In 2017 the first Paint the Town Pink seed grants were distributed to scientists at The Hormel Institute. This year, four new innovative PTTP research grants were awarded at The Hormel Institute. These seed grants fund research which would not otherwise be possible, and allow Institute scientists to gather preliminary data in novel areas. The researchers then use that data to apply for larger national grants to continue their research.

While the campaign is called “Paint the Town Pink” and signifies breast cancer, the research projects and studies benefit the understanding of many cancers.

This year’s Paint the Town Pink grant recipients and research projects are:

Leena Hilakivi-Clarke, PhD received a $50,000 award for “Gut microbiota as a mediator of increased breast cancer risk in socially isolated mice”

Ningling Kang, PhD received a $50,000 award for “Targeting ALKBH5 RNA demethylase to inhibit activation of hepatic stellate cells into tumor-promoting myofibroblasts” 

Gasper Kitange, PhD received a $50,000 award for “Investigating nucleocytoplasmic transport pathway for therapy in glioblastoma”

James Robinson, PhD received a $50,000 award for “Histone methylation and chromosome instability in DIPG”