Yanxin Pei awarded St. Baldrick’s Foundation Research Grant for Childhood Cancer
Yanxin Pei, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Children’s Research Institute, was a recipient of a $100,000 grant that is being named the “Benicio Martinez Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research Grant” from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants in the United States.
Dr. Pei studies medulloblastoma – one of the most common malignant brain tumors in children – and has identified a subpopulation of tumor cells that contribute to metastasis after radiotherapy. Her lab is now determining whether targeting these cells can eliminate or prevent the spread of medulloblastoma, thereby improving the outcome of patients with this disease.
In their latest round of funding, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation awarded 76 grants totaling more than $19.1 million to support physician-scientists studying innovative treatment options in the pediatric cancer space. The grants from St. Baldrick’s deliver on its commitment to support the most promising childhood cancer research and work to provide the best solutions possible for kids. The next St. Baldrick’s grant cycle will be announced in fall 2018.
“At St. Baldrick’s, we focus on funding research that has the best potential of giving kids the healthy childhoods they deserve,” said Kathleen Ruddy, CEO of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. “I’m proud to say that we have now funded more than a quarter billion dollars since 2005 to support lifesaving childhood cancer research.
