We received some very exciting news at the tail end of this week. One of our grantees, Dr. Sharon Plon from the Baylor College of Medicine, has been awarded 2 large grants to continue her research into finding causes for childhood cancer. Two different studies have been funded, both involving DNA sequencing to find gene mutations that make families susceptible to pediatric cancer. The grants, which total $3.7 million, come on the heels of funding from ALSF!

Plon’s research got started through an Innovation Award from ALSF in 2006. In that initial study, 50 known cancer genes were sequenced in 48 families. In six of the families, a cancer-causing mutation was found, Plon said. The new studies hope to find the causative mutation in the remaining 42 families.

We applaud Plon’s continued work, and are so happy that we have been a part of her success!


- Liz & Jay Scott


For information on her research, and her newly funded studies:
http://www.bcm.edu/news/item.cfm?newsID=2640

Above: Dr. Sharon Plon (center) with Liz and Jay Scott