Congressman Cohen Announces more than $1 Million in NIH Grants to St. Jude

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will receive two National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants totaling $1,099,480. One, for $667,480 will go to Dr. Mario Halic for research on the structure and function of chromatin, from the National Institute of General Medical Services. Chromatin is the large complex of DNA and proteins responsible for condensing and packaging DNA into the nucleus of the cell. Dr. Halic's research will seek to understand how the proteins associated with chromatin regulate transcription - the conversion of DNA into RNA. Prior work has revealed that these chromatin factors are highly mutated in human cancers. His team hopes that this will lead to the development of more specific drugs to treat cancer. The second grant, for $432,000 from the National Cancer Institute, will support pediatric oncology education under the direction of Dr. Suzanne Gronemeyer. Since 1978, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Pediatric Oncology Education program has trained over a thousand students with a long legacy of excellence - 86% of the participants hold a doctorate.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"I am pleased to see these investments in the research and education missions of our premiere children's research hospital. I commend Drs. Halic and Gronemeyer, and St. Jude, for undertaking this important work."

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