June 2026 Newsletter

At ICRF, we never lose sight of two fundamental truths: some of the world’s most impactful cancer research is happening in Israel, and it is only possible because of our generous supporters. Last week, friends gathered in Connecticut to meet ICRF-funded ovarian cancer scientist Dr. Ruth Perets of Rambam Medical Center. She discussed the anticipated clinical implications of her work for patients in the years ahead.

Past ICRF grantee Prof. Ziv Shulman and his team at Weizmann Institute found that memory B cells can recognize and attack ovarian tumors. Funded in part by the Beverley Librach Abshez Initiative for Ovarian and Female Reproductive System Cancers, which also supports current grantee Dr. Ruth Perets, the study shows a new vaccine approach using immune memory. Dr. Perets was quoted, sharing the potential for future ovarian cancer immunotherapy.

Prof. Yifat Merbl, recipient of the ICRF–Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Collaborative Technology Impact Award, is a renowned leader in systems immunology and cancer biology. She recently received the inaugural Trailblazer Cancer Research Grant from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and was on the “Nature’s 10” list for global impact. Her research shows protein degradation is not just cellular waste, but a key regulator of immune responses and cancer progression.

ICRF-funded researcher Dr. Yuval Shaked of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, co-authored a study showing that anti-PD-1, a form of immunotherapy, temporarily opens the blood-brain barrier to improve chemotherapy delivery for patients with metastatic brain cancer. This discovery ultimately helps the drugs treat tumors more effectively.

Right now, tests that predict how a cancer patient will respond to immunotherapy only work for a few specific cancer types. Dr. Keren Yizhak, recipient of an ICRF Research Career Development Award (RCDA) at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, is using AI to study one million immune cells to identify universal cellular patterns that could predict treatment success across many different cancers.

In case you missed it, watch Dr. Albert Grinshpun, ICRF Clinical Research Career Development Award (CRCDA) recipient and leader of the Breast Cancer Oncology Program at Shaare Zedek Medical Center share how his work on liquid biopsies is transforming cancer treatment monitoring. This webinar was hosted in partnership with Sharsheret.

ICRF supporters are out in full force for Israel’s cancer research, with a variety of exciting events this June, including the Sandy Herzfeld Memorial Golf Outing in Scarsdale, Night of Games in Chicago, and the Women of Action brunch in Connecticut. We invite you to see how you can participate in these events and explore more upcoming opportunities.

Monthly giving is a powerful way to support life-saving cancer research. A donation of any amount helps fuel the science that makes prevention, detection, treatments, and future cures possible. By becoming a monthly donor, you provide reliable, ongoing support that allows ICRF to make long-term commitments to vital cancer research. Your generosity advances discoveries and brings hope to patients and families worldwide.