The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) is a US

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

funding

cancer research Cancer research is research into cancer to identify causes and develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. Cancer research ranges from epidemiology, molecular bioscience to the performance of clinical trials to evaluate a ...

and based in New York City. They were founded in 1953 to develop immunologically-based treatments for

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

, and despite their name are a funding body for research rather than a research institute themselves, working with other institutes and organizations. It was founded by Helen Coley Nauts and Oliver R. Grace with a $2,000 grant from

Nelson Rockefeller Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979), sometimes referred to by his nickname Rocky, was an American businessman and politician who served as the 41st vice president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. A member of t ...

. CRI was created in honor of Nauts' father,

William Coley William Bradley Coley (January 12, 1862 – April 16, 1936) was an American bone surgeon and cancer researcher best known for his early contributions to the study of cancer immunotherapy. Although his work was not proven effective in his lifetime ...

(1862–1936), an American

orthopedic surgeon Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeleta ...

and a pioneer of

cancer immunotherapy Cancer immunotherapy (sometimes called immuno-oncology) is the stimulation of the immune system to treat cancer, improving on the immune system's natural ability to fight the disease. It is an application of the fundamental research of cancer i ...

. Like Dr. Coley, the Institute focuses on

immunological Immunology is a branch of medicineImmunology for Medical Students, Roderick Nairn, Matthew Helbert, Mosby, 2007 and biology that covers the medical study of immune systems in humans, animals, plants and sapient species. In such we can see there ...

treatments for cancer, rather than traditional treatments, such as

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemothe ...

and surgery. The organization offers research grants to students, postdoctoral fellows, and investigators at medical research institutions throughout the world. It also funds clinical trials testing promising immunotherapies in a variety of cancer types and convenes scientific conferences for tumor immunologists. In the fiscal year to June 2015, CRI reported income of $41.3 million and spending of $39 million: $29 million on research, $5 million on education, and $4 million on fundraising and administration.

Awards

The institute makes a number of awards for excellence in the field of cancer research. William B. Coley Award The William B. Coley Award is given annually to one or more scientists for outstanding achievements in the field of basic immunology and cancer immunology. Awardees receive an honorary medal and $5,000 prize. It is named for the pioneer of cancer immunotherapy, William B. Coley. Lloyd J. Old Award The Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology recognizes an active scientist whose outstanding and innovative research in cancer immunology has had a far-reaching impact on the cancer field. It is named after Lloyd J. Old, one of the founders and standard-bearers of the field of cancer immunology. Frederick W. Alt Award The Frederick W. Alt Award recognizes outstanding success in academia or industry for research that may have a potentially major impact on immunology. It is named in honor of geneticist

Frederick W. Alt Frederick W. Alt is an American geneticist. He is a member of the Immunology section of the National Academy of Sciences and a Charles A. Janeway Professor of Pediatrics, and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. He is the Director of ...

. Other awards are the Oliver R. Grace Award and the Helen Coley Nauts Award.

References

* Cancer organizations based in the United States 1953 establishments in New York City Medical and health organizations based in New York City {{charity-stub