Articles from Curebound

Cancer research and the scientists conducting vital studies are facing an uncertain financial future. National Institutes of Health (NIH) slashed $1.81 billion in federal agency grants in 2025, according to an analysis published in JAMA1 (NBC News, 2025). Nearly 700 grants across 24 NIH institutes were affected, covering research on cancer, aging, diabetes and more. The federal administration has also proposed a 40% cut to NIH’s 2026 budget2 (Reuters, 2025).

Curebound announced today that its 2025 Concert for Cures with global music icon and humanitarian Elton John raised $11.5 million in support of cancer research. The benefit concert, held at Petco Park, marks the largest and most successful single-day fundraising event in San Diego.

Curebound, a philanthropic organization that fundraises and invests in innovative cancer research, awarded 17 grants in December for a total of $8.25 million in funding to advance cancer research in 2024.

Curebound, a philanthropic organization that invests in cancer research with the power to save lives, is ending 2024 with some impressive milestones – research investment of $43 million, $126 million in follow-on funding for 48 of its collaborative grants, 142-funded research grants, and 35 new or expanded clinical trials underway. The challenge: there are many promising cancer studies still left unfunded in the race to develop cures for cancer in our lifetime.

Curebound launched its new Curebound Cancer Challenge today. An evolution of Curebound’s renowned Padres Pedal the Cause event, Curebound Cancer Challenge represents a new and elevated fundraising challenge experience. It aims to increase community participation and accelerate Curebound toward its goal of investing $100 million in cancer research through collaborative grants, public/private partnerships and targeted investments that are anchored in San Diego, with the potential to spread nationally through scientific collaborations.

Those who knew San Diego activist investor Ralph Whitworth remember him as a man of remarkable contrasts and depth – attorney, successful businessman, car enthusiast, and a devoted music afficionado (he once brought the Rolling Stones to the Belly Up in San Diego for a private concert). He built a career turning around companies such as Home Depot and HP. As co-founder of Relational Investors with approximately $6 billion in assets, he focused on troubled enterprises and pushed relentlessly for change until progress was made. A true visionary, Ralph was driven by big ideas and brought that passion to the philanthropic causes he cared about. He was a dedicated warrior in the fight against cancer until the disease took his life in 2016. He is deeply missed, but his vision lives on through Curebound’s work to advance lifesaving cancer research.

Curebound, a philanthropic organization that invests in innovative cancer research, announces eight grants for a total of $2M in funding. The funding is made available through two new Curebound programs – Catalyst Grants, which support exciting projects within early-stage life science companies that are seeking to take innovative discoveries to commercially approved products, and Equity Grants, which focus on overcoming disparities in cancer research and treatment in underserved populations.

It’s estimated that more than 71,000 people will be diagnosed with head and neck cancer in the United States this year. Unfortunately, approximately 16,000 Americans will die from the disease in 2024. While immunotherapies have revolutionized treatment for various types of cancers, most head and neck cancer patients have seen little benefit, with clinical responses often lacking durability. This leaves these patients with limited options and often a poor prognosis.

Curebound, a philanthropic organization that raises and invests strategic funding for cancer research, is announcing important updates on its grant recipients. This includes $4.1M in follow-on funding recently obtained by its 2021 oncofertility Discovery Grant recipient to expand clinical trials; an additional $1.2M secured by one of its 2023 Cure Prize recipients to further support and expand clinical trials in pancreatic cancer research; and recognition for one of its 2023 Targeted Grant recipients on its new, transformational Artificial Intelligence (AI) precision-oncology platform.

Curebound, a philanthropic organization that raises and invests strategic funding in translational cancer research projects, announced a fundraising total of $3,001,323 from its signature Padres Pedal the Cause, hosted in partnership with the San Diego Padres in April. The event hosted a record 4,100+ participants at Petco Park to cycle, spin, run, walk and celebrate their successful fundraising efforts for lifesaving cancer research.