Our Research
Who we fund
The researchers.
Sky awards seed grants for exploratory pancreatic cancer research — the initial funding that lets a scientist gather preliminary data and turn an idea into something fundable at national scale.
$50,000
Where a seed grant starts — enough to grow an idea into a competitive project.
Millions
Millions of dollars have gone to Sky researchers through seed grants since 2008.
NIH
Sky-funded researchers often go on to secure major national grants.
How a grant gets made
Every proposal is reviewed by our Scientific Advisory Committee — medical experts who evaluate each project for innovation, impact and feasibility. Annual progress reports track the measurable result of each funded project.
Funded researchers
Aatur Singhi, MD, PhD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Surgical pathologist with sub-specialty training in gastrointestinal, liver and pancreatobiliary pathology.
View the research →
Adrianne Wallace-Povirk, PhD
Henry Ford Health — Pancreatic Cancer Center
Postdoctoral fellow, Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center.
View the research →
Arnav Mehta, MD, PhD
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard · Massachusetts General Hospital
Leads translational studies in the MGH Cancer Center’s GI cancer group.
View the research →
Asfar S. Azmi, PhD
Wayne State University · Karmanos Cancer Institute
Professor of Oncology; Director of Pancreas Cancer Research, Karmanos.
Advisory committeeCommittee memberView the research →
Ben Z. Stanger, MD, PhD
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Hanna Wise Professor of Cancer Research.
View the research →
Chris Halbrook, PhD
Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
View the research →
Despoina Kalfakakou, PhD
NYU Langone Health
Post-doctoral bioinformatics fellow, Simeone Lab and Tsirigos Lab.
View the research →
Harrison L. Hiraki, PhD
U-M Rogel and Blondy Center for Pancreatic Cancer
Postdoctoral research fellow, Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology.
View the research →
Howard Crawford, PhD
Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center
Scientific Director at Henry Ford, and Chief Scientific Officer of Sky’s Scientific Advisory Committee.
Advisory committeeChief Scientific OfficerView the research →
Jurgis Alvikas, MD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center — Surgical Oncology
Fellow, Complex General Surgical Oncology.
View the research →
Kathleen DelGiorno, MD, PhD
Vanderbilt University
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.
View the research →
Kirsten L. Bryant, PhD
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC Chapel Hill
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology.
Advisory committeeCommittee memberView the research →
Lisa Miller-Phillips, MD
University of California San Francisco
Postdoctoral scholar, School of Medicine.
View the research →
Mariana Tannus Ruckert, PhD
U-M Rogel and Blondy Center for Pancreatic Cancer
Studies how mitochondria shape the first step toward pancreatic cancer.
View the research →
Nikki Lytle, PhD
Medical College of Wisconsin — LaBahn Pancreatic Cancer Program
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery.
View the research →
Nina Steele, PhD
University of Cincinnati
Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati. Sky funded her research at Henry Ford Health.
View the research →
Pamela Itkin-Ansari, PhD
Sanford Burnham Prebys · UC San Diego
Her lab found that a single gene reprograms pancreatic cancer cells back toward a normal state.
View the research →
Peter Wang, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Postdoctoral researcher, Center for Systems Biology.
View the research →
Rafael A. Fridman, PhD
Wayne State University · Karmanos Cancer Institute
Professor, Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine.
View the research →
Scott A. Gerber, PhD
University of Rochester Medical Center
Associate Professor of Surgery and Co-Director, Center for Tumor Immunology Research.
View the research →
Simone Benitz, PhD
Henry Ford Health — Department of Surgery
Postdoctoral researcher, Crawford Lab.
View the research →
Richard Kwon, MD, MS
Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan
Interventional endoscopist; co-Director, Comprehensive Pancreas Program.
View the research →
Eileen S. Carpenter, MD, PhD
University of Michigan
Assistant Professor, Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
Advisory committeeCommittee memberView the research →
Fund the next seed grant.
Every dollar is awarded as research funding, reviewed by scientists, and reported on annually.
Our Research
Who we fund
The researchers.
Sky awards seed grants for exploratory pancreatic cancer research — the initial funding that lets a scientist gather preliminary data and turn an idea into something fundable at national scale.
$50,000
Where a seed grant starts — enough to grow an idea into a competitive project.
Millions
Millions of dollars have gone to Sky researchers through seed grants since 2008.
How a grant gets made
Every proposal is reviewed by our Scientific Advisory Committee — medical experts who evaluate each project for innovation, impact and feasibility. Annual progress reports track the measurable result of each funded project.
Stars In Our SkyOne-to-one interviews with the researchers we fund.Funded researchers
Aatur Singhi, MD, PhD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Surgical pathologist with sub-specialty training in gastrointestinal, liver and pancreatobiliary pathology.
Adrianne Wallace-Povirk, PhD
Henry Ford Health — Pancreatic Cancer Center
Postdoctoral fellow, Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center.
Arnav Mehta, MD, PhD
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard · Massachusetts General Hospital
Leads translational studies in the MGH Cancer Center’s GI cancer group.
Asfar S. Azmi, PhD
Wayne State University · Karmanos Cancer Institute
Professor of Oncology; Director of Pancreas Cancer Research, Karmanos.
Advisory committeeCommittee memberBen Z. Stanger, MD, PhD
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Hanna Wise Professor of Cancer Research.
Chris Halbrook, PhD
Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
Despoina Kalfakakou, PhD
NYU Langone Health
Post-doctoral bioinformatics fellow, Simeone Lab and Tsirigos Lab.
Harrison L. Hiraki, PhD
U-M Rogel and Blondy Center for Pancreatic Cancer
Postdoctoral research fellow, Departments of Surgery and Cancer Biology.
Howard Crawford, PhD
Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center
Scientific Director at Henry Ford, and Chief Scientific Officer of Sky’s Scientific Advisory Committee.
Advisory committeeChief Scientific OfficerJurgis Alvikas, MD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center — Surgical Oncology
Fellow, Complex General Surgical Oncology.
Kathleen DelGiorno, MD, PhD
Vanderbilt University
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.
Kirsten L. Bryant, PhD
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC Chapel Hill
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology.
Advisory committeeCommittee memberLisa Miller-Phillips, MD
University of California San Francisco
Postdoctoral scholar, School of Medicine.
Mariana Tannus Ruckert, PhD
U-M Rogel and Blondy Center for Pancreatic Cancer
Studies how mitochondria shape the first step toward pancreatic cancer.
Nikki Lytle, PhD
Medical College of Wisconsin — LaBahn Pancreatic Cancer Program
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery.
Nina Steele, PhD
University of Cincinnati
Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati. Sky funded her research at Henry Ford Health.
Pamela Itkin-Ansari, PhD
Sanford Burnham Prebys · UC San Diego
Her lab found that a single gene reprograms pancreatic cancer cells back toward a normal state.
Rafael A. Fridman, PhD
Wayne State University · Karmanos Cancer Institute
Professor, Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine.
Scott A. Gerber, PhD
University of Rochester Medical Center
Associate Professor of Surgery and Co-Director, Center for Tumor Immunology Research.
Richard Kwon, MD, MS
Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan
Interventional endoscopist; co-Director, Comprehensive Pancreas Program.
Eileen S. Carpenter, MD, PhD
University of Michigan
Assistant Professor, Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
Advisory committeeCommittee memberFund the next seed grant.
Every dollar is awarded as research funding, reviewed by scientists, and reported on annually.
Donate