Scripps Research receives a generous gift from GS Humane Corp. to study new treatments for prostate cancer

February 18, 2020 – Scripps Research recently received a generous gift from GS Humane Corp. in memory of its founder, Gene Shapiro, to support a post-doctoral fellow to work on developing new treatments for prostate cancer. 

 

The fellow will work with Kendall Nettles, PhD, whose lab at Scripps Research is currently working to develop small molecule drug candidates to potentially treat prostate cancer, particularly recurrent prostate cancer that is dependent on the hormone cortisol. 

 

“Our goal is also to improve on the molecules given during chemotherapy, so we’re trying to make molecules that have fewer side effects,” said Dr. Nettles. “Synthetic drugs can cause muscle wasting and osteoporosis.  We’re working on developing drugs that avoid that. Government funding for this type of work has declined over the past 15 years, so this gift is going to give us a real boost in accelerating our research.”

 

Scripps Research is one of the world’s leading nonprofit biomedical research institutes, with campuses in Jupiter, Florida, and La Jolla, California. More than 200 laboratory teams perform deep investigations into fundamental biological science as well as drug discovery and development.

 

GS Humane Corp. is a grantmaking nonprofit based in New York primarily focused on animal welfare, education, combatting hate and anti-Semitism and Jewish education. Its founder, Gene Shapiro, passed away in 2015 from prostate cancer. One of GS Humane’s board members, Palm Beach Gardens resident Sheldon Schneider, facilitated the gift with assistance from BallenIsles residents Mel Lamster and Jack Robbins, who each year support Scripps Research through a charitable golf tournament at BallenIsles.

 

To learn more about Scripps Research and ways to get involved, please visit www.scripps.edu/support-us, or call 561-228-2016.