Parker Institute Commits Additional $125M for Audacious Mission to Cure Cancer
The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is an unprecedented collaboration between the country’s leading immunotherapy researchers and cancer centers. Founded in 2016 through a $250 million gift from Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist Sean Parker, this San Francisco-based nonprofit makes big bets on bold research to fulfill its mission: accelerate the development of breakthrough immunotherapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases.
On December 13, 2023, PICI announced Weill Cornell Medicine joining the PICI Network under the leadership of Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD, Director of the Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Taha Merghoub, PhD, Meyer Cancer Center deputy director. Under the agreement, WCM has established a PICI immuno-oncology research center in New York City that drives ground-breaking innovations in science and medicine to advance outcomes and promote equity through strategic partnerships across the cancer continuum.
Today, PICI announced an additional $125 million investment to expand its research efforts and accelerate the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies. This funding commitment, the largest since PICI’s founding in 2016, will support the institute’s collaborative research model and the translation of scientific discoveries into breakthrough treatments for cancer patients.
“PICI’s support offers us the flexibility to pursue bold ideas, work faster, and invest in high-risk, high-reward research,” said Jedd D. Wolchok. “While the PICI collaborative network has been an unmitigated success, we recognize the high level of unmet needs among cancer patients. This funding from PICI will enable us to continue developing new approaches and designing the next generation of immunotherapy treatments for the populations that need them most.”
PICI’s research model fosters cross-institutional collaboration and breaks down entrenched infrastructure barriers that slow scientific progress in the fight against cancer. This approach has yielded over 440 research projects and clinical trials to date, involving more than 850 scientists and staff across the PICI Network. PICI also supports early-career researchers in building their careers as next-generation leaders, as well as initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the scientific community.
To learn more about PICI at WCM, click here.
PICI@WCM Member Researchers. From left to right: Mohamad Hamieh, PhD, Roberta Zappasodi, PhD, Jedd Wolchok, MD, PhD, Taha Merghoub, PhD, and Niroshana Aanandasabapathy, MD, PhD.
