Human Biology's Nelson receives Prostate Cancer Foundation award

Dr. Peter Nelson of the Human Biology Division, along with UW Medicine collaborators Drs. Bruce Montgomery and Dan Lin, recently received a $75,000 award from the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF). The researchers' work focuses on suppression of androgens as a treatment for prostate cancer.

The gift, which will be administered through the UW, supports clinical-trial research to determine if inhibiting the androgen pathway can more effectively kill tumor cells in patients with localized prostate cancer.

"Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in America," said Leslie Michelson, PCF's chief executive officer. "By funding this innovative research at the Hutchinson Center, we hope to accelerate the development of better treatments for the 2 million men and their families who are battling prostate cancer."

PCF is the world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate-cancer research. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $260 million and provided funding for prostate-cancer research to more than 1,200 researchers at 100 institutions worldwide.

The Competitive Awards Program, the cornerstone of the PCF's research strategy, supports innovative, early stage prostate-cancer research projects in select areas. The program has funded many novel ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer and has spurred the development of new therapeutic strategies and drugs for use against prostate cancer. The awards are designed to complement funding from traditional sources.