#United States #Palliative Care #pancreatic cancer #Cold Spring Harbor #Lustgarten Foundation

Lustgarten Foundation's Annual Scientific Advisory Board Meeting

The Lustgarten Foundation, recognized as the largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research, successfully convened its annual Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) meeting from October 6th to 8th at the esteemed Banbury Center, located within the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. During this pivotal gathering, leading experts in the field assessed the progress of various Lustgarten-funded projects while exchanging valuable insights that are expected to shape future research strategies aimed at treating and curing pancreatic cancer.

Under the leadership of David Tuveson, MD, PhD, who serves both as the Chief Scientist of the Lustgarten Foundation and the Director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cancer Center, the meeting brought together some of the world's foremost researchers in pancreatic cancer. Esteemed experts, including Elizabeth Jaffee, MD from Johns Hopkins, Tyler Jacks, PhD from MIT, Reuben Shaw, PhD from the Salk Institute, Bert Vogelstein, MD from Johns Hopkins, and Brian Wolpin, MD, MPH from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, shared their latest findings and navigated discussions on the future of pancreatic cancer treatments.

“The Lustgarten SAB meeting is where discovery meets direction,” stated Tuveson. He emphasized the urgency of evaluating scientific advancements and identifying strategic opportunities that can significantly enhance patient care. This year's meeting highlighted an unmistakable momentum within the pancreatic cancer research community, suggesting a turning point in the battle against this challenging disease.

Over the span of two intensive days of dialogue, attendees padlocked insights drawn from the Foundation's LABS (Lustgarten Advancing Breakthrough Science) initiative. This robust program aims to foster innovative ideas by providing long-term funding that encourages collaborations among interdisciplinary teams. Notably, presentations by emerging researchers, such as Christina Towers, PhD from Salk Institute, and Tracy Liu, PhD from West Virginia University, showcased groundbreaking work supported by the Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Robert Lewis Career Development Awards. This program is instrumental in nurturing the next generation of researchers committed to combatting pancreatic cancer.

A focal point of the discussions was KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer, a notorious and complex form of the disease. Sessions led by notable researchers like Andy Aguirre, MD, PhD from Dana-Farber, Ken Olive, PhD from Columbia University, Ron Evans, PhD from Salk Institute, and Anirban Maitra, MBBS from NYU explored innovative therapeutic strategies, including breakthroughs in KRAS inhibitors and combination therapies. The goal is to accelerate promising scientific discoveries from the lab setting to clinical treatment environments as swiftly as possible.

Linda Tantawi, CEO of the Lustgarten Foundation, remarked, “The Scientific Advisory Board meeting showcases everything that makes the Lustgarten Foundation unique – our ability to bring together brilliant minds in pancreatic cancer research to share findings, challenge existing ideas, and collectively drive progress.” Each exchange of ideas at the meeting aims to bring us closer to discovering new treatments and ultimately saving lives.

As the meeting came to a close, participants outlined a strategic roadmap that identified new funding avenues to investigate and enhance experimental therapeutic combinations. With dedicated initiatives such as these, the Lustgarten Foundation continues to champion critical research that seeks to transform pancreatic cancer into a manageable and curable disease.

About the Lustgarten Foundation: Founded on the principles of accelerating pancreatic cancer research, the Lustgarten Foundation remains steadfast as the world's largest private donor in this sphere. The foundation supports pioneering researchers and innovative science to achieve earlier detection methods and superior treatment options, emphasizing the importance of community and collective power in providing hope to patients battling pancreatic cancer. For more information, please visit lustgarten.org or follow them on social media platforms.