A Special Message from the Cancer Research Institute

Dear Friends, 

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the global medical crisis following in its wake. There is uncertainty about the weeks and months ahead but, by taking the recommended precautions, we can reduce the risks to one another and to those most vulnerable to the disease.

In response to this rapidly evolving pandemic, we at CRI have taken steps to ensure the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, partners, and greater community of patients, caregivers, and supporters. While this has required us to postpone or cancel educational and fundraising events scheduled to take place in the near term, we remain fully operational. The CRI staff, Board of Trustees, and scientific review committees continue to work interconnectedly, albeit remotely, allowing us to carry out our mission without interruption, selecting and funding the most promising research and providing trusted information about the latest advances in cancer immunotherapy to cancer patients and their caregivers.

It is clear now more than ever that scientific research is going to provide the answers needed to reduce the pandemic’s impact on public health today and in the future. As a nonprofit organization that has funded research on the immune system for nearly 70 years, the Cancer Research Institute is proud of the contributions our scientists have made not only to unleashing our immune system to fight cancer, but also to our understanding of infectious diseases and how to combat them.

Today’s coronavirus pandemic will ultimately subside—thanks largely to the relentless efforts of medical professionals on the frontlines, scientists searching for better treatments and ways to prevent future outbreaks, and the generosity of those who fund their work. Throughout this crisis, we at CRI will remain focused on advancing immunology and immunotherapy research with the goal of bringing an end to an even more pervasive and pernicious disease: cancer.

In the months ahead, we look forward to sharing with you updates on the exciting progress our researchers are making in laboratories and clinics around the world. In the meantime, we wish you and yours good health.

Sincerely,

Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, Ph.D.
CEO and Director of Scientific Affairs
Cancer Research Institute