LLS and IFLI are creating a research community to drive investment, advance technology and accelerate new treatments
WASHINGTON, June 11, 2025— Two grants announced today by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI) aim to create a path to more personalized treatments, and eventually cures, for patients with follicular lymphoma, a form of the blood cancer non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The grants, to world-renowned researchers in the United States and England, come from an IFLI and LLS partnership called the Research Accelerator for Follicular Lymphoma or RAFL, which so far has $20 million committed to research funding.
“Long-term remission and even a cure for follicular lymphoma are getting nearer every day, but we need a collaborative, strategic approach to get there faster” says Michel Azoulay, M.D., chief medical officer at IFLI. “The translational awards we’re announcing today represent two exciting treatment approaches on a five-year timeline to move into the clinic—a big step toward patient care.”
- Francesco Forconi, M.D., Ph.D., at the University of Southampton in the U.K. and his team are studying slg-Mann, a unique sugar molecule found on follicular lymphoma tumor cells. They have discovered that if follicular lymphoma cells lose this unique feature, they will die. This grant supports their efforts to understand more about how slg-Mann works and how to position antibody therapy against slg-Mann in the treatment of follicular lymphoma.
- Joshua Brody, M.D., at the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai in New York City, and his team are looking at ways to overcome “antigen escape,” whereby cancer cells change their genetic make-up to avoid being killed by targeted cancer treatments. Dr. Brody’s approach would enhance the immune system’s ability to not just attack tumor cells, but neighboring cells that could harbor genetic changes that help cancer survive and spread.
Researchers can learn more about RAFL, including when submissions for funding reopen here.
Strategic Philanthropy in Action: Driving Research Innovation
“Dr. Forconi and Dr. Brody are spearheading cutting-edge studies aimed at unlocking new treatment strategies for follicular lymphoma by targeting tumor-specific markers and overcoming cancer’s evasive defenses,” says IFLI’s Dr. Azoulay.
Recent changes in research funding levels in the U.S. and abroad are presenting new challenges for scientists working to maintain momentum in biomedical innovation. These developments come at a time of rapid progress in data and AI technologies, which offer significant potential for advancing new treatments.
"The RAFL program is about more than just providing individual grants,” says Lore Gruenbaum, Ph.D., the chief scientific officer of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, “Through these kinds of strategic partnerships, we can connect researchers and create stronger scientific communities to accelerate success. We encourage other organizations to follow our lead by coming together to align their vision and amplify their funding capacity the way LLS and IFLI have.”
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the global leader and innovator in creating a world without blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life of all patients and their families. LLS is focused on accelerating research, providing free support and services, and advocating for policies to ensure access to quality, affordable care. For more than 75 years, LLS has been helping blood cancer patients live longer, better lives.
To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients can contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. Connect with us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.
About the Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation
The Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI) is a global, non-profit, private foundation dedicated to accelerating the development of innovative treatment options for patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). IFLI supports cutting-edge research and technology to lead to the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics and/or biomarkers for the treatment of FL, and to understand the biology of FL. The foundation deploys its budget across grants, project-based partnerships, and venture philanthropic investments to achieve its innovation goals. IFLI promotes collaboration and works to enable data sharing and the exchange of knowledge and expertise among researchers and institutions advancing FL research and for more information on IFLI, visit www.i-fli.org