This year, five Texas A&M University research teams received CPRIT grants with a total of over $6 million. Our very own Dr. Jean-Philippe Pellois, Professor and Associate Head for Graduate Programs received a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, for his studies of how cells communicate with each other. When cells shed part of their membrane, they share material that other cells typically respond to in a negative way. Understanding this process can help researchers determine how aggressive a person's cancer is by performing a blood test, since these cell particles float in the bloodstream. Dr. Pellois said, "this project is about developing the tools we need to learn about these particles, to learn how to measure their activity and potentially develop therapeutic and diagnostic tools. The grant is sort of a foundation for new ideas."

CPRIT was created in 2007, when Texans voted for a constitutional amendment to use $3 billion of bonds to establish the institute. To date, CPRIT has awarded $2.4 billion in grants to Texas research institutions and organizations through its academic research, prevention and product development research programs.

To read more on these research grants and who received them, please click on the following links:

https://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Texas-AM-awarded-cancer-research-grants-558584401.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KBTX_Media&fbclid=IwAR3RPMcoG5W32iJRXfr6HX7Q0fv5S7pUvQKPggHJAlqLaINEL-8VIR7DynM

https://www.theeagle.com/news/local/texas-a-m-cancer-research-teams-receive-more-than-million/article_246f9b50-cbb0-11e9-8691-37724c8af3f0.html