2017 Second Quarter Research Awards

Published:
James Keenan

Two proposals have been selected to receive Foundation funding in the 2nd quarter of 2017.

James Keenan, CEO of Artenga, Inc., a Canadian life sciences company, will partner with Sunnybrook Research Institute and the University of Helsinki to investigate “MRgFUS Blood-Brain Barrier Drug Delivery with AAV2 Gene Therapy Microbubble Drug Conjugates.” The team proposes to develop a novel microbubble-drug conjugate with an adeno-associated virus and then use focused ultrasound to deliver the gene therapy to the regions of the brain affected by Parkinson’s disease.

Frank Wolfram, PhD

In Germany, Frank Wolfram, PhD, and his team at SRH Waldklinikum Gera have been funded to determine “Accessibility and Benefit of Focused Ultrasound Treatment for Inoperable Lung Cancer Patients, A Retrospective Analysis.” Now that their preliminary data have shown the feasibility for focused ultrasound to treat lung cancer on large animal models via intentional One Lung Flooding (OLF). This study will analyze the charts of inoperable patients (70% of all lung cancer patients) to map tumor location and volume, classify and analyze the pulmonary function to estimate their accessibility to OLF, and therefore determine the future clinical potential of FUS for treatment of primary lung cancer.