ACGT’s Top Researchers and Physicians Discuss the Success of Gene and Cell Therapy
New York, NY and Stamford, CT (PRWEB) October 18, 2013 -- More than 100 prominent donors, scientists, biotech representatives, and physicians attended Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy’s “Achieving Cancer Remission with Cell and Gene Therapies” Tuesday night at the Harvard Club of New York City, 35 W. 44th Street.
The evening highlighted recent tremendous strides made in combating cancer with cell and gene therapy treatments, and served as appreciation for donors who have committed time and funds to furthering research and clinical trials across the nation.
“Our donors have allowed top scientific minds to explore this new and promising avenue of cancer treatment, and their philanthropy is directly linked to the lives saved so far,” said Barbara Netter, who co-founded Stamford-based ACGT in 2001 alongside her husband, Edward. Mrs. Netter stressed that much additional research needs to be funded in order to achieve the goal of the fully successful treatment of all types of cancer. To further that goal, Mrs. Netter has assumed the mantle of President of ACGT to chart a strategic course for the organization’s continued success.
Guests were treated to an elegant reception at the Harvard Club, followed by a salutation from host Dr. Savio Woo. Dr. Woo – Chairman of ACGT’s Scientific Advisory Council and Professor of Hematology and Oncology at the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City – was instrumental in ACGT’s founding over a decade ago. Also in attendance was Connie Burnett-West, a cancer survivor who overcame a critical case lung cancer with gene and cell therapy treatment.
“Surgery and radiation weren’t options, and I was told I had limited hope for recovery,” Burnett-West said. “But after a sixth-month course of gene therapy, I’ve been in remission for over 10 years. I could not have imagined a treatment so easy and effective.”
The evening’s capstone was a presentation from three of ACGT’s esteemed and award winning Research Fellows. Carl H. June (M.D., University of Pennsylvania), Laurence Cooper (M.D., Ph.D., MD Anderson Cancer Center) and Michel Sadelain (M.D., Ph.D., Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) spoke of the breakthroughs and growing momentum that gene and cell therapy has achieved with the support of ACGT.
“ACGT has the potential to provide less expensive and less harrowing cancer treatment – and, ultimately, a cure,” Dr. Carl June said. “And all of ACGT’s life-saving work was funded through philanthropy.”
Moving forward, Barbara Netter noted that ACGT will continue its outstanding commitment to treating all forms of cancer. Exclusive interviews with Research Fellows are available on ACGT’s YouTube channel.
For interview opportunities with Research Fellows and/or survivors, please contact Kat McKee at kat(at)cocommunications(dot)com, or (914) 666-0066. For additional information on the Research Fellows and Dr. Woo, see the final page of this release.
ACGT is located at 96 Cummings Point Road, Stamford, CT 06902. The foundation can be reached at (203) 358-8000 or by visiting http://www.acgtfoundation.org.
About Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT)
Established in 2001, ACGT (http://www.acgtfoundation.org) is the nation’s only not-for-profit exclusively dedicated to cancer cell and gene therapy treatments for all types of cancer. One-hundred percent of contributions go directly to research. ACGT, which provides grants to leading scientists in the U.S. and Canada, has funded 42 grants since its founding in 2001 by Barbara Netter and her late husband, Edward, to conduct and accelerate critically needed innovative research for all types of cancer. ACGT’s Scientific Advisory Council is comprised of 16 of the nation’s most pre-eminent physicians and researchers in cell and gene therapy, who thoroughly review all grants. Since its inception ACGT has awarded 27 grants to Young Investigators and 15 grants to Clinical Investigators, totaling $24.2 million in funding. Barbara Netter, as President, together with other members of the Board of Directors, are fully committed to ACGT’s continued support of this critically needed innovative research.
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Press Contact:
Kat McKee / Kevin Zawacki
Co-Communications
914-666-0066
kat(at)cocommunications(dot)com / kzawacki(at)cocommunications(dot)com
Kat McKee, Co-Communications, Inc., +1 (914) 666-0066, [email protected]
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