Conquer Cancer Foundation

Conquer Cancer Foundation
Name	Conquer Cancer Foundation
Type	Nonprofit organization
Established	1981
Location	United States
Focus	Cancer research, oncology education, patient advocacy
Parent org	American Society of Clinical Oncology

Contents

Conquer Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit philanthropy established to support clinical oncology research and education. The foundation awards grants and fellowships to investigators affiliated with academic centers such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. It operates within the ecosystem of organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and engages with global entities such as the World Health Organization, Union for International Cancer Control, and Global Fund partners.

History

The foundation was created in the early 1980s amid growing activity by professional bodies like the American Society of Clinical Oncology and contemporaneous initiatives such as the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Lance Armstrong Foundation. Early supporters included leaders from institutions like Brigham and Women's Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, and university departments at Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine. Over decades it responded to advances from landmark trials conducted at centers including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center, and to policy developments shaped by legislation such as the Orphan Drug Act and programs at the National Institutes of Health. Its timeline intersects with major oncology milestones like the approval of agents developed through research at University of California, San Francisco, Yale School of Medicine, and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

The foundation’s stated mission aligns with priorities emphasized by professional societies including the American Medical Association, European Society for Medical Oncology, and American Association for Cancer Research. Core programs mirror grant portfolios seen at funders like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, supporting investigator-initiated research, career development awards, and travel grants for meetings such as the ASCO Annual Meeting and the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress. Educational offerings connect trainees from institutions like University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, and King's College London with mentors at centers such as Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Sloan Kettering Institute.

Grant mechanisms resemble those of entities such as the National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society: Career Development Awards, Young Investigator Awards, and Team Science grants. Awardees have come from universities including University of California, Los Angeles, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Toronto, and Imperial College London. Funded projects have spanned translational science informed by discoveries at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, immuno-oncology developments linked to work at Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and precision oncology initiatives leveraging platforms at Broad Institute and Sanger Institute. Competitive selection processes often reflect peer review standards used by the Wellcome Trust and European Research Council.

The foundation sponsors educational symposia at meetings like the ASCO Annual Meeting, American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, and regional conferences organized by groups such as Association of Community Cancer Centers and Cancer Research UK. Patient advocacy efforts link to organizations such as Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, and advocacy networks centered at hospitals like Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Public-facing campaigns have intersected with initiatives led by public figures associated with Stand Up To Cancer and awareness months recognized by entities such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health programs.

Strategic collaborations include alliances with professional organizations such as European Society for Medical Oncology, academic consortia like American Association for Cancer Research, and philanthropic partners such as the Rockefeller Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. International collaborations mirror models seen with World Health Organization programmes and bilateral research efforts between institutions like Karolinska Institutet, University of Tokyo, Peking University, and University of Cape Town. Industry partnerships have involved pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms comparable to Roche, Pfizer, Merck & Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb, and consortiums like the Cancer Research Institute.

Governance structures reflect nonprofit best practices similar to boards at American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen Foundation, with oversight by trustees drawn from academic leaders at Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, and private sector executives with backgrounds in organizations like Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, and Boston Consulting Group. Major revenue streams include philanthropic contributions from foundations such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and corporate support analogous to sponsorships from Bank of America and Pfizer Foundation, as well as individual donors and fundraising events modeled on campaigns used by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and American Red Cross.

The foundation’s grant-supported work has contributed to peer-reviewed publications in journals like Journal of Clinical Oncology, The Lancet Oncology, New England Journal of Medicine, and Nature Medicine, and to clinical guideline updates by bodies such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and European Society for Medical Oncology. Recognition has come from awards and citations within networks including the American Association for Cancer Research and honors tied to academic promotions at institutions like Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Program alumni have taken leadership roles at centers including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and in regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration.

Category:Medical and health foundations