The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and the American Association for Cancer Research have awarded Stephanie K. Dougan, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, and Oliver G. McDonald, M.D., Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University, the 2012 Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-AACR Pathway to Leadership Grants.

These five-year grants, each providing $600,000 in research funding, will be formally awarded at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 – April 4.

“With the partnership of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, we are able to provide these grants to encourage gifted, young researchers such as Dr. Dougan and Dr. McDonald to pursue their research endeavors and advance the field,” said Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the American Association for Cancer Research. “Their projects have the potential to lead to breakthroughs that better prevent, detect and treat pancreatic cancer.”

“As the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network works diligently to double the survival rate of pancreatic cancer by 2020, it is critical that we fund the very best science and brightest minds to ensure scientific progress is made. We are honored to welcome Drs. Dougan and McDonald to the team and to our robust community of pancreatic cancer researchers,” stated Lynn Matrisian, Ph.D., Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s vice president of scientific and medical affairs. “We look forward to interacting with Drs. Dougan and McDonald and trust that the Pathway to Leadership Grant will accelerate progress toward improved patient outcomes.”

The Pathway to Leadership Grant, intended for postdoctoral or clinical research fellows, parallels the highly coveted K99/R00 early-career investigator awards offered by the National Institutes of Health. It provides financial support for two years of mentored research followed by three years of independent research.

The goals of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network–AACR grants program are to build a robust pancreatic cancer research community; to encourage collaboration, information-sharing and innovation; and to expedite scientific and medical breakthroughs for patient benefit.

Funding decisions for the Pathway to Leadership Grant are made by a stellar committee of experts in pancreatic cancer using a rigorous and transparent process. In addition to receiving research funds, grant recipients are provided with career development opportunities.

These include mentorships and connections with senior scientists in the field; invitations to present at scientific sessions, lead conference workshops, and participate in training and educational webinars; involvement with pancreatic cancer survivors and their caregivers; and resources to keep them apprised of emerging developments in the field.

Source: AACR