Cohen Announces More Than $4.6 Million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

[MEMPHIS, TN] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced 5 federal grants totaling $4,605,108 in funding for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This funding comes through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be used for a variety of programs and research projects.

“This funding will be used to continue important work at St. Jude, one of the world’s finest health care institutions,” said Congressman Cohen.

Today’s announcement includes funding for the following St. Jude projects:

• $2,506,784 in funding from HHS’ National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the continued operation of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at St. Jude. St. Jude has the first and only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center that is devoted solely to children.
• $691,964 in funding from HHS’ National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for a project focused on discovering and developing a new class of spectinomycin antibiotics to treat respiratory tract infections, including those caused by drug resistant bacterial strains that often infect children.
• $648,487 in funding from HHS’ National Cancer Institute for research to determine if adults who were treated for cancer as children face higher risk of early physical aging. Childhood cancer survivors previously evaluated for frail health will be invited back to St. Jude for re-assessment of muscle mass, muscle strength, walking ability, weekly energy expenditure and fatigue.
• $388,523 in funding from HHS’ National Cancer Institute for a study focused on understanding the genetic basis for racial disparities in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The study aims to develop individualized therapy to close the racial gaps in this disease.
• $369,350 in funding from HHS’ National Cancer Institute to study the molecular pathways involved in the immune system balance and the development of leukemia.