CAMDEN, NJ – Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) announced that the Coriell Institute for Medical Research has been awarded a Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The five-year grant is valued at an estimated $12.4 million and will support nearly 20 scientists as they work to improve epigenetic therapies for cancer. The grant is to be shared with the Van Andel Institute located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

This prestigious grant is the first of its kind at Coriell and is currently the only SPORE grant awarded to an organization in New Jersey, establishing Coriell as a premier institution for cancer research.

The SPORE grant seeks to improve on current epigenetic therapies by exploring new targets, investigating novel combinations of epigenetic therapies with other cancer treatments, and designing, and running clinical trials to evaluate these promising strategies. Epigenetic therapy aims to treat cancer by correcting abnormal gene expression. In doing so, these therapies can also make other cancer therapies more effective.

“South Jersey continues to develop as a center for world-class medical research, and the Coriell Institute is leading the way with important initiatives to cure and prevent disease,” said Congressman Norcross. “This award is the first of its kind at Coriell and the only of its kind to be awarded to a New Jersey institute. I’m excited to see what this brilliant team in Camden will accomplish.”

“SPORE grants hold a special place in translational cancer research. Through them, the NCI enables groundbreaking work and the trust it puts in the awarded scientists allows for unparalleled freedom and collaboration,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre Issa, President and CEO of Coriell. “It’s a true honor to receive this grant and it’s a sign of more exciting things to come for the Coriell Institute.”

About the Coriell Institute for Medical Research

Founded in 1953, the Coriell Institute for Medical Research is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving human health through biomedical research. Coriell scientists lead research in personalized medicine, cancer biology, epigenetics, and the genomics of opioid use disorder. Coriell also hosts one of the world's leading biobanks—comprised of collections for the National Institutes of Health, disease foundations, and private clients—and distributes biological samples and offers research and biobanking services to scientists around the globe. To facilitate drug discovery and disease study, the Institute also develops and distributes collections of induced pluripotent stem cells.

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Contact: Britton Burdick, Communications Director
britton.burdick@mail.house.gov