IWMF Commits to Largest Research Package Since Inception!
IWMF is making outstanding progress in the search for a cure. “Once we do a better job at shutting down the signaling of that mutated MYD88 gene, we will find that cure,” says Dr. Steven Treon of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In pursuit of this goal, the IWMF Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that IWMF is funding the work of twelve principal investigators heading up eleven research grants for a total of US $3,157,500. These grants, approved and recommended by the IWMF Grant Review Committee, have been awarded to proposals with the greatest potential for advancing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of WM.
The 2024 grant recipients and their project titles are listed below by category of research grant, along with the amount awarded to the grants in each category:
IWMF-LLS Strategic Research Roadmap Initiative grants (US$480,000 each) –
two-year awards to promote and support basic research leading to improved understanding of the cause, diagnosis, treatment, and cure for WM:
- Dr. Aldo M. Roccaro, ASST-Spedali Civili di Brescia, “Dissecting the Tumor Microenviron-ment in Waldenström Macroglobulinemia”
Enhanced Research Roadmap Initiative grants (US$1,500,000 each) –
two-to-four-year awards that provide larger funding for grant proposals that require more effort, time, or resources than the two-year Strategic Research Roadmap grants:
- Dr. Zachary Hunter, Dana-Farber Cancer Insti-tute, and Dr. Patrizia Mondello, Mayo Clinic Rochester, “Uncovering the Molecular Underpin-ning of Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia from Tumor Cells to Immune Microenvironment”
Seed Money Initiative grants (US$90,000 each; US$270,000 total for three recipients) –
one-year awards to give investigators the chance to test new ideas in preparation for larger grant applications through the IWMF-LLS Strategic Research Roadmap Initiative.
- Dr. Erna Magnúsdóttir, The University of Iceland, “Self-Organizing Stem Cell-Derived Bone Marrow Organoid System for Studying the Tumor Microenvironment in Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia”
- Dr. Jennifer Kimberly Lue, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, “The Application of a Dual IRAK4 and IMiD Substrate Degrader, KT-413, in Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia”
- Dr. Maria Luisa Guerrera, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, “Investigating the Role of CD34+ Cells in the Pathogenesis of Waldenström’s Macro-globulinemia”
Robert A. Kyle Career Development Award grants (US$157,500 each; US$787,500 total for five recipients) –
two-year awards to foster a new generation of talented WM researchers:
- Dr. Tina Bagratuni, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Tracking the Evolution of Ibrutinib Resistant Proteome in WM”
- Dr. Filip Garbicz, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, “Dissecting Cancer Cell-Intrinsic and Microen-vironmental Roles of MYD88 Mutations and Chromosome 6q Deletion in Waldenström Macroglobulinemia”
- Dr. Cristina Jiménez, University Hospital of Salamanca/Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), “Deciphering Tumor Hetero-geneity in Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia through the Genomic and Immune Profiling”
- Dr. Yoshinobu Konishi, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, “Spatial Immune Profiling to Define Biomarkers for Disease Progression in Walden-strom’s Macroglobulinemia”
- Dr. David F. Moreno, Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona – IDIBAPS, “Single Cell Subclonal Characterization and Evolution of the Genome and Transcriptome in IgM Monoclonal Gammopathy”
IWMF-LLS Companion Initiative grants (US$120,000 each) – one-to-two-year awards that support a WM basic research project associated with an ongoing clinical trial to advance scientific knowledge of the cause, cure, and treatment of WM:
- Dr. Christian Buske, Universitatsklinikum Ulm, “Deciphering the Dynamics of the Mutational Landscape in Patients with Waldenström`s Macroglobulinemia Treated with Targeted Therapy in Prospective Clinical Trials of the European Consortium for Waldenström’s Macro-globulinemia (ECWM)”
Earlier this year, we also reached out to 300+ international researchers to request proposals for 2025 to support basic research, develop new therapeutics, and ultimately find a cure for WM. We encourage you to visit our new Accelerate the Cure page to learn more and offer your support.
In the months ahead, we will provide more information on this critical research and the progress being made toward a cure. With your help, IMWF will continue to invest in the WM research that will lead us to a cure.
IWMF congratulates each of our 2024 research grant recipients!