SBUMC Cancer Researchers Awarded “LILAC” Grant for Laboratory Equipment To Simulate Tumor Formation
New Instrumentation Helps Advance Research on Brain, Breast and Pancreatic Cancer
STONY BROOK, N.Y., August 17, 2010 – Cancer researchers in the Department of Pharmacological Sciences at Stony Brook University Medical Center received a $7,185 grant from the Long Island League to Abolish Cancer (LILAC) to purchase new
laboratory equipment that will enhance their
investigations of brain, breast and pancreatic cancers. The purchase of a biosafety cabinet enables the researchers to isolate cancer cells and tissue in a sterile environment and prevent cross contamination.
“This biosafety cabinet is a top piece of equipment that will be used for the culture of living tissues to simulate the process of tumor formation and cancer metastasis,” explains Howard Crawford, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Knapp Professor in Pancreatic Cancer, Department of Pharmacological Sciences. “This process is essential for us to have a better understanding of the initiation and progression of certain cancers.”
For 13 consecutive years, LILAC has provided nearly $100,000 to SBUMC to support instrumentation for cancer research initiatives in areas. Part of the 2010 grant was funded by a LILAC’s “Teens Against Cancer.” This group includes dedicated teenagers from Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, who volunteered their time during the school year to raise funds for LILAC.
Established in 1967, Plainview-based LILAC raises funds for direct contributions to cancer research projects on Long Island. The organization’s charter requires funds be used to purchase specific research equipment.
The Department of Pharmacological Sciences is one of 25 departments within Stony Brook University School of Medicine. The Department includes faculty who carry out research in many areas of medicine, such as cancer, genetics, neurosciences and infectious diseases. The Department, like the School of Medicine, centers its mission on education, medical training, and advancing scientific research in the areas of basic, translational, and clinical investigation
