Swim Across America, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to funding pioneering cancer research and patient-centric initiatives, has recently announced the awarding of two substantial grants, each totaling $450,000. These grants are distributed to prominent beneficiaries, the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to advance cutting-edge research in gene and base editing technologies aimed at developing transformative cancer therapies. The funding underscores the organization’s continued commitment to accelerating breakthrough treatments that could revolutionize cancer care, particularly in the realm of targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and cellular therapies.
The grants will support the work of two distinguished scientists deeply engaged in novel cell and gene therapy research: Dr. Joseph Fraietta at the University of Pennsylvania, operating through the ACGT, and Dr. Pietro Genovese at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. These investigators are at the forefront of integrating sophisticated gene-editing tools into cancer treatment strategies, a field rapidly evolving with the advent of CRISPR and related technologies. Their collaborative efforts promise to yield new therapeutic modalities with potential applicability across a broad spectrum of malignancies, including notoriously difficult-to-treat solid tumors and hematologic cancers.
In recent years, gene editing has emerged as a transformative force in oncology, offering unparalleled precision in manipulating genetic material to enhance immune responses against cancer. Dr. Fraietta’s research harnesses a refined gene-editing technology known as base editing, which allows single-letter changes in DNA without inducing double-stranded breaks, thereby reducing off-target effects and improving safety profiles. Utilizing this approach, his team engineers CAR T cells—immune cells reprogrammed to recognize and destroy cancer cells—that are optimized to target tumors harboring KRAS mutations prevalent in approximately a quarter of human cancers, such as those affecting the lung, colon, and pancreas.
Moreover, Dr. Fraietta’s laboratory is pioneering the creation of “micropharmacies,” a novel cellular platform wherein genetically modified immune cells are designed to secrete therapeutic agents directly at tumor sites. This localized delivery system minimizes systemic toxicity and maximizes anti-tumor efficacy by concentrating immune-stimulatory molecules within the tumor microenvironment. Such precision medicine approaches could mitigate the side effects commonly associated with conventional chemotherapy and non-targeted immunotherapy regimens, offering patients more tolerable and effective treatment options.
Meanwhile, Dr. Genovese’s innovative strategy at Dana-Farber represents a paradigm shift in leukemia treatment. Instead of solely focusing on eradicating malignant cells, his research revolves around engineering “stealth” healthy blood cells capable of enduring aggressive chemotherapy and targeted cancer therapies. These modified cells evade immune detection and destruction, creating a protective reservoir of functional hematopoietic cells during treatment-induced cytotoxicity. This approach holds promise in reducing collateral damage to vital healthy cells, a significant limitation of current acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapies, and could improve patient outcomes by preserving bone marrow function.
The financial backing from Swim Across America facilitates these exploratory, high-risk, high-reward projects that might otherwise struggle to secure funding. This underscores the critical role philanthropic organizations play in bridging the gap between foundational research and clinical application, especially in areas where conventional grant mechanisms may be insufficiently nimble or risk-averse. By investing in early-stage work, Swim Across America accelerates the translation of compelling scientific concepts into viable therapeutic innovations.
Rob Butcher, CEO of Swim Across America, emphasizes the transformative potential of gene-editing technologies in the fight against cancer. He highlights how these grants empower scientists to expedite the development of next-generation treatments, building upon the organization’s successful history of supporting research that contributed to the approval of landmark immunotherapy drugs like Keytruda and Opdivo. These new investments aim to catalyze a wave of breakthroughs that could fundamentally alter cancer therapy paradigms and substantially improve patient quality of life.
The broader implications of this research extend beyond the development of novel therapies. Enhanced gene-editing methodologies and cellular engineering techniques also facilitate advancements in early cancer detection, minimal residual disease monitoring, and personalized cancer vaccine design. These comprehensive applications point toward a future where cancer management is increasingly tailored to the genetic and immunologic profile of each patient, fostering more durable remissions and potentially curative outcomes.
Since its inception in 1987, Swim Across America has raised over $100 million to support cancer research, consistently funding projects that push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and clinical care. The organization hosts a wide variety of swimming events across the United States, generating awareness and funds through the enthusiastic participation of Olympians and community members alike. Its unique model of combining athleticism with philanthropy has made it a keystone in the cancer research funding ecosystem, particularly for innovative, early-phase studies.
Dr. Fraietta’s work echoes this spirit of innovation by targeting the notorious KRAS oncogene, a historically “undruggable” target responsible for driving tumorigenesis in a significant subset of cancer patients. Through base editing of CAR T cells, his research aims to circumvent traditional therapeutic challenges associated with KRAS mutations, potentially unlocking new avenues for treating some of the most lethal cancers. The integration of micropharmacy concepts further elevates the approach, marrying genetic precision with functional immunotherapy.
At the same time, Dr. Genovese’s “stealth cell” approach challenges established oncologic dogma by seeking to preserve healthy hematopoiesis amidst aggressive treatment regimens. Acute myeloid leukemia, characterized by the rapid proliferation of malignant myeloid cells, requires intensive chemotherapy that often devastates normal bone marrow function. Engineering cells that can evade destruction offers a compelling solution to reduce treatment-related toxicity, improve recovery, and enhance overall survival rates for patients with AML and potentially other blood cancers.
The Swim Across America grants epitomize a strategic investment in the future of cancer treatment, supporting research that not only explores advanced gene-editing techniques but also aims to address pressing clinical challenges such as treatment resistance, tumor heterogeneity, and therapy-related adverse effects. This funding paves the way for integrating these modalities into clinical trials and, eventually, routine care, exemplifying the dynamic interplay between scientific innovation and patient-centered application.
Through these efforts, Swim Across America continues to champion a model of research funding that catalyzes transformative discoveries, fosters collaborations between academic and clinical researchers, and ultimately strives to deliver lifesaving treatments to cancer patients. The hope is that these pioneering projects spearheaded by Drs. Fraietta and Genovese will usher in a new era of precision oncology, defined by safer, more effective, and personalized gene- and cell-based therapies.
Subject of Research:
Advancement of novel gene and base editing techniques for cancer therapy, including engineered CAR T cell therapies targeting KRAS mutations and development of resilient hematopoietic cell therapies for acute myeloid leukemia.
Article Title:
Swim Across America Awards $900,000 to Drive Breakthrough Gene-Editing Cancer Therapies at University of Pennsylvania and Dana-Farber
News Publication Date:
Not specified in the provided content.
Web References:
https://swimacrossamerica.org
https://mediasvc.eurekalert.org/Api/v1/Multimedia/99bff3d1-5fd5-4380-b9e2-0f1437d04b2b/Rendition/low-res/Content/Public
Image Credits:
University of Pennsylvania
Keywords:
Gene editing, base editing, CAR T cells, KRAS mutations, acute myeloid leukemia, stealth hematopoietic cells, Swim Across America, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, immunotherapy, cancer research funding, cellular therapy, targeted cancer treatments
