Texas awards $60 million in cancer research grants

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) gave out $60.6 million in grants Wednesday to fund Texas researchers' work in ending cancer, according to the agency.

"The grants approved show the impact CPRIT is having across the board in cancer research," said CPRIT CEO Kristen Doyle. "By supporting the vital core facilities that researchers need, funding groundbreaking research and deepening the bench of clinical trial investigators, CPRIT is fulfilling the promise central to our mission:  we are helping Texans conquer cancer."

Nearly $7 million in Clinical Investigator Awards went to specific research projects, most of which relate to cancer treatment.

More than $21.4 million from the grants was awarded to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in support of two new core facilities, faculty recruitment and groundbreaking cancer research across all areas of the institution.

"These new core facilities will help to advance important areas of research in spatial biology and decision science, and the additional grants will advance groundbreaking work on the microbiome, cancer interception, and novel therapies," said Peter WT Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. "This work by our world-class scientists and clinicians reflects their unwavering commitment to our goal of ending cancer."

Since its inception, CPRIT said it has awarded nearly $3.6 billion in grants for cancer research.