Technion scientists receive grants for cancer research on pregnancy, heart disease, recurrance

Three faculty members from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have been awarded research grants from the Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF). The ICRF is dedicated to supporting Israeli cancer researchers with the ultimate goal of eradicating the disease and transforming it into a manageable chronic condition.

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Cancer during pregnancy is relatively rare, but its prevalence is increasing due to rising cancer rates among young people and the postponement of childbearing.

Professor Irit Ben Aharon, affiliated with the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and the Fishman Oncology Center at Rambam Health Care Campus, received a Research Professorship grant. Her work will focus on the effects of chemotherapy administered to pregnant women on their children. Ben Aharon noted that while cancer during pregnancy is rare, its incidence is rising. Existing studies have limited follow-up periods, but her research will use a preclinical model to map both short-term and long-term effects, including potential latent health issues that emerge in adulthood.

Dr. Ido Livneh, also from the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Rambam Health Care Campus, received a Project grant. His research investigates the "backup systems" that enable cancer cells to survive and persist, even after initial treatment. Livneh hypothesizes that malignant cells activate secondary survival strategies that allow them to remain dormant for extended periods before developing resistance. His work combines laboratory experiments with analyses of patient samples across various cancer types to identify common survival mechanisms.

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Despite advances in cancer treatment, many malignancies still cannot be cured. Many patients respond well to initial treatment, but their disease later returns.

Additionally, Dr. Shira Landau and Dr. Ina Wallis were also recognized with grants, though specific details of their research were not provided in the article. The collective funding aims to bolster critical cancer research within Israel, seeking innovative approaches to combat the disease.

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Our current research is based on the hypothesis that malignant cells activate secondary survival strategies, a type of backup system that allows them to survive for months or even years, even before they develop resistance to treatment.