Supported Research
-
Eighty percent of FA patients survive beyond age 20, carry a high risk for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharyngeal and anogenital regions connected with high morbidity and mortality. In addition to intrinsic genetic instability, HSCT and a number of other factors contribute to...
-
Dry and moist skin (e.g., in the mouth) plays a critical role in maintaining a barrier against environmental insults and cancer. Based on new data, this team believes that individuals with FA may have an impaired barrier and this may be why they are at...
-
Dr. Tong recently discovered a novel gene called “LNK” that regulates bone marrow cell survival and growth. She found that loss of LNK in a mouse model of FA restores normal bone marrow functions and increases stem cell longevity. This new grant will allow Dr....
-
Fanconi anemia (FA) patients are at high risk of developing head and neck cancer and have limited options for treatment due to their sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation. We have recently found that FA model mice with mutations in certain aldehyde detoxifying enzymes (ALDH2, ADH5)...
-
Grant description: This project seeks to identify cellular pathways that could be targeted to treat or prevent cancer in FA. The investigators take a novel approach using a high-resolution CRISPR knockout library to screen for fitness genes and FANCA-specific cancer vulnerabilities. They will take advantage...
-
A major limitation in FA research is the absence of an animal model that faithfully recapitulates the clinical features of this disease in humans. While mice have the characteristic DNA repair defects, they do not spontaneously develop the progressive anemia or acute leukemia seen in...
-
In the past funding period of the OHSU Fanconi Anemia Program Project we succeeded in discovering new drug targets and small molecules for FA therapy. All of these candidates have clinical potential and we are on the threshold of new interventions for this severe disease....
-
Since many FA patients also suffer from diabetes and insulin resistance, the research proposed in this application is designed to determine the function of Fanconi anemia proteins in the endocrine pancreas. This study will analyze the dynamic features of FA protein expression and response to...
-
All living cells form formaldehyde and acetaldehyde through normal metabolism (also from food and alcohol consumption). However, these aldehydes also induce severe DNA damage, which must be tolerated or repaired to prevent diseases. Currently, ~1 billion people in the world have difficulty in detoxifying aldehydes....
The Latest
News & Events

Research is the answer to one day making FA a treatable, manageable disease. Here, you'll discover the most recent strides in FA research and activities funded by FCF. Every quarter, we'll bring you updates on newly funded grants, ongoing projects, and significant milestones.

We’re thrilled to share that Rena and Paul Rice, parents of two children with Fanconi anemia—Sydney (19) and Blake (25)—have made an extraordinary commitment to the FA community: a gift of $100,000 per year for the next three years to...

If you asked me for a defining memory of our journey, it might surprise you. Some of my most cherished moments were the long hospital stays — the time I got to spend one-on-one with Hunsley, free from the distractions of the world.