Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Awarded $750K Grant From TD Bank

COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory just received a major boost in its fight against cancer. On Giving Tuesday, TD Bank announced the laboratory as one of the recipients of its second annual TD Ready Challenge, providing it with a $750K grant. TD Bank's grants support programs aimed at improving access to early detection of disease and disease intervention.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory focuses on increasing effectiveness in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment and securing widespread access to precision treatment to all, particularly among underrepresented minorities. It will use the $750,000 grant to establish an Organoid Facility to advance the development of next-generation organoid technology, a breakthrough technology platform, to fight cancer.

"While advances in healthcare enable many to lead healthier lives, the unfortunate reality is that not all communities have equal access to quality healthcare," Greg Braca, CEO of TD Bank, said via press release. "We believe that when people feel better about their health, they feel better about their future, which is why we're focused on supporting research, solutions and technologies that make healthcare more accessible for everyone. The Ready Challenge is an incredible opportunity for the bank to help improve the lives of our customers, colleagues and communities."

When selecting Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, TD Bank noted the fact there are over 600,000 cancer deaths each year in the U.S., adding that underrepresented minorities have a higher incidence of cancer and a lower survival rate.

The funds will boost the development of cancer organoids, a breakthrough technology platform worked on by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory scientists that reproduces a patient's tumor and recapitulates tumor sensitivities to chemotherapy and other drugs. The funding will help start up a dedicated organoid facility at CSHL that will leverage the technology to advance the development of high-throughput, affordable organoid-based clinical tests.

Fund for Public Health in NYC, Baystate Health Foundation/Baystate Health, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were the other U.S.-based grant recipients. Combined, the 2019 TD Ready Challenge awarded $7.5 million to 10 healthcare organizations across Canada and the U.S.

From over 378 submissions from organizations across the U.S. and Canada, TD selected 15 semi-finalists who presented their solutions on Nov. 5 in Toronto. The 10 winners, six Canadian and four U.S. organizations, were then chosen by a panel of TD executives. A complete listing of all TD Ready Challenge winners can be found here. The four U.S. winners aim to address problems ranging from sexual health services to childhood trauma.