Kosten Foundation 2024 Grants to fund research programs at Baptist Memorial Hospital, University of Texas Southwestern, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Memphis, Tenn., February 20, 2024 – The Kosten Foundation announced today it will fund $170,000 in grants in 2024 to advance pancreatic cancer research. The Memphis-based pancreatic cancer nonprofit is partnering with Baptist Memorial Hospital, University of Texas Southwestern, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and the newest addition, NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

“These dedicated research teams are tackling pancreatic cancer with innovative approaches that are making a real impact,” shared Alan Kosten, Chairman of the Kosten Foundation. “We take pride in supporting their efforts and extend our gratitude to the Kosten Foundation’s supporters, whose commitment allows us to make a difference in the fight against pancreatic cancer.”

Since 2003, the Kosten Foundation has donated more than $2.5 million to pancreatic cancer research. The organization’s largest fundraiser, the Kick It 5K, raised more than $160,000 during November 2023’s Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Summaries of the Kosten Foundation-funded programs are below:

• Baptist Clinical Research Institute
  • Studying genetic mutations associated with ampullary, bile duct, and duodenal cancers that may allow immunotherapy treatment of these diseases
  • Studying neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy treatment on these cancers prior to surgery

• UT-Southwestern Medical Center
  • Researchers will collect clinical data and tissue samples to study patients with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer to increase diagnostic success of pancreatic cancer and develop personalized treatment plans for patients

• UT-Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
  • Researchers are studying the effectiveness of a gene therapy designed to inhibit the growth of pancreatic cancer and make it more vulnerable to chemotherapy

• NYU Grossman School of Medicine
  • Developing a pipeline to profile drug sensitivity in CTC cultures to identify association between predicted response and clinical course of patients
  • Performing single cell RNA sequencing on CTC cultures to identify aggressive biological clones in pancreatic cancer

In addition to its research efforts, the Kosten Foundation hosts the only free, in-person and virtual pancreatic cancer support group in the Mid-South. The free support group meets on the second Saturday of every month and is open to all who would like to attend. Anyone interested in learning more about the Kosten Foundation, or wanting to attend the support group, can find more information on the Kosten Foundation’s website at https://www.kostenfoundation.com.

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About Pancreatic Cancer:

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose, mainly because there are no “definitive” symptoms, but also because standard tests often return negative results. Patients often comment on experiencing a variety of symptoms before diagnoses, including unintended weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, back or belly pain, fatigue and jaundice. According to the American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates:

• About 66,440 people (34,530 men and 31,910 women) will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year.
• About 51,750 people (27,270 men and 24,480 women) will die of pancreatic cancer this year. About 49,830
• Pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers in the US and about 7% of all cancer deaths.
• The average lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer for both men and women is about 1 in 58

About the Kosten Foundation:

The Kosten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research was founded in 2003 by the family of Herb Kosten after his death due to pancreatic cancer. Kosten’s family sought to improve community support, awareness, and funding for pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest known cancers. The organization has donated more than $2.5 million for pancreatic cancer research and hosts a very active monthly support group meeting for patients, their families, and anyone interested in learning more about pancreatic cancer. The Kosten Foundation hosts an annual Kick It 5K has grown to include more than 2,500 participants. Money raised from the 5K and other Kosten Foundation events helps fund pancreatic cancer research. For more information about the Kosten Foundation, its programs, and events, visit the website at kostenfoundation.com.