Advocacy efforts play an essential role in building stronger systems of care for rare diseases. By elevating the experiences of families and engaging policymakers, organizations such as the Ivan & Joan Foundation are helping move rare disease awareness and care forward in their communities.
Supported Research
Cancer Prevention in Fanconi Anemia through Alleviating Formaldehyde Genotoxicity
Amount Funded: $488,000
In collaboration with the American Association for Cancer Research, a global leader in cancer research, we’ve presented Dr. Wang with the 2024 Fanconi Cancer Foundation-AACR NextGen Grant for Transformative Cancer Research. Through this groundbreaking work, Dr. Wang seeks to prevent cancer in patients with Fanconi anemia (FA) by targeting specific nutritional and metabolic pathways.
The accumulation of DNA damage and genetic mutations ultimately causes cancer. This process is greatly accelerated in children and young adults with FA. A recent advancement in the field is the discovery that our bodies produce high quantities of reactive chemicals called aldehydes, which cause DNA damage in FA patients. In this project, Dr. Wang will leverage mouse models and FA patient samples to study the nutritional and metabolic pathways that regulate aldehyde production, with the aim of targeting these pathways as novel cancer prevention strategies for FA patients.
Researchers: Meng Wang, MD, PHD
Cancer Prevention in Fanconi Anemia through Alleviating Formaldehyde Genotoxicity
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My name is Kambri, and I’m 17 years old. I was diagnosed with Fanconi anemia when I was five. Before my diagnosis, I just didn’t feel good for a while. I had frequent nosebleeds, bruised easily, and was tired a...
What I hope for most is a cure. And until then, I hope for Paige and others with FA to live lives as close to normal as possible, filled with opportunity, independence, and happiness.