The Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute (cc-TDI) has been awarded $222,120 by the Megan’s Mission Foundation to advance three clinical research initiatives focused on Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). This 2024 funding expands support for the Immunotherapy Project for use in RMS, furthering the Citizen Scientist Project “Key Knowledge” Initiative looking at PAX3::FOXO1 protein degrader therapies, and the hiring of Alina Teuber, PhD, cc-TDI’s first Megan Bugg Research Fellow.
Since 2020, Megan Bugg and her supporters through Team Megan Bugg, now the Megan’s Mission Foundation, have raised more than $2,000,000 for childhood cancer research. This funding has driven significant progress, including initial work on Entinostat for RMS, which led to a phase 1 clinical trial. It also fueled investigation into the use of Immunotherapy for RMS patients and the development of the Citizen Scientist Project. This project explores repurposing existing drugs for RMS, informing the design of protein degrader therapeutics. Most recently, the Megan’s Mission Foundation funding enabled the hiring of cc-TDI’s first Megan Bugg Research Fellow, Alina Teuber PhD. Alina, a recent graduate of Dortmund University, joined cc-TDI to augment and accelerate cc-TDI’s mission of developing a new class of medicines, protein degrader therapeutics, as part of the Cancer Research UK Cancer Grand Challenge program. As a member of Team KOODAC, Alina will work with other cc-TDI lab member, Shefali Chauhan and NURIX THERAPEUTICS in the development of a clinical-grade protein degrader targeting the PAX3::FOXO1 protein in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.
The Megan’s Mission Foundation remains a steadfast partner of cc-TDI, exemplified by their ongoing support of the Megan Bugg Global Rhabdomyosarcoma Research Laboratory at cc-TDI. Throughout her fight, Megan was a staunch advocate for childhood cancer research. She gave voice to the voiceless so that other children and families would have better treatment options and ultimately better outcomes. Charles Keller, cc-TDI’s Scientific Director describes, “Megan spoke for every child touched by rhabdomyosarcoma, using her clear voice and poignant priorities. The Megan’s Mission Foundation carefully follows her purpose, and cc-TDI is honored to be part of her legacy.”
Megan strongly encouraged collaboration on a global scale, allowing research to be shared quickly and for scientific breakthroughs to affect children around the world, not simply in the United States. At cc-TDI, Megan’s dream of global collaboration and the timely sharing of resources is key, particularly for underserved childhood cancers like rhabdomyosarcoma. The map above, illustrates cc-TDI’s current funding areas in orange and current published collaborators in blue.
As Childhood Cancer Awareness Month wraps up, our need for ongoing support continues. To support the research mission of the Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, please visit www.cc-tdi.org for partnership opportunities.
