BEAT Cancer Research Initiative

Objectives

The BEAT Cancer Research Initiative aims to support innovative cancer research projects that align with OSF’s mission to improve treatments, outcomes, and overall patient care. Projects must demonstrate tangible clinical relevance and have the potential for near-term translational impact. Specifically, proposed projects should:

1. Show direct relevance to OSF’s cancer patient care and treatment strategies.
2. Generate knowledge that is actionable within a short timeframe, with a clear path to translating findings into clinical practice.
3. Address key clinical needs identified by OSF clinical partners, ensuring that the outcomes can be implemented to enhance cancer care delivery in the near term.

The CCIL and OSF are particularly interested in proposals that focus on one of the below areas of interest:

• Deploy risk identification strategies for the earliest detection of cancer, and the development of interventions and care models to manage high-risk patients.
• Optimize therapy selection for complex cancers with sequencing, analysis, and interpretation.
• Develop surveillance and care models to monitor cancer recurrence.
• Develop rapid histology tools that can be implemented in the clinical setting, i.e. intraoperative.
• Measure the underlying impact of proton/flash therapies on biologic tissues using multiple disciplines and technologies.
• Consider ways these therapies (proton/flash) can be staged or combined with other companion therapies to maximize impact in adults and children.
• Develop novel therapeutics and therapeutic strategies to improve cancer prevention, treatment, and patient outcomes.
• Develop cancer-focused projects with a clear path to near-term clinical translation, particularly those expected to lead directly to clinical trials or accelerate the advancement of translational research into patient care.

If you have any questions, please contact Program Manager Katie Julkowski.