A Hillsboro lab striving to end childhood cancer has snagged $2.5 million in grants over a five-year span, becoming a part of a $25 million global offensive against intractable solid tumors in kids. The Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute (cc-TDI) announced this significant financial boost as a collaboration with Team KOODAC aiming to "Knock Out Oncogenic Drivers and Curing Childhood Cancer," according to Portland Business Journal, 

KTLA reported, that the Cancer Grand Challenges, funded by Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute, is the bedrock for this unprecedented funding initiative, with cancer still as a leading killer among children worldwide. Interestingly, the outcomes for specific pediatric cancers have stagnated for over half a century the consortium including cc-TDI looks to change this grim statistic.

Spearheading the research efforts are Martin Eilers of the University of Wurzburg in Germany and Yaël Mossé of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia demonstrating a robust international cooperation, as mentioned in the statements obtained by EIN News.

Under the aegis of the Cancer Grand Challenges, the aim is to kickstart clinical trials within five years, a critical milestone that could mark the dawn of a new era for treatment options available for young cancer patients. "Drugs that may emerge from this research could revolutionize the field of childhood cancer research and transform lives of those affected by these cancers," Dr. Keller told EIN News in a statement that underscores the high stakes and the even higher hopes pinned to this concerted global effort.