The 2026 Prouty is already helping fund four innovative pilot research projects at Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC). From understanding the genetic changes that drive bladder cancer to finding new ways to make radiation more effective and reduce its long-term side effects, these projects are exploring promising ideas that could ultimately translate into better cancer care.
Here’s a look at where your Prouty donations are going.
Looking beyond single mutations in bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is common, and New Hampshire has the highest incidence in the country. Researchers Steven Leach, MD, and Fred Kolling, PhD, are investigating why changes in certain genes that control how DNA is packaged and used can contribute to bladder cancer. Most previous research has examined these “epigenetic modifier genes” one at a time. However, mutations in them often occur in pairs.
Leach and Kolling will take a different approach, using technology called CRISPR gene deletion to study all possible single and paired mutations in seven key genes in human urothelial (bladder) cells. They will then map how these changes affect DNA and gene activity.
“By comparing individual and combined mutations, we hope to identify interactions that may help initiate cancer and uncover the biological programs driving tumor development,” says Leach.
The project will also build new capabilities in DCC’s Prouty-supported Genomics Shared Resource that will be made available to all researchers at Dartmouth and around the country.
Priming tumors with oxygen to improve radiation effects
Radiation therapy is an important treatment for many cancers, but low oxygen inside a tumor can affect how well radiation destroys cancer cells. Previously, to improve the effect of radiation in cancers that have low oxygen, the cancer would be hyper-oxygenated as radiation passed through it.
Philip Schaner, MD, PhD, and Periannan Kuppusamy, PhD, have discovered a novel way to make radiation more effective using oxygen. In “hyperoxic preconditioning,” the tumor is exposed to high quantities of oxygen before radiation in a cyclic fashion. In their Prouty-funded study, the researchers will use preclinical models of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to figure out the most effective oxygen concentration and cycling schedule. They will then assess how the two parameters affect oxygenation of the cancer and impact radiation therapy.
“Hyperoxic preconditioning has the potential to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy using a low-cost intervention that integrates easily into the clinic,” says Schaner.
Adding a blood pressure drug to help cancer treatments work harder
Tyler Curiel, MD, MPH, and Scott Gerber, PhD, are studying whether adding a common blood pressure pill to immunotherapy or chemotherapy may improve how well they work. Telmisartan is an FDA-approved medication for high blood pressure. In earlier studies, the researchers found that it can make tumors more visible to the immune system and improve responses to immunotherapy and major classes of chemotherapy in mouse models.
In their new Prouty Pilot, the team will now investigate exactly how these effects occur by testing selected drug combinations in preclinical models of ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, and melanoma. The ultimate goal is to identify combinations that could make existing cancer treatments more effective, or allow them to work at lower doses, potentially reducing side effects.
“Telmisartan appears to help treat essentially all types of cancer, which we hope to pursue in new clinical trials by using data from our Prouty Pilot to attract major NIH grants for future studies,” says Curiel.
Because telmisartan is already FDA-approved, with future funding Curiel and Gerber’s findings could move relatively quickly toward clinical trials for patients at Dartmouth Cancer Center, as evidenced by two other telmisartan trials already in progress.
Equipping nanoparticles with “GPS” to reduce radiation side effects
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for breast cancer. While radiation is effective, it can also damage nearby healthy tissue. Some damaged cells enter a state called “cellular senescence.” This means they stop dividing but remain in the body and release signals that can promote inflammation, scarring, and long-term treatment side effects, affecting quality of life for breast cancer survivors.
Researcher Katherine Hixon, PhD, is developing a new way to remove these cells. Her approach uses fisetin, a natural compound that has shown promise in eliminating senescent cells but is poorly absorbed on its own. With her Prouty funds, Hixon will package fisetin inside tiny nanoparticles made from a biodegradable material. She will also attach a small targeting molecule to the surface of these nanoparticles so they can seek out and bind only to damaged senescent cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
“We will first optimize the nanoparticles in the laboratory, then test whether they can selectively clear damaged cells and reduce harmful inflammatory signals in cell-based experiments,” says Hixon.
Her pilot work lays the foundation for a new, targeted approach to reducing the long-term side effects of breast cancer treatment.
Thank you, Prouty Community
Prouty support gives researchers the opportunity to test promising ideas and generate the evidence needed to move them forward. Thank you to the participants, donors, volunteers, and community partners who continue to invest in the future of cancer research and care. Your generosity is helping scientists turn bold ideas into new possibilities for patients.
The 47th annual Prouty will take place on July 10, 2027. Visit TheProuty.org to learn more and get involved.