Press Release
The SDHB Pheo-Para Coalition, The Pheo Para Alliance and The Paradifference Foundation Announce Joint Agreement to Begin to Develop a Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma Tumor Dependency Map in Collaboration With The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Cambridge, Mass., July 26, 2019
The SDHB Pheo-Para Coalition, The Pheo Para Alliance and The Paradifference Foundation have entered into an agreement with The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard to take initial steps towards a pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma tumor dependency map. Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma are a group of rare neuroendocrine tumors that share clinical features, but which have a diverse genetic background and can be found in a wide range of locations in the body. The Cancer Dependency Map Project at the Broad Institute is mapping cancer’s weak spots and is starting to uncover new drug targets for common cancers. This approach is now being turned to rare cancers and this project, which is being supported by these three patient support groups, sets in motion activities to attempt to derive new organoid models that can be broadly shared with the scientific community. If successful, these models will be used to begin to identify possible drug repurposing opportunities using the Broad’s Drug Repurposing Library and genetic targets using the breakthrough CRISPR genome-engineering technology.
Jesse Boehm, Scientific Director of the Cancer Dependency Map and Associate Director, Broad Cancer Program stated: “This is an exciting opportunity to partner with patients to learn how best to create publicly available resources and data for these difficult-to-treat rare tumors.” The project will run for three years.
A critical element to the success of this project will be tumor tissue donated by pheo para patients for the development of next generation cancer models, which will be made widely available to the research community. Patients who would like to participate in this project can obtain information about enrolling at Pattern.org.
About The SDHB Pheo-Para Coalition, The Pheo Para Alliance and The Paradifference Foundation
All three partner organizations in this project have a longstanding commitment to providing support for patients with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma and facilitating research. More information about each of the organizations can be found on their respective websites.
About the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard was launched in 2004 to empower this generation of creative scientists to transform medicine. The Broad Institute seeks to describe all the molecular components of life and their connections; discover the molecular basis of major human diseases; develop effective new approaches to diagnostics and therapeutics; and disseminate discoveries, tools, methods, and data openly to the entire scientific community.
Founded by MIT, Harvard, Harvard-affiliated hospitals, and the visionary Los Angeles philanthropists Eli and Edythe L. Broad, the Broad Institute includes faculty, professional staff, and students from throughout the MIT and Harvard biomedical research communities and beyond, with collaborations spanning over a hundred private and public institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide. For further information about the Broad Institute, go to https://www.broadinstitute.org.
Research Contact: Anneke Kramm, akramm@broadinstitute.org
Pheo Para Alliance Contact: Stephanie Alband, stephanie@pheopara.org