Paceline will be presenting grants to 6 cancer researchers on Monday, June 13, 2022 at 10 a.m. at the Georgia Cancer Center’s M. Bert Storey Research Building at Augusta University.

Every day, researchers and staff at the Georgia Cancer Center (GCC) continue to reduce the burden of cancer in the state of Georgia and across the globe. The Paceline community is fueling innovative research to improve cancer prevention, advance treatments, and move more breakthroughs to more patients. 100% of participant-raised dollars support these efforts at GCC. In 2021, Paceline’s network of riders, fundraisers, sponsors, and supporters raised over $330,000, allowing GCC to fund six innovative cancer research projects.

A jury of doctors, researchers, and administrators reviewed 20 project proposal applications, covering a variety of topics within the areas of interest. The awardees and their proposals are as follows:

1. Malcolm S. Bevel, PhD, MSPH – Racial Disparities in Food Deserts, Food Swamps, and Multiple Cancer Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Analysis
2. Yukai He, MD, PhD – Developing novel intermediate-avidity CAR-Ts for hepatocellular carcinoma immunotherapy
3. Tianxiang Hu, PhD – BCR-ABL1 isoforms in reshaping the leukemic immune microenvironment and contributions to leukemia progression
4. Hasan Korkaya, DVM, PhD – Development of novel HSP70 small molecule peptidomimetic inhibitors in syngeneic models of breast cancer
5. Nahid Mivechi, PhD – Determine the Potential of Targeting Heat Shock Factor HSF1 in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
6. Yuen Keng Ng, PhD – Mobile Cancer Molecular Biology Lab Experience for Local High School Outreach

Tianxiang Hu, PhD is receiving his 2nd Paceline grant. In 2020, he received the Early Career Researcher Award for his work on developing immunotherapies for the treatment of leukemia. “As a cancer researcher in the Georgia Cancer Center,” said Dr. Hu, “I really feel excited about the huge potential of this Paceline campaign. That's exactly the reason why I actively participated in Paceline since its launch as a rider, fund raiser and later an awardee. This campaign means a lot to me and my career. With the funding provided by Paceline, I am able to perform cutting-edge single cell sequencing analysis of the tumor immune microenvironment in leukemia and dissect probable cancer-immune cell interactions that mediate the immune evasion process. Further ongoing function investigation of these critical interactions holds the promise for the development of novel immunotherapy for cure of leukemia and other cancers. It's the joint efforts of our community and our researchers that is making it possible. Thank you all for the great support!”

Fundraising is a year-round effort, culminating in a celebration and fun bike ride on October 16, 2022 called “PaceDay” with an Opening Ceremony party on Saturday, October 15th. PaceDay 2022 will be held Sunday, October 16, 2022 starting at SRP Park in North Augusta and finishing in historic downtown at Augusta Common with a finish-line party to share with loved ones. This year, the opening ceremony party will take place at SRP Park the evening before the ride with food, live music, and more. Also added this year, Paceline is providing a special family-friendly closed circuit “loop” in downtown Augusta as well as three new open road rides that all pass by the Georgia Cancer itself.

Registration for PaceDay 2022 is currently open and underway at paceline.org. New and returning participants are encouraged to register as soon as possible as to have adequate time to fundraise, train for the ride, and get involved with the Paceline community.