City of Hope, Israel Cancer Research Fund Create Program for Cancer Research

City of Hope and the Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) today announced the establishment of the Jacki and Bruce Barron Cancer Research Scholars’ Program that was made possible with a $5 million gift from The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation.

The new program will promote innovative and collaborative research, as well as the exchange of ideas and information between exceptional cancer researchers in the United States and Israel.

The international collaboration will:

• Award collaborative grants to City of Hope and Israeli scientists to support basic, translational and clinical research.
• Provide promising, young Israeli scientists with postdoctoral training at City of Hope in California.
• Offer sabbaticals for distinguished mid-career and senior-level City of Hope scientists in Israel and Israeli scientists at City of Hope.
• Organize an annual symposium for researchers from the United States and Israel to share research discoveries.

"The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation's extraordinary gift to create the Jacki and Bruce Barron Cancer Research Scholars' Program will foster collaboration among Israeli research scientists and City of Hope investigators," said Steven T. Rosen, M.D., City of Hope's provost and chief scientific officer. "We are extremely grateful for the Miller family's support and excited to launch this international endeavor in our quest to help cure cancer."

The program is named after Jacki and Bruce Barron, Chicago philanthropists who are supporters of ICRF and City of Hope. Bruce Barron is a co-founder of Origin Ventures, a Chicago-based venture capital fund that invests in early-stage technology companies, and is a member of the board of directors of Whittl, Dialogtech and the Illinois Venture Capital Association. Jacki Barron is a career mom and political activist, as well as a two-time breast cancer survivor. She has mentored many women with breast cancer, and has provided support to women undergoing chemotherapy.

"We are humbled at having this incredible research program named in our honor and want to thank our dear friend, Harvey L. Miller, for his generosity and foresight,” Jacki and Bruce Barron said. “We are especially grateful and honored that the Jacki and Bruce Barron Cancer Research Scholars' Program will be supporting cancer research within two institutions that we support and care so much for ─ the Israel Cancer Research Fund and City of Hope.

“We are optimistic that this collaboration will result in new treatments and cures for cancer that will positively impact the lives of many people throughout the world," they added.

The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation is a longtime supporter of City of Hope and ICRF. Miller’s vision in helping to advance cancer treatment is evidenced by the establishment of The Miller Family Translational Technologies Center at City of Hope. Established in 2008, the center has helped investigators develop several first in-human clinical trials for hematologic cancers.

"The Israel Cancer Research Fund is thrilled about this inspiring and transformative grant,” said Bradley Goldhar, president of ICRF. “We are very grateful to The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation for bringing us together with our good friend, Dr. Steven Rosen, and City of Hope to inaugurate an important collaboration that will raise the profile of Israel's brilliant scientists, and produce groundbreaking cancer research for the benefit of all mankind. The Israel Cancer Research Fund is honored to be part of this combined effort with City of Hope.”

Details about the Jacki and Bruce Barron Cancer Research Scholars’ Program various initiatives can be found on City of Hope’s website.

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About City of Hope

City of Hope is an independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a comprehensive cancer center, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope is also a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with research and treatment protocols that advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope’s main hospital is located in Duarte, California, just northeast of Los Angeles, with clinics throughout Southern California. It is ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics.

About Israel Cancer Research Fund

ICRF, a 501(c)(3) organization, is the largest nationwide charitable organization in North America solely devoted to supporting cancer research in Israel. Since its establishment in 1975, ICRF has provided more than 2,200 grants totaling more than $56 million to outstanding cancer researchers whose laboratories are located in all of the leading research institutions, universities and hospitals across Israel. The efforts of Israeli cancer researchers have resulted in significant cancer breakthroughs in recent years, including new techniques and treatments impacting all forms of cancer: prostate, lung, breast, ovarian, brain and more. In addition to two Nobel prizes in chemistry, ICRF researchers have also been instrumental in the development of the cancer drugs Doxil, Gleevec and Velcade.