Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation Awards $200,000 Grant to
Stowers Institute for Medical Research Doctor

(Kansas City, MO) – Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer presented a $200,000 grant to Ali Shilatifard, researcher at Stowers Institute for Medical Research, on Friday, October 29, 2010. Shilatifard’s research will examine ways to decrease the side effects of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
 
"Our lab is focused on studying MLL translocation-based leukemia.  Acute myeloid leukemia and infantile acute lymphoblastic leukemia associated with MLL gene rearrangements have particularly poor prognoses with very poor survival rate.  Targeted therapies for the treatment of MLL-based leukemia are desperately needed to improve disease cure rates.  Our project supported by funding from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation seeks to use bioinformatics to identify gene targets for several of the MLL translocation partners in the hope of developing target-specific treatments.  Our lab is very grateful for the ALSF's funding of our project, which shows great promise for the improvement of current therapies and patient prognosis."

Joining Dr. Shilatifard for the check presentation were Dr. Mark Mozer and his son, Nick Mozer, along with Mark and Paige Walsh, who have been influential in raising funds for the foundation throughout the Kansas City area.
 
Both the Mozer and Walsh families have faced childhood cancer head on – 12-year-old Jacob Mozer and 6-year-old Charlie Walsh are childhood cancer survivors. The Mozers started the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation fundraising efforts in Kansas City, which have raised over $500,000 in just five years. Mark and Paige Walsh have since taken over the responsibilities of organizing over 500 volunteers for Alex’s Lemonade Stand each year.
 
Ben Aken, Senior Director of Community Relations for the Kansas City Royals; Nancy Pagel, Marketing Director for Kansas City Hy-vees; and Jeanne Greenwald- Community Invests Program Manager of American Century Investments were also in attendance. Hy-Vee, the Royals and 7-Up/American Bottling Company have been major contributors in the success of the fundraising efforts throughout the metro area.
 
The focus of Shilatifard’s research is on a group of proteins (MLL1 and AFF4), which are involved in the development of childhood leukemia. Shilatifard’s team plans to characterize the biochemical, molecular and enzymatic properties of these factors from patient samples with the hope of generating small molecule inhibitors that can be used for targeted therapeutics. Ideally this will eliminate some of the devastating side effects of current therapies.
 
About Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). At the age of 4, Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand  to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of volunteers across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $35 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 150 research projects nationally.
 
About Stowers Institue for Medical Research
About the Stowers Institute for Medical Research The Stowers Institute for Medical Research is a non-profit, basic biomedical research organization dedicated to improving human health by studying the fundamental processes of life. Jim Stowers, founder of American Century Investments, and his wife Virginia opened the Institute in 2000.  Since then, the Institute has spent over $700 million dollars in pursuit of its mission.  Currently the Institute is home to nearly 500 researchers and support personnel; over 20 independent research programs; and more than a dozen technology development and core facilities.  Learn more about the Institute at www.stowers.org <http://www.stowers.org> .
 
Photo cutline:
Nick Mozer, Mark Mozer, Ben Aken, Dr. Ali Shilatifard of The Stowers Institute, Mark Walsh, Susan Blowey, Nancy Pagel, Paige Walsh (left to right)

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