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The Musella Foundation For Brain Tumor Research & Information, Inc today awarded a $50,000 grant to Hideho Okada M.D., Ph.D, who is an Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, Surgery and Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine as well as Co-Leader, Brain Tumor Program of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.
The grant is to be used for basic research to fine tune his therapeutic vaccine program. This will encompass all types of brain tumors, including low grade and high grade primary tumors, as well as breast cancer mets to the brain.
This is the third grant awarded to Dr Okada for his vaccine work. The other grants, totaling $100,000 were awarded in 2007 and 2008 and were for the first ever low grade oligodendroglioma and glioma vaccine. The human trials had impressive results and our current grant hopes to build on his success.
This current grant comes from the proceeds of the National Walk To End Brain Tumors, which consisted of 18 5k run / walks across the country, 14 of which were to benefit the Musella Foundation. Our 14 events raised a total of $60,000. We used $5,000 to fund a DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) project by Dr Javad Nazarian at the Children's Research institute in Washington, DC. The remaining $5,000 will be used to fund a conference for brain tumor patients and families at JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ on October 29, 2011.
For details on the Musella Foundation For Brain Tumor Research & Information, Inc, visit our website at virtualtrials.com
For details on the National Walk To End Brain Tumors, visit walktoendbraintumors.org