Mercer University to receive funds for use in cancer research

MACON – Congressman Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., has announced a $176,238 grant awarded to Mercer University from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Exploratory Award Program is administered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a part of the National Institutes of Health. The grant will support cancer and auto-immune disease-related research at the university.

“Almost every American knows a friend or family member who is suffering from cancer or an autoimmune disease," Bishop said in a news release. "It is a public health challenge. Congress must support the amazing scientists across our country who are relentlessly advancing our understanding of medical science and how to better treat or even prevent these diseases.

“I am proud of our amazing researchers and physicians right here in middle Georgia and glad that HHS is investing in this important work at Mercer University’s School of Medicine. I will continue to work on Capitol Hill to make sure that Congress remains a strong and reliable partner in this effort so we can help improve the quality of life for millions of Americans.”

“This project is expected to increase our understanding of LINE-1 retrotransposons in the human genome," Pamela Cook, an assistant professor and research project director, said. "LINE-1 activity can mutate DNA, leading to genetic disease. In addition, LINE-1 is thought to contribute to diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and autoimmune disease.

“Technical limitations have slowed investigation of the proteins encoded by LINE-1. This project seeks to develop a new approach to reveal the effects of LINE-1 proteins in diseases associated with LINE-1 activity. I am grateful to Mercer University for their support and to the NIH for funding this research.”

“Mercer University School of Medicine is very proud of Dr. Pamela Cook and this cutting-edge research," Dr. Jean R. Sumner, dean of the Mercer University School of Medicine, said. "This grant will fund research that will result in meaningful insight into cancer care."

According to the NIH's National Cancer Institute, it is estimated that nearly 2 million Americans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in 2024. The National Institutes of Environmental Health Science notes that there are more than 80 known autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, and many are rare and difficult to diagnose. As many as 50 million people in the U.S. have an autoimmune disease, making it the third-most-prevalent disease category, surpassed only by cancer and heart disease.