The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation’s Grant Program is now open. Researchers are invited to apply for funding. The deadline to submit Letters of Intent is Friday, April 4, 2025.
Researchers interested in the program may visit: SALGI.org/research
Donations can be made here: SALGI.org/donate
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation first awarded program director, Dr. Carlos Minacapelli and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnston Medical School $25,000.00 in grant funding in 2015. In 2017, The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute Council accepted Dr. Minacapelli’s abstract to be presented as a poster presentation during Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2017 held in Chicago, IL. The abstract was entitled “Effect of Benzo[a]pyrene along with Acid and Bile is highly carcinogenic as shown in the in-vitro Barrett’s Esophagus Carcinogenesis (BEC) model.”
Then in 2018, The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation awarded principal investigator, Dr. Donald Low and Virginia Mason Medical Center, $62,597 in grant funding. Dr. George Hanna of St Mary’s Hospital (Imperial College London) is co-investigator. The research intends to establish a non-invasive test for the detection of esophageal cancer that is based upon the unique signature of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within exhaled breath and to analyze exhaled VOCs in response to therapeutic intervention in patients. This research is currently underway.
In 2023, The Salgi Foundation Awarded Three Grants for Esophageal Cancer Research.
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation awarded research funding to Dr. Matthew Stachler and The Regents of the University of California in 2023 in the amount of $44,742.00 for the project titled: “Determination of inflammatory influences on progression of Barrett’s esophagus and invasive esophageal adenocarcinoma.”
Dr. Stachler’s research seeks to “understand what drives the progression of preneoplastic disease into invasive cancer by applying the many systems developed for studying advanced cancer to premalignant conditions in early evasive disease with Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma being a major focus.”
Due to Salgi’s grant funding, Dr. Stachler will now be able to use the data that was collected to submit a multi-year National Institute of Health grant to continue his work. Otherwise, he may not have had this incredible opportunity.
In 2023, The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation also awarded research funding to Dr. Nathan Parker and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Inc., in the amount of $30,000.00 for the project titled: “Exercise prehabilitation for locoregional esophageal cancer.”
Dr. Parker’s research will “evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of PA and RT exercise prehabilitation components among patients preparing for LEC resection; to examine changes in exploratory outcomes over the course of exercise prehabilitation and recovery following therapy and to compare clinical and treatment outcomes to those of a retrospectively identified comparison group that received no formal exercise prehabilitation programming.”
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation also awarded research funding to Dr. Sazzad Hassan and Indiana University in the amount of $50,000.00 for the project titled: “Overcoming resistance to HER2-targeted therapies in esophageal adenocarcinoma.”
Dr. Hassan’s research will “investigate whether acquired lapatinib resistance in esophageal adenocarcinoma is due to down regulation of heat shock protein 40. These studies might pave the way toward the use of HSP40-glycolytic enzymes interaction targeting as an innovative therapeutic approach to overcome lapatinib resistance.”
Learn the Facts
With over a 733% increase in the past four decades, esophageal cancer is among the fastest growing and deadliest cancers in the United States and the western world. There are no current standard or routine screenings to detect esophageal cancer in its earlier stages. Current guidelines recommend referral for endoscopy “only in the setting of ‘red flag’ symptoms that are frequently associated with inoperable disease,” Dr. Low stated.
These ‘red flag’ symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing, chronic cough, and GERD, typically appear once the cancer has become advanced. This, in addition with other factors, leads to the current overall five-year survival rate of only 20.6%. Despite its rapid increase and poor prognosis, esophageal cancer receives very little awareness and research funding.
Despite its rapid increase and poor prognosis, many people are still unaware of esophageal cancer and research is critically underfunded.
“We are honored to once again open our Grant Program and look forward to awarding esophageal cancer research funding in 2025.
Researchers: SALGI.org/research
Donations: SALGI.org/donate
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.
Content found on Salgi.org is for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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