NEWS

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) proudly announces its commitment to advancing breast cancer research in Alabama through a substantial investment of $1,250,000 in 2023. This grant will support 35 cutting-edge research projects at 8 esteemed institutions, further powering a future free from breast cancer. Among the beneficiaries are Alabama State University, CerFlux, HudsonAlpha Institute, Tuskegee University, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama, and Mitchell Cancer Institute.

“Applying AI has tremendous potential in our fight against cancer, from improving screening to predicting treatment outcomes,” said Dr. Scully, FNL’s partnership development manager. “To bolster that potential, the field has seen innovative partnership models and training activities targeting previously untapped talent pools.” Dr. Budhwani, CEO of CerFlux added, “These dialogues are extremely important in how we shape this landscape, because there is no mistaking that we will shape the landscape.”

“The BCRFA is proud to continue our legacy of driving breast cancer breakthroughs across Alabama,” said Beth Davis, BCRFA President & CEO. 2022 grantees include Dr. Karim Budhwani and Dr. Chelsea Crawford (CerFlux) for "Getting the Right Treatment to the Right Patient by Matching Regimens to Patient Biopsy Before Treatment."

Clips from the BIO International Convention 2022 panel, "Cancer Trials Don’t Have To Fail 90% of the Time. Seriously." moderated by Dr. Karim Budhwani, CEO of CerFlux with expert panelists Ms. Shara Avis from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Matthew Clark from CerFlux, and Dr. Scott Lundeen from Johnson & Johnson.

Here is a list of ten women scientists in Birmingham who are making their mark in science, technology, and innovation from new knowledge around the city… inlcuding Dr. Mary Kathryn (M.K.) Sewell-Loftin who is a Senior Scientist at CerFlux - a biotechnolgy company in Birmingham.

CerFlux ChipMux technology addresses the critical, urgent, and unmet need for accessible and affordable predictive technologies that identify optimal therapy regimens and strategically eliminate ineffective options. This represents a major departure from the generalized one-size-fits-none approach to cancer treatment. This endeavor is further enhanced by a commercial-academic collaboration with the James Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Ohio State University.

“Billions of dollars and FOMO investor zeal frantically chasing the promise of artificial intelligence have been snared instead in 'artificial ignorance',” Budhwani said. "But pausing AI in oncology is not an option. In fact, we have to find ways to accelerate the responsible use of AI to maximize benefits and improve patient outcomes.” The panel will explore how AI can revolutionize cancer drug discovery, the market potential for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and the challenges that must be overcome to realize these benefits.

“[Cancer] is not a monolithic disease…it has many many heads,” Budhwani explained to Hypepotamus. “So we need to be able to look at cancer from a multi-headed monster perspective rather than a single monolithic disease.”

Its technology is working to take one single biopsy of a tumor and treat it with dozens of different regimens – something that can save valuable time in finding the right treatment for someone with cancer.

An estimated 90% of cancer clinical trials fail, sending those potential oncology treatments either to the drawing board or the scrap heap. Each unsuccessful trial means billions lost in R&D investment and, potentially, countless lives. During the upcoming BIO International Convention, experts from CerFlux, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Aga Khan University will weigh in with insights.

Across the spectrum of the economy, there are Birmingham businesses well positioned for success in the new year, with many primed to lead our economy. We’re highlighting 22 such companies. In 2022, CerFlux established a new 3,000 sq-ft biotech facility at a busy intersection in downtown Birmingham. The company’s continued growth and success would cement Birmingham’s reputation as a biotech and health care innovation leader.

Scenes from the BIO International Convention 2023 panel, "Is Your Billion-Dollar Oncology AI Cutting-Edge Technology or is it Artificial Ignorance?" moderated by Dr. Karim Budhwani (CEO-Scientist at CerFlux) with expert panelists Dr. Maggie Scully (Director of Partnership Development at Frederick National Lab for Cancer Research), Tahera Kan, MBA, MS (VP of Precision Medicine and Enabling Technology at Johnson & Johnson), and Dr. Sandeep Menon (Chief Scientific Officer of AI and Digital Science at Pfizer).

“Alabamians have always been innovators – from cutting-edge agricultural techniques to the Saturn V rocket that took humans to the moon. At Innovate Alabama, we are on a mission to continue fostering Alabama’s rich history of innovation through initiatives like our grant program,” said Cynthia Crutchfield, Innovate Alabama CEO. CerFlux, was a first-round grant recipient of this program that seeks to drive innovation from new knowledge to address some of the most intractable challenges facing humanity. More at: Innovate Alabama.

The company's work involves testing multiple cancer drugs simultaneously on standard biopsy tissue obtained from a patient’s tumor. The benefits of the new technology include not only life-saving and quality-of-life-improving treatments for patients, but potential billions of dollars in savings for pharmaceutical companies.

Dr. Budhwani, CEO of CerFlux, an Alabama cancer biotech, will lead a panel at the 2022 BIO International Convention in San Diego, where 20,000 people from 60 countries are expected to attend. The panel will explain how personalizing cancer treatment can also improve clinical trials and help the health care system save money.

New members of the BCRFA Medical Advisory Council include Dr. Karim Budhwani, the co-founder and CEO of CerFlux, a Birmingham-based company working to create a personalized medicine approach to cancer treatment that allows patients to live better lives. The Medical Advisory Council has the critical job of reviewing funding requests from researchers across the state, ensuring that their science is sound and the BCRFA’s investments have maximum impact.