To support clinical research needs using next-generation sequencing (NGS), Thermo Fisher Scientific today announced it is accepting new submissions for its Oncomine Clinical Research Grant. The latest call for proposals aims to provide funding for clinical research programs that leverage NGS in solid tumors and hematology-oncology applications.

The Oncomine Clinical Research Grant awards independent clinical research proposals with up to $200,000 in reagents and general funding. Applications are reviewed for scientific merit and evaluated by independent and internationally recognized experts. Grant proposals are being accepted through October 25, 2021.

“The Oncomine Clinical Research Grant is now a well-established and unique tool aiming to provide support for high-impact and innovative studies on molecular profiling,” said Luca Quagliata, Ph.D., BCMAS, global head of medical affairs for clinical next-generation sequencing and oncology at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “We are proud to support clinical and translational research into areas of unmet need that allow us to better understand how genomic testing can provide clinicians with quality information on therapy response, ultimately helping to democratize precision medicine for cancer patients.”

Since 2020, Thermo Fisher has awarded Oncomine Clinical Research Grants to 12 projects worldwide, supporting research in hematology-oncology, immuno-oncology, liquid biopsy and fusion gene detection. The most recent call for proposals focused on immuno-oncology, and grant recipients included Elin Gray, Edith Cowan University, Australia; Elena Guerini Rocco, European Institute of Oncology IRCSS, Italy; Harriet Wikman, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany; and Dirce Carraro, AC Camargo Cancer Center, Brazil.

“This grant will allow our team to analyze the role of immune-host cell interactions in defining different brain metastases patterns in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC),” said Professor Harriet Wikman, Ph.D., research scientist, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf. “NSCLC accounts for about 85% of lung cancer cases, and the ability to further our research with the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant allows our lab to contribute to a deeper understanding of cancer cell properties within the brain microenvironment and the link between these factors and prognosis.”

For more information on the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant Program and how to submit proposals, please visit www.oncomine.com/grants.