Released on = September 6, 2006, 12:21 pm

Press Release Author = Carl Alston, APR, - Leukemia Research Foundation

Industry = Non Profit

Press Release Summary = Leukemia Research Foundation raises individual grant level
to $100,000 for the first time in its history. Nine grants made to institutions
across the United States.

Press Release Body = The Leukemia Research Foundation (LRF) announces its 2006/2007
funding of blood cancer research at institutions all over the United States. For
the first time in its history, the Foundation offers individual, one-year grants of
up to $100,000 - the largest ever offered by the LRF. The list of institutions,
grantees, and projects funded is as follows.
Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati; Paul Andreassen, Ph.D. - $100,000
Functional Analysis of the Interaction of BRCA2/FANCD1 With Monoubiquitinated FANCD2
Drexel University; Eishi Noguchi, Ph.D. - $100,000
Roles of the Replication Fork Protection Complex in Genomic Integrity
MD Anderson, Jan Burger, M.D., Ph.D. - $100,000
Anatomy of the Microenvironment in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Focus on the
Chemokine CXCL13)
Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York); Mariam Merad, M.D., Ph.D. - $100,000
Novel Immunotherapy Strategies for the treatment of Graft Versus Host Disease
University of Cincinnati; Rhett A. Kovall, Ph.D. - $100,000
Structure-function of Notch-CSL Transcription Complexes: a Structural Basis for
Developing Anti-Leukemia Drugs
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Chih-Cheng Tsai, Ph.D. - $100,000
Molecular Mechanisms of PLZF-Mediated Acute Promyeloid Leukemia
University of Michigan; Sami N. Malek, M.D. - $100,000
Genomic Profiling and Clinical Outcome in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
University of Virginia; Loren Erickson, Ph.D. - $100,000
Immune Tolerance By Regulatory T Cells in Multiple Myeloma
University of Washington; Brian Lannutti, Ph.D. - $70,000
Megakaryocyte Differentiation and Polyploidization; Deciphering the Roles of Lyn and
Fyn Kinases

"The Leukemia Research Foundation is proud to once again offer significant research
dollars to the fight to cure blood cancers," said Michael Thirman, M.D., director of
Leukemia Biology at the University of Chicago and Chairman of the LRF's Medical
Advisory Board.

"It is especially gratifying to provide resources to young scientists, who must
compete for funding at a critical point in their careers and in an environment with
fewer grant dollars available from the National institutes of Health (NIH)," Thirman
said.

"In each of its 60 years of operations, the Foundation has funded critical research
in pursuit of its mission to conquer leukemia, lymphoma, and myelodysplastic
syndromes by funding research into their causes and cures, and to enrich the quality
of life of those touched by these diseases," said LRF Executive Director Kevin
Radelet.

"Every year the work of thousands of volunteers and supporters of the Foundation is
confirmed by real dollars provided for research, as well as patient support for
individuals and families struggling day by day with these terrible cancers. Far too
often new lines of inquiry are not pursued due to lack of resources during the
critical first stage. The Foundation is committed to providing funding to new
investigators, whose training is complete, whose innovation and seed research often
leads to life-saving breakthroughs and improved treatments for cancer patients. This
not only helps to alleviate a gap in research funding, but also ensures that
important discoveries are facilitated early in the process," Radelet said.

Dozens of proposals from institutions around the world were received by the LRF.
The proposals were organized by specialty then matched to the expertise of a
reviewer by the Foundation's Medical Advisory Board Chairperson, Michael Thirman,
M.D., director of leukemia biology at University of Chicago. Each proposal was
thoroughly evaluated and scored by three Medical Advisory Board members in the weeks
leading up to the May 20 review, using the same scoring system as is used by the
National Institutes of Health (NIH). Each application was given a score from each
reviewer , then 24 Board members, senior scientists from every area of hematologic
malignancy research discussed projects that scored in the top third of the
preliminary critique. Final recommendations were made and forwarded to the LRF for
funding.

All institutions have received their first quarterly payment and work on each
project is progressing. For more information about the Leukemia Research
Foundation, visit www.leukemia-research.org or call 847-424-0600.

About The Leukemia Research Foundation (LRF)
The Leukemia Research Foundation, headquartered in Glenview, Ill., is dedicated to
funding research and providing support to people affected by blood cancers. The
Foundation's mission is to conquer leukemia, lymphoma, and myelodysplastic syndromes
by funding research into their causes and cures, and to enrich the quality of life
of those touched by these diseases. For 60 years, thousands of volunteers and 23
chapters have helped the Foundation raise more than $39 million to help fund
research specifically targeting aspiring, eager, and innovative scientists and
physicians around the world, provide patient financial assistance, and offer
educational and emotional support for patients and their families.

Leukemia Research Foundation information is available at www.leukemia-research.org,
or by calling 847-424-0600.

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Web Site = http://www.leukemia-research.org

Contact Details = Carl F. Alston, APR
Director of Communications
Leukemia Research Foundation
2700 Patriot Blvd. - Suite 100
Glenview, IL 60026-8021
Phone: 847-919-6250
Fax: 847-424-0606
E-mail: Carl@LRFMail.org