure in cancer. The team will employ new tools of modern biology, with an emphasis on genomics. • Additionally, the two qualifying Dream Teams mayeach receive supplementary funds up to $3 million over four years from OICR, to support clinical trial activities in the province of Ontario. As the Scientific Partner of SU2C Canada, the American Association for Cancer Research International – Canada (AACR International – Canada) today issued Calls for Ideas, inviting the Canadian research community to assemble Dream Teams of the best scientists from across the country to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary, multi-institutional teams. The research proposals will be reviewed by the SU2C Canada Scientific Advisory Committee (CSAC), which will be composed of leading researchers and co-chaired by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, institute professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, and Alan Bernstein, OC, PhD, FRSC, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. In addition, to ensure a thorough review process, each funding opportunity will also use a specialized subcommittee to contribute to the review of the submitted applications. “Dr. Sharp and I are very pleased to launch this collaborative approach to cancer research with an emphasis on working across disciplines and institutional lines to deliver new treatments in an accelerated timeframe,” said Dr. Bernstein. “We look forward to reviewing extraordinary approaches to cancer research assembled by the best and brightest minds, and to selecting the best possible science that Canada has to offer.” “We are thrilled to be moving swiftly, issuing the Calls for Ideas for first SU2C Canada Dream Teams, less than six weeks after the first Canada-inclusive Stand Up To Cancer fundraising telecast,” said Lisa Paulsen, EIF Canada Board Member. “These Dream Teams will quickly deliver promising treatments to benefit cancer patients throughout Canada and elsewhere.” Letters of Intent must be submitted by noon ET, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, using the proposalCENTRAL website at
https://proposalcentral.altum.com. For general information on eligibility criteria, the application process, and other details about these Dream Team grants, visit
http://www.aacrcanada.ca. Inquiries may be directed to the AACR International-Canada at 416-797-5366 or
su2ccanada@aacrcanada.ca. ###
About EIF Canada / Stand Up To Cancer Canada EIF Canada, a Canadian registered charity (Reg. # 80550 6730 RR0001), founded by the U.S.-based Entertainment Industry Foundation, was established to conduct charitable programs in Canada addressing health and other issues. Stand Up To Cancer Canada (SU2C Canada) is a program of EIF Canada that raises funds to support collaborative research teams, as well as education and awareness programs conducted in Canada. Organizations collaborating with the SU2C Canada initiative include the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, with support from CIBC; the Canadian Cancer Society; the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, with funding from Genome Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research; and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). MasterCard and AstraZeneca are the first Canadian corporate supporters of SU2C Canada. For more information on Stand Up To Cancer Canada, visit
http://www.standup2cancer.ca.
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) is the leading community-driven organization in Canada dedicated to creating a future without breast cancer. Its investments in innovative and relevant research and education have led to progress in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Since 1986, CBCF has been at the forefront of a nationwide movement supporting and advocating for the breast cancer community. For more information, visit
http://www.cbcf.org.
CIBC CIBC is a leading Canadian-based global financial institution with nearly 11 million personal banking and business clients. With a strategic focus on Kids, Cures and Community, and employee commitment to causes, including the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure, the CIBC Children’s Foundation and United Way, we are investing in the social and economic development of communities across the country. In 2013, CIBC contributed more than $41 million to 1,870 charitable and non-profit initiatives in over 430 communities. You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Media Centre on our corporate website at
http://www.cibc.com.
Cancer Stem Cell Consortium The Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC) is a not-for-profit corporation that was incorporated in 2007 to coordinate an international strategy for cancer stem cell research and related translational activities. Current Consortium members include: Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Genome Canada, Michael Smith Foundation for Medical Research, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) and the Stem Cell Network.
Genome Canada Genome Canada is a not-for-profit organization that acts as a catalyst for developing and applying genomics and genomic-based technologies, to create economic and social benefits for Canadians. Genome Canada connects ideas and people across public and private sectors to find new uses for genomics, invests in large-scale science and technology to fuel innovation, and translates discoveries into applications, new technologies, societal impacts and solutions across key sectors of national importance, including health, agriculture, forestry, fisheries & aquaculture, energy, mining and the environment. For more information, visit
http://www.genomecanada.ca.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,200 health researchers and trainees across Canada. For more information visit
http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca Ontario Institute for Cancer Research OICR is an innovative cancer research and development institute dedicated to prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The Institute is an independent, not-for-profit corporation, supported by the Government of Ontario. OICR’s research supports more than 1,700 investigators, clinician scientists, research staff and trainees located at its headquarters and in research institutes and academia across the Province of Ontario. OICR has key research efforts underway in small molecules, biologics, stem cells, imaging, genomics, informatics and bio-computing. For more information, please visit the website at
http://www.oicr.on.ca.
About AACR International – Canada The mission of AACR International–Canada is to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, and collaboration. AACR International-Canada convenes topical scientific conferences; offers educational workshops, fellowships, and research grants; collaborates with cancer survivors; raises public awareness of the progress in cancer research; and advocates for strong research funding. As the Scientific Partner to Stand Up to Cancer Canada, AACR International-Canada provides scientific oversight and conducts expert peer review and grants administration. For more information, please visit the website at
http://www.aacrcanada.ca.
SU2C Canada / Jane Rubinstein / jrubinstein@standup2cancer.ca / 646-386-7969 AACR International – Canada / Rick Buck / rick.buck@aacr.org / 215-446-7162 Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation / Nicole Curling / ncurling@cbcf.org / 416-815-1313 ext.899 Genome Canada / Andrea Matyas / amatyas@genomecanada.ca / 613-790-0106 Canadian Institutes of Health
Research / Amanda Devost /Amanda.devost@cihr-irsc.gc.ca / 613-957-8763Ontario Institute for Cancer Research / Christopher Needles / Christopher.needles@oicr.on.ca / 416-673-8505
