Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer & Director of Scientific Affairs

Thank you for visiting the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Web site. For more than five-and-a-half decades, CRI has been a leading and sustaining force in immunology and cancer immunology research worldwide. Through our advancement of these two scientific fields, we are learning how to manipulate the human immune system to target and attack cancer. Our goal is to discover and develop new, immune-based approaches to the treatment, control, and prevention of cancer.

"The Cancer Research Institute is dedicated to finding novel ways to harness the power of our own immune systems to conquer cancer."

The Institute fulfills its mission by providing academic researchers at top institutions around the world the funding they need to carry out their important work. To accomplish this, the Cancer Research Institute has relied on generous support from individuals, corporations, and foundations who have a desire to become partners in our effort to conquer cancer through immunology.

Whether a longtime supporter or a new friend, our donors can be confident that their generosity will be put to the best use in the most efficient and responsible way possible. Our annual financial reports demonstrate our organization's dedication to maximizing the impact of donor contributions. We keep overhead costs to a minimum, historically between 10 and 15 percent of our operating budget. The Institute's prudent management of financial resources is one of the reasons why charity watchdog organizations like the American Institute of Philanthropy, Charity Navigator, GiveSpot.com, and the Better Business Bureau consistently rank CRI among the top nonprofit organizations.

Making Progress
Our more than fifty years of commitment to basic laboratory research has been rewarded by significant findings made by CRI scientists. These milestone accomplishments have provided the scientific community greater insight into the way the immune system interacts with cancer:

• Confirmation that the immune system protects against cancer development and can check the growth of established tumors.
• Discovery that cancer cells display markers, called antigens, which can be targeted by the immune system.
• Evidence that people whose tumors have been infiltrated by certain cells of the immune system have a better outcome than patients whose tumors do not.
• Knowledge that therapies that strengthen the immune response can improve a patient's chance for survival.

These basic discoveries have laid the foundation for CRI to extend its reach into the clinic with the creation of the Cancer Vaccine Collaborative. In a coordinated fashion, this unique program is testing state-of-the art cancer vaccines at medical centers around the world. Through these unprecedented global partnerships, we are learning how to immunize against cancer in the most effective and efficient way.

Charity watchdog organizations like the American Institute of Philanthropy, Charity Navigator, GiveSpot.com, and the Better Business Bureau consistently rank CRI among the top nonprofit organizations.

Finding New Answers
Cancer is a disease that affects everyone. While there have been strides in the chemical, radiological, and surgical treatment of the disease, cancer continues to claim the lives of millions of people each year. There is a clear and urgent need to develop new approaches to cancer treatment and prevention. The Cancer Research Institute is dedicated to finding novel ways to harness the power of our own immune systems to conquer cancer.

Our work has already made an impact in the lives of people combatting cancer. In these pages, you will find inspirational stories of cancer patients who have participated in early clinical studies of new immunotherapies and who are benefiting from the tremendous strides we are making. You will also read about some of our most talented scientists, whose discoveries are shaping the future of cancer treatment.

I encourage you to take time to browse the site and find out what makes us such a unique and vital force in the search for new and better ways to treat, control, and prevent cancer. Perhaps you may be interested in reading our educational publications, learning about exciting scientific breakthroughs funded by CRI, discovering the rich and vibrant history of the organization, or finding out how to become involved in one of our special events. You may even decide that you, too, would like to become part of this important effort by making a donation to support our work.

Thank you for your interest in the Cancer Research Institute. We hope that you will join us as we work together to usher in a new era of cancer therapy.

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