Making The Case For Funding Cancer Research Rooted In Science: The Westridge Foundation’s Approach

If you’ve been following our Foundation Friday Series, you know that our private foundation clients are passionate about the causes they support and making a difference in the world. From conservation efforts to caring for underserved communities, we’re honored to spotlight the good works our clients are doing. In this special edition of our series, the Westridge Foundation is sharing their perspectives on cancer research and making the case for funding that’s based on science and discovery. We thank them for sharing their insights with us!

The vast majority of private cancer research funding is directed by individuals and families to honor physicians that treated loved ones or foundations narrowly focused on curing a particular type of cancer, like lung or prostate cancer. What few people understand is this approach seldom leads to significant impact. By impact we mean breakthroughs that prevent or cure cancer.

The primary reason for lack of impact is constraining focus. Breakthroughs come from science, not engineering. Success in science results from savoring surprises that result from experiments and pivoting to take advantage of a new insight. In contrast, engineering is focused on delivering the best version of something that is already known. Investigators who receive funding from a foundation that narrowly focuses on a particular type of cancer know they are unlikely to continue to receive funding if they veer away from the foundation’s preferred path. Limiting serendipity radically reduces the odds of a breakthrough. Similarly, funding a physician who focuses on improving patient care could lead to incremental benefits, but their efforts are likely to be constrained to their particular area of expertise. In fact, only a small subset of physicians conduct basic science research at all, and that is how breakthroughs are likely to arise.

The odds of success/impact are further reduced by exclusively funding senior, more experienced investigators. Almost every breakthrough in science, the arts and humanities come from young people. Sadly, the data shows a mathematician is unlikely to conceptualize a new approach after the age of 24. The average age of a Nobel laureate in medicine is 36 at the time they conceive their idea (they are older than mathematicians because they require more years of training before they are in the position to conceive a breakthrough). Perhaps young people dominate breakthroughs because they are better positioned to think differently, which is necessary to succeed. However, the vast majority of biomedical research funding is directed to senior investigators, likely because very few people are aware of this very clear data.

In contrast, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation focuses all its funding on young investigators who are pursuing high-risk/high-reward research. Despite only making grants of $18 million each year, Damon Runyon funded scientists have been involved in almost every major breakthrough in cancer, including identification of the first cancer-causing gene, and development of the first FDA-approved targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Thirteen of the scientists it has funded went on to win Nobel prizes. This is real, measurable impact.

Any foundation that currently funds cancer research should consider allocating a small part of their annual cancer funding budget to Damon Runyon, analogous to the best practice of investment portfolio management of allocating a small portion of one’s portfolio to high risk/high reward investments. For those principals who want to be involved in the process, Damon Runyon can act as the foundation’s search partner to identify the most promising young investigators who are most likely to develop breakthrough discoveries. Their selection process is exceptional because they have leading senior scientists across the country who give their time and expertise to select the next generation of leaders in all areas of cancer research. The result is a high return on investment and confidence that each dollar supports the brilliant young scientists who have a chance at a breakthrough.

Want to learn more about their approach to funding cancer research?

We would be happy to connect you with the Westridge Foundation to see how you can help support their evolving approach to funding cancer research.

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