Frontier Research Program

Creative exploration at the leading edge of cancer research has often led to important, transformative new discoveries that themselves can lead to major improvements in patient care. Yet early-stage ideas all too often do not qualify for funding from traditional government sources. The Koch Institute is deeply committed to supporting boldly conceived, highly innovative, and highly collaborative research proposals from our faculty.

The Koch Institute Frontier Research Program is already supporting exciting interdisciplinary investigations. These initial projects supported by the Koch Institute represent an investment in the future, and highlight the far-reaching vision of our faculty.

Ongoing projects include:

• New ways to detect, capture, and characterize single circulating tumor cells (CTCs)
• Methods to reactivate the tumor specific immune cells in melanoma patients
• New devices to more safely and effectively deliver chemotherapy to ovarian cancer patients
• New methods to use light activated gold nano-rods in reducing tumor burden in sarcomas 
• New inhaled nano-particle formulations to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules into the lungs of cancer patients 
• Advanced genetic and proteomic tools to understand the specific characteristics of metastatic colorectal cancer lesions with the goal to develop more effective personalized cancer treatments 
• New surgical tools that facilitate the real-time detection of residual cancer cells on surgical margins.

The Koch Institute Frontier Research Program is made possible through contributions from friends and supporters to the Koch Institute Frontier Research Fund.