New grant funds study of very aggressive childhood brain cancers driven by circular pieces of DNA

Lukas Chavez, Ph.D., has received $3.2 million from the National Institutes of Health to study how unique DNA circles found in cancer cells drive deadly pediatric brain tumors.

“Our goal for this project is to understand more about the functional relevance of circular extrachromosomal DNA in medulloblastoma, the most common malignant pediatric brain cancer,” says Chavez. “We hope our findings will lead to a scientific revolution in how some of the most difficult-to-treat childhood brain tumors are understood and treated.”

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Timothy Huang awarded $2.6M to solve Alzheimer’s disease puzzle

“The key to finding effective ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s is digging deeper into the molecular aspects related to pathology and determining which changes may cause Alzheimer’s and which are a result of the disease,” says Huang.

“This award will help us learn more about the link between genetic variants of TREM2—a key protein found in the brain’s immune cells—and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.”

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US Department of Defense backs Cosimo Commisso’s pancreatic cancer research

The grant from the Department of Defense for $1 million will advance the research of a small molecule that kills pancreatic cancer cells by disrupting their pH equilibrium.

“Because this pH regulation process is unique to pancreatic cancer cells, targeting it with this small molecule could allow us to treat pancreatic cancer while minimizing negative effects on the rest of the body,” says Commisso.

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Svasti Haricharan joins the very first Stop & Talk podcast

Join Svasti and Grant Oliphant, the CEO of The Conrad Prebys Foundation, for an important conversation about diversity, science, changing the world and what it means to be open to multiple viewpoints.

In the new podcast offered by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, Svasti shares how she came to be a research leader in therapy-resistant breast cancer and how race affects clinical outcomes.

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2023 Fishman Fund Award ceremony celebrates postdoctoral scholars

Three talented early-career researchers were presented with prestigious Fishman Fund Awards at the annual ceremony. More than 100 generous benefactors, past award winners and family and friends joined the celebration held at the Sanford Consortium.

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22nd Annual Trainee Research Symposium

Postdoctoral scholars, graduate students and staff scientists showcased their work at Sanford Burnham Prebys’ 22nd Annual Trainee Research Symposium on Thursday, September 21st. 

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Special Gala

October 21, 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Join honorary co-chairs Roberta and Malin Burnham for Sanford Burnham Prebys' 2023 Gala Celebrating a Future Filled with Discoveries and Cures, honoring T. Denny Sanford.

Learn more and RSVP >>



From our chief development officer

One of our scientists recently said something that really stuck with me:

"The people who become scientists are the people who want to change the world."

You probably feel the same way. You are changing the world through your support of basic research.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve attended events where I’ve heard our amazing scientists talk passionately about their work.

Every time I was filled with gratitude for them—and for heroes like you who make their discoveries possible.

Last week, a new visionary strategic plan was unveiled at a special gathering of our NCI-designated Cancer Center leadership. One thing that stood out is that we’re the ONLY basic cancer center with a world-renowned drug discovery center onsite. That makes it possible for us to take basic research right into the early stages of drug development. I can’t wait for you to hear more about it.

At another event I heard about research that’s being done in a childhood cancer that has a 0% survival rate and heard about the kids who desperately need research to speed up to help them. Its friends like you who will help these kids and their families.

2023 Sanford Burnham Prebys Faculty Retreat

With gratitude to you for helping to change the world,

Christine Sanchez Dittmer

Chief Development Officer

p.s. If you’d like to support the research we’re doing today to change the world, thank you!