This program is now closed.
The Mantle Cell Lymphoma Research Initiative II (MCL2) is a renewed and robust initiative to support targeted research to better understand disease mechanisms, develop more efficacious treatments and improve the outcome for MCL patients. Applications should address both transformative issues in MCL biology and promising new directions in MCL therapy.
Program description
Blood Cancer United invites innovative and ambitious proposals that can lead to better treatments and cures for MCL. In particular, the goals of MCL2 are to better understand and develop therapeutic approaches for relapsed MCL. However, novel work focused on early disease intervention or improved risk stratification is of interest. Blood Cancer United calls for the submission of creative proposals with the potential for high impact in MCL. Applications should address both transformative issues in MCL biology and promising new directions in MCL therapy.
Key topics of interest
- Understanding of the MCL tumor microenvironment and the properties of lymphoma cells responsible for disease relapse
- Identifying the best treatment combinations based on solid preclinical rationale and data
- Understanding and developing novel immunotherapies for MCL that have the potential to cure cancer
- Identification and validation of novel targets in relapsed disease
- Developing treatment approaches that replace cytotoxics with targeted therapies or immunotherapies that retain efficacy while reducing toxicity
- Understanding the basis of resistance to existing and newly emerging therapies
- Developing novel therapeutics, especially to targets that are unique to MCL and have previously been difficult to drug (e.g., transcription factors)
- Developing additional, accurate animal models of the disease for critical testing of drugs
- Developing predictive biomarkers of disease that can be used for early detection, prediction of treatment response, and to identify patients most likely to respond well to different treatments
Grant funding mechanisms
Blood Cancer United is calling for inventive proposals that have the potential for high impact in the field of MCL. Research funding will provide support for two types of grants: Synergistic Team Award (STA) and Translational Grants (TRLs).
See our active MCL grantee portfolio
Questions?
Refer to the program guidelines and instructions in the program section above or email [email protected].
Testimonials
Blood Cancer United has been essential to establish the MULTIPLY consortium which investigates the molecular mechanisms of resistance and relapses in mantle cell lymphoma. Based on first results we confirmed that a combined first line treatment with the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib overcomes the negative predictive effect of both p53 mutations and overexpression, thus guiding to a future standard approach in these high risk patients.
Martin Dreyling, MD
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Mantle Cell Lymphoma
MULTIlayer Predictive models for relapsed MCL after ibrutinib as first line therapY (MULTIPLY)
Treatment of MCL has improved dramatically in recent years, yet cure remains elusive for most patients. The STA has been transformative in supporting our research to understand treatment resistance, eliminate residual malignant cells, and advance toward a cure. It has enabled our multi-institutional collaboration and sustained critical research momentum essential for current and future patients.
Jianguo Tao, MD, PhD
University of Virginia
Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Understanding Resistance Mechanism to Enhance CAR-T Immunotherapy for MCL