Fall 2025
By Casey Reis
For more than 30 years, the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) has been at the forefront of prostate cancer research, funding revolutionary studies and fostering collaboration among physician-scientists. PCF recently awarded $1,050,000 to three Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers through two Young Investigator Awards and one Challenge Award, each supporting research projects aimed at combating prostate cancer and improving outcomes for patients. The grants underscore PCF’s longstanding commitment to advancing transformational research and nurturing the next generation of leaders in the field.
Sylvan Baca, MD, PhD, is the recipient of the 2024 American Cancer Society-PCF Young Investigator Award, a grant designed to support promising early career scientists who are poised to make notable achievements in prostate cancer research. Baca’s team developed a novel platform for liquid biopsies—or blood tests that evaluate cancer on a molecular level rather than with invasive tumor biopsies—monitoring changes in cancer from patient plasma. If successful, the project will assist in disease monitoring, the evaluation of treatment response, and guiding therapy.
Martin Bakht, PhD, has been honored with the 2024 Michael and Lori Milken Family Foundation-PCF Young Investigator Award to support research on metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and mechanisms of resistance to the targeted therapy currently used for treatment. The goal is to gain new insights that will lead to developing strategies for overcoming resistance and improving patient outcomes.
A cross-disciplinary team led by Alan D’Andrea, MD, has received a 2024 PCF Challenge Award for work aiming to refine combination therapies, inhibiting certain pathways to prevent cancer cells from repairing their DNA. D’Andrea’s lab is studying new uses for a drug called novobiocin (NVB) and is collaborating with the National Cancer Institute to test NVB in clinical trials, testing it on its own and in combination with other drugs to evaluate its efficacy and expand upon the understanding and treatment of prostate cancer.
PCF’s generosity not only supports cutting-edge research but also reinforces its dedication to advancing innovation.
“We are honored to support the talented physician-scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute by investing in these promising projects,” said PCF President and CEO Gina B. Carithers. “Together, the PCF and Dana-Farber are paving the way for breakthroughs that could transform the landscape of prostate cancer treatment and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.”