Yale’s Lung Cancer SPORE Grant Renewed by National Cancer Institute

Yale Cancer Center is proud to announce that its Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer has been awarded a prestigious renewal grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for year 11 of the program. This renewal grant totaling $12M over five years, will provide critical funding to advance groundbreaking lung cancer research and accelerate progress in the prevention, detection, and treatment of this disease bringing new hope to patients.

The Yale Lung SPORE, under the leadership of principal investigators Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD, and Katerina Politi, PhD, represents a multidisciplinary collaboration aimed at developing innovative strategies to combat lung cancer. Dr. Herbst serves as a deputy director of Yale Cancer Center and chief of medical oncology and hematology at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, and Dr. Politi is the Joseph A. and Lucille K. Madri Professor of Pathology at Yale School of Medicine and a Yale Cancer Center researcher and biologist with expertise in translational research. Together, they lead a team of researchers and clinicians dedicated to addressing the most pressing challenges in lung cancer care.

The SPORE grant renewal supports a comprehensive set of programs, including basic, translational, and clinical research projects focused on improving outcomes for patients with lung cancer. The funds will also be used to support career development programs for early-stage investigators and to foster collaborations between researchers, clinicians, and industry partners.

The Yale Lung SPORE has been at the forefront of lung cancer research for years, contributing to significant advancements in understanding the biology of the disease and the development of novel therapies. The program’s projects are focused on key areas of need in lung cancer including immunotherapy resistance, improving outcomes for oncogene-driven lung cancers, and understanding the biology and vulnerabilities of central nervous system metastases. This renewed funding ensures that Yale Cancer Center remains a leader in the fight against lung cancer.

About Yale Cancer Center:

Yale Cancer Center combines a tradition of innovative cancer treatment and quality care for our patients. A National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated comprehensive cancer center since 1974, Yale Cancer Center is one of only 57 such centers in the nation and the only one in Connecticut. Yale Cancer Center members include national and internationally renowned scientists and physicians at Yale School of Medicine and Smilow Cancer Hospital. This partnership enables the Center to provide the best approaches for prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment for cancer.