Ivy Foundation-Funded Research Recognized by Medical Journal

Research funded by The Ben & Catherine Ivy Foundation, the largest privately funded brain cancer research foundation in North America, has been recently published by the Journal of Neuro-Oncology. The groundbreaking study by Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, M.D., Ph.D., at Stanford University School of Medicine, is in the area of glioblastoma research.

The article, “AshwaMAX and Withaferin A Inhibits Gliomas in Cellular and Murine Orthotopic Models,” contains the latest findings by Gambhir and his team. His research images were also featured on the cover of the journal.

“This article shows that a natural product isolated from a plant in India that has been known about for thousands of years to have many medicinal properties is effective in slowing growth of glioblastoma cells,” said Gambhir. “Studies performed in cell culture and in mouse models show the ability of this orally administered natural product to markedly slow down glioblastoma growth. This type of work gives hope that some natural products may be useful because of their anti-tumor properties.”

“We are honored to have someone of Sam Gambhir’s stature working to find a cure for this devastating form of brain cancer,” says Catherine Ivy, founder and president of the Ivy Foundation. “The work being done at Stanford University is groundbreaking, and it is great to see the research being recognized in such a prestigious publication.”

The Scottsdale-based Ivy Foundation’s approach is to fund Patient Focused Research in gliomas to improve diagnostics and treatments for patients. In its inception year, 2008, the Ivy Foundation supported $10 million in research, which embodied the concept of Patient-Focused Research.