American Cancer Society Announces its Largest Grant Ever in Maine Awarded to Jackson Laboratory Researcher

Date: August 15, 2003

TOPSHAM, ME – The American Cancer Society, the nation’s largest source of not-for-profit cancer research funds, has awarded its largest grant ever in Maine to Tatyana Golovkina, Ph.D., staff scientist at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor. Dr. Golovkina’s grant, titled “Genetic Resistance to Mammary Tumors,” was awarded $720,000 for the term of July 2003 through June 2007.

Dr. Golovkina’s research project focuses on how genetic variations result in susceptibility or resistance to cancer - specifically in the study of breast cancer and soft tissue sarcomas. “We have found a novel mouse model with remarkable resistance to multiple forms of cancer,” she explained. “We are investigating what immune-system mechanisms are at work protecting these mice from cancers.”

"Since we started funding research in 1946, the American Cancer Society has allocated more than $3 billion in pursuit of better methods to prevent, detect and treat cancer,” said Connie Chapman, senior vice president at the American Cancer Society, based in Topsham, Maine.  “The Society is proud to be the only private funding source that can claim 32 researchers who have gone on to win the Nobel Prize.”  As of January 2003, the American Cancer Society is currently supporting 788 multi-year grants totaling nearly $333 million.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service.

Contact(s): American Cancer Society – Peggy Markson (207) 373-3710
The Jackson Laboratory – Joyce Peterson (207) 288-6058

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Media Relations, Communications Office
The Jackson Laboratory
600 Main Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500
Phone: 207-288-6051
Fax: 207-288-6076
Email: news@jax.org