New Developments in Cancer Immunotherapy Among Major Tower Cancer Research Foundation Grants To Be Announced at Gala Honoring Philanthropists Meryl & Russell Kern, Shelley and Jan Rosen, and Steven Spielberg Family Chair in Hematology Oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Robert Figlin, on May 4, 2017 in Beverly Hills

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Apr 27, 2017, 08:12 ET

LOS ANGELES, April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders in entertainment, politics, business and medicine will gather at Tower Cancer Research Foundation's Tower of Hope Gala on Thursday, May 4, 2017 to honor Meryl and Russell Kern, Dr. Robert Figlin and Shelley and Jan Rosen for their ongoing commitment to raising awareness about cancer, and their dedication to ending the disease. Several research grants will be awarded at the Gala, including a $500,000 Senior Investigator Grant to explore a new immunotherapy-based therapeutic model for lung cancer. Grants will also support research that attempts to better understand how each cancer tumor is different, so that in the future oncologists will be able to pick the right drugs for each unique patient and tumor, and how to make immunotherapy more relevant for sarcoma patients. The event will begin at 6:00 PM at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, 9876 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California.

Tower Cancer Research Foundation Board of Directors at Tower of Hope Gala 2016

Over the course of the last twenty years, Tower has raised well over $30 million, funding that supports a multitude of different scientific grants from one-year $100,000 Career Development Grants to five year $500,000 Senior Investigator Grants to $1,000,000 Multi-disciplinary Discovery Funds. Tower's Discovery Fund encourages the pursuit of high-risk, high-reward research projects by providing scientists with funding upfront, thereby removing barriers to entry. Tower believes that leading-edge and novel ideas may not yet qualify for traditional grant funding due to a lack of preliminary data. Tower has participated in funding more than 200 clinical trials, and provided over $3 million in seed money for young cancer researchers from the Southern California community via the organization's Career Development Grants. Tower's seed money research investment strategy has been so successful that it has led to $35 million in additional funding from other foundations and cancer centers for these investigators. This initial funding gives these young, aspiring scientists the ability to move forward with their clinical research, often allowing them to develop their novel hypotheses and create a promising foundation from which to pursue further research funding.

Tower's patient support division, Magnolia House, is a unique integrative survivorship wellness center with in-depth programs offered at no cost to cancer survivors and their loved ones. Tower's goal is to help participants develop a physical and emotional toolkit to manage the challenges of the disease. Magnolia House offers vanguard programs and workshops, including 6-week classes for cancer survivors that address end-stage disease challenges, classes for cancer caregivers, cooking classes to develop a nutritional approach to cancer survival, and individually tailored experiences such as a one-on-one fitness training with a cancer-trained therapist. Tower also supports a variety of Southern California community partners who bring vital cancer programs to underserved populations throughout Los Angeles.

All of this year's distinguished honorees share a commitment to stopping cancer and improving the lives of those affected by cancer.

Russell Kern is founder and president of KERN, an Omnicom multi-channel advertising agency. Russell has worked with senior marketing leaders at companies such as AT&T, SAP, HP, AAA, Canon and Welch/Allyn. Russell is also the Board Chair of Beit T' Shuvah. With a 20-year track record of successful campaign management in Los Angeles and New York, Meryl Kern worked at one of the top advertising agencies in New York City. She later went on to open her own boutique agency where she worked with a wide assortment of clients. In September 2014, Meryl's life was changed forever when she diagnosed with breast cancer. Now cancer free, Meryl together with Russell are passionate champions of helping those in need, especially in their support of Tower, where they established the Meryl Kern Survivorship Program to help patients post treatment.

Robert A. Figlin, MD, FACP, is the Steven Spielberg Family Chair in Hematology Oncology, Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Director of the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Deputy Director of the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute and Deputy Director, Integrated Oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He is an Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Before joining Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Figlin was the Arthur and Rosalie Kaplan Endowed Chair of the Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, and the Associate Director for Clinical Research at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. Prior to that, Dr. Figlin served as the Henry Alvin and Carrie L. Meinhardt Endowed Chair in Urologic Oncology and Professor of Medicine and Urology in the Divisions of Hematology/Oncology and Urologic Oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Figlin serves as Editor for Kidney Cancer Journal, and his studies have appeared in Clinical Cancer Research, Journal of Clinical Oncology, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, JNCI, Lancet Oncology, and Journal of Urology, among others. A nationally recognized leader in genitourinary and thoracic oncology, Dr. Figlin has authored over 350 peer reviewed articles, more than 70 book chapters, and has published as editor multiple books on kidney cancer.

Shelley Rosen graduated from the University of Toledo with a teaching degree and it was there that she met Jan, her husband of 46 years. Jan Rosen was a born entrepreneur, who began his career with a degree in advertising and eventually became a mogul in textiles and even the toy business. Continuing his love for both art and business, today Jan is the proud owner of DL & Co., a home décor company that is available worldwide. Shelley has spent many years as a devoted member of the Magnolia Council in support of Tower. Shelley strongly believes there is nothing more important than finding a cure for cancer, which has affected both her friends and family. Sharing his undeniable love of golf with the world, Jan along with Bobby Margolis and Dr. Peter Waldstein started a golf tournament seventeen years ago to raise money for Pediatric Aids. After achieving great success in supporting a well-deserving cause, he brought his talents to the Beit T'Shuva Golf Tournament, and eventually spearheaded the launch of the Jack Mishkin Memorial Golf Classic at Tower. In the four years since its inception, Tower's Jack Mishkin Golf Classic has raised nearly a million dollars and has become one of Beverly Hills' most exclusive golf events.

Gala tickets may be purchased at http://towercancer.org/2017-tower-of-hope-gala-ticket-page/ or by calling 310.299.8477.

Media RSVP and Talent Inquiries: [email protected]

ABOUT TOWER CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION : Tower has been the Southern California cancer patient's greatest ally since 1996. Tower provides grants for innovative research, caring patient support and community education to promote more effective treatments for cancer. As a leading donor-directed, specialized cancer research foundation, Tower is focused on funding Southern California initiatives with a global impact. Tower has raised over $25 million in the last decade alone -- resources that have funded specific groundbreaking research and patient support programs that are professionally vetted by committees comprised of local scientific and community leaders. In addition to Senior Investigator Grants, Tower awards several $100,000 Career Development Grants annually to young pioneering physician scientists engaged in groundbreaking bench-to-bedside research. While there are many brilliant scientists performing cancer research, Tower recognizes the importance of nurturing the regional pool of rich research talent because important breakthroughs have come from unexpected directions and provided new perspectives. Tower's Career Development grantees often demonstrate such promising results that these physician scientists later obtain large grants from other foundations and cancer research centers. Tower's initial $2 million investment has led to $35 million in additional clinical research funding. http://towercancer.org/