U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole	United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
News Release	January 18, 2008

Dole Announces Nearly $4 Million for UNC Health Research

CHAPEL HILL - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole today announced that she helped secure nearly $4 million for three major health research initiatives at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  In a visit to the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dole said that the federal budget for fiscal year 2008 includes $2.4 million for the North Carolina Cancer and Genomics Research Center, $560,310 for the Program in Racial Disparities and Cardiovascular Disease and $984,000 for the Collaborative Initiative in Biomedical Imaging.

“I am proud to support the tremendous work being done at UNC and other research institutions in our state,” said Dole.  “This groundbreaking research will help diagnose, treat and prevent diseases that afflict far too many North Carolinians, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.  It gives us great hope that these research dollars could help lead to discoveries that will allow people to live healthier, longer lives.”

“Thanks to the efforts of Senator Dole we have additional funds to support the mission of the University Cancer Research Fund.  We promise to use these appropriations to do great things for the people of North Carolina and the nation,” said Etta D. Pisano, M.D., Vice Dean for Academic Affairs in the UNCSchool of Medicine, Kenan Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering and Director of the UNC Biomedical Research Imaging Center.

North Carolina Cancer and Genomics Research Center
The North Carolina Cancer and Genomics Research Center (CGRC) will be the lead research institution in the Department of Defense’s National Functional Genomics Center research consortium.  Members of this consortium research the molecular basis of cancer and develop tools and technologies using genetic signatures to improve early cancer diagnosis and treatment.

There are 41,000 new cancer cases and more than 17,000 deaths in North Carolina each year, making it the number one cause of death in the state.

Principal Investigator and Center director is Terry Van Dyke, Ph.D., Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Genetics in the UNC School of Medicine and a member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Genetics program.

Program in Racial Disparities and Cardiovascular Disease
The Program in Racial Disparities and Cardiovascular Disease at UNC-Chapel Hill and East Carolina University examines how racial disparities contribute to differences in health care, especially with regard to cardiovascular disease.  North Carolina’s overall rates of heart disease and stroke are higher than average, and the rate for the state’s minority population is 50 percent higher than the national average. 

In the past four years, Dole has helped secure approximately $1.3 million for this program.

The program’s Principal Investigator is Cam Patterson, M.D., Ernest and Hazel Craige Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Chair, Division of Cardiology in UNC School of Medicine.

Collaborative Initiative in Biomedical Imaging
The Collaborative Initiative in Biomedical Imaging is a joint effort with UNC-Charlotte that is revolutionizing the study and treatment of complex diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer through state-of-the-art imaging instruments.  These imaging techniques are allowing non-invasive investigations into disease progression.

This project is also expected to spur economic growth and job creation through the development of new devices and applications.

Dr. Pisano is Principal Investigator for this initiative.

View Photos of Senator Dole's Visit to UNC Lineberger

UNC Lineberger Cancer Center contact:
Dianne Shaw, (919)966-7834

School of Medicine contact:
Les Lang, (919)843-9687, or Stephanie Crayton: (919)966-2860