First Time Federal Funding for Mesothelioma Research

Department of Defense Lists Asbestos-Related Cancer For Medical Research Projects

TheDepartment of Defense (DoD) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program wasappropriated $50 million in the Defense Appropriations Bill that thePresident signed in mid- November. The Mesothelioma Applied ResearchFoundation (Meso Foundation) is excited to announce that, for the firsttime, mesothelioma will be included as a research priority within the DoD'sMedical Research Program, to begin February 2008. As a candidate researcharea within the program, mesothelioma investigators are eligible to competefor funding through the program's 2008 grant cycle.

"The Meso Foundation has been working with fifteen senators, led bySenator Max Baucus (D-MT), advocating the federal government to respond tothe mesothelioma crisis through a commitment of new federal researchdollars," said Chris Hahn, Executive Director of The Meso Foundation. "Ouradvocacy efforts in this area for the past several years finally paid off."

Federal medical research projects must be of clear scientific merit andhave direct relevance to military health. Military relevance is a keyfeature of the Investigator-Initiated award, a connection that will not bedifficult for mesothelioma researchers to establish for their grantapplications.

There is a long history of asbestos exposure in military service, and asignificant elevated risk of mesothelioma in the military population. Infact, approximately one third of mesothelioma cases have been shown toinvolve Navy and shipyard exposures. Given the long latency of the disease,even if exposures are reduced, mesothelioma will continue to affect theveteran and military population for decades to come.

This funding opportunity can serve as a vital resource to the mesocommunity and is another crucial step toward advancing the research andtreatment of mesothelioma. The Meso Foundation strongly encouragesmesothelioma investigators to consider submitting applications for fundingin 2008, as the interest and engagement shown by the community will likelybe a factor in whether mesothelioma is included as a candidate in futureyears.

If you need additional information on criteria for demonstratingmilitary relevance, please contact the Meso Foundation directly at (805)563-8400.

For more information about mesothelioma, visit http://www.curemeso.org

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-23-2008/0004741829&EDATE=