November 2026 Newsletter

The past few weeks have been incredibly inspiring as friends and supporters came together for our Connecticut and Chicago galas. Both evenings were a true celebration of hope and what we can accomplish together. Hearing from survivors, researchers, honorees, and Board leaders was a powerful reminder of why our work matters. These events together raised well over $1 million to support cancer research.

Ben Stanger, MD, PhD, is director of the Penn Pancreatic Cancer Research Center and the Hanna Wise Professor in Cancer Research at the University of Pennsylvania. A gastroenterologist and researcher, he also co-chairs ICRF’s Scientific Review Panel. For Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month this November, we spoke with him about promising developments in research and what they could mean for patients.

Dr. Aeid Igbaria of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and his team, with support from an ICRF Research Career Development Award (RCDA), studies how two proteins, DNAJB12 and DNAJB14, help cancer cells survive chemotherapy. His research could inform new strategies to overcome drug resistance and improve treatment effectiveness.

ICRF and Shir for Life have announced a new three-year Project Grant awarded to Prof. Ravid Straussman of the Weizmann Institute of Science to study the tumor microbiome in neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer that develops from immature nerve cells and can be particularly difficult to treat.

Several scientists with current and past ICRF funding are featured in a story highlighting Tel Aviv University’s multidisciplinary approach to cancer research. Among them are current ICRF grant recipients Prof. Uri Ben-David and Prof. Adit Ben-Baruch, as well as former ICRF grant recipients Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro and Prof. Dan Peer.

Former ICRF grantee Dr. Oren Parnas and colleagues published findings in Cell Communication and Signaling revealing how interactions between immune cells may help pancreatic tumors evade the immune system. Their research identifies potential targets to disrupt this tumor-protective environment and strengthen the immune response against cancer.

ICRF-funded researcher Prof. Shai Izraeli co-authored research demonstrating that a blood-based liquid biopsy can track neuroblastoma in children and detect relapse up to 90 days before scheduled imaging. This approach could enable earlier intervention and improve disease monitoring for children with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Congratulations to the Team ICRF runners who completed the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon! As an official charity partner, we were proud to be part of this iconic race and raise nearly $60,000 and counting for Israel's cancer research. Thank you to our athletes and to everyone who donated and cheered them on.

The TCS New York City Marathon is just one example of how to turn your personal connection to ICRF into meaningful support for Israel's cancer research. Whether you’re honoring a loved one, celebrating a special occasion, or marking a milestone, create your own online fundraiser and invite friends and family to help advance our mission.