Partners
Learn about the partners supporting the TRACER initiative
Collaboration is essential to overcoming the unique challenges of rare cancer research. With
limited patient populations, scarce tissue samples, and underfunded research pipelines, progress
requires creative and committed partnerships. At TRACER, we’re proud to team up with
foundations, advocacy groups, and national organizations that share our goal of finding better
treatments faster. By combining our efforts, we’re creating a research model that puts patients
first and uses the latest tools to tackle the toughest challenges in rare cancers.
The Brave Like Gabe Foundation (BLGF)
The Brave Like Gabe Foundation (BLGF), founded in honor of professional runner and rare cancer advocate Gabriele “Gabe” Grunewald, empowers cancer survivors through physical activity and supports underfunded rare cancer research. Since its inception in 2018, BLGF has granted over $2.25 million to institutions including Fred Hutch, MSKCC, and Dana‑Farber.
As part of this mission, BLGF has established a multi-
year partnership with the TRACER Initiative at Fred
Hutch. In 2024, BLGF awarded $25,000 to support
TRACER’s efforts, building on previous support to
Fred Hutch that has totaled $375,000 since 2020.
The Rare Cancer Coalition
The Rare Cancer Coalition, housed within the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), brings together patient advocates, researchers, and clinicians to advance science and awareness for rare cancers. Their advocacy helped secure a rare cancers research program and a congressional resolution recognizing Rare Cancer Day on September 30, and their co-founder, John Hopper, serves on TRACER’s Advisory Board.
Through this partnership, the coalition supports the TRACER Initiative at Fred Hutch, fostering collaboration and resource-sharing among siloed oncologists and labs. This alliance aims to break down barriers in specimen access, funding, and regulatory processes, accelerating innovations for patients who otherwise face limited treatment options.
The Rare Cancer Research Foundation (RCRF)
The Rare Cancer Research Foundation (RCRF) is a nonprofit dedicated to curing rare cancers through strategic investments, innovation, and patient-driven collaboration. Since its founding by Mark Laabs, RCRF has built a robust research ecosystem supporting rare cancer models, coordinating tissue donations from hospitals.
In June 2025, RCRF announced a new partnership with the TRACER Initiative at Fred Hutch. This coast-to-coast collaboration aims to convert patient-donated rare tumor samples into AI-driven insights, using cutting-edge drug-testing platforms and molecular profiling to accelerate therapeutic discoveries By leveraging TRACER’s advanced preclinical models and FDA-approved drug screening, the partnership seeks to overcome major barriers in rare cancer research, particularly the paucity of fresh biological specimens, while directly involving patients and clinicians in the research process.
The Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation (FCF)
The Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation (FCF) is the leading nonprofit focused exclusively on fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC), a rare liver cancer primarily affecting adolescents and young adults. Founded by patients and families, FCF has committed over $10 million across more than 25 institutions to accelerate understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of FLC, ensuring 100% of donations directly support research.
FCF has recently partnered with the Gujral Lab at Fred Hutch to advance preclinical discovery and clinical translation in FLC. This collaboration has funded pivotal studies, such as research identifying PLK1 inhibition as a potential therapeutic target in FLC models. Through this partnership, FCF supports TRACER’s development of patient-derived tumor models, streamlining the path toward clinical trial readiness.
The TargetCancer Foundation (TCF)
The TargetCancer Foundation (TCF) is a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing rare cancer research and supporting patients through precision medicine, funding scientific meetings, and running the TCF‑001 TRACK trial for 400 participants with rare cancers
TCF’s CEO, Jim Palma, also contributes his expertise as a member of TRACER’s Advisory Board at Fred Hutch. Through this partnership, TCF collaborates with the TRACER team to bridge research and patient impact. With TCF’s strategic guidance and network, this collaboration supports shared efforts in clinical trials, data sharing, and engaging patient communities, helping ensure that TRACER’s discoveries reach the individuals who need them most.
The National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation (NLSF)
The National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation (NLSF), founded in 2001, advances research and patient support for leiomyosarcoma (LMS) through grants, advocacy, and global education initiatives. Its efforts include supporting basic and translational research, establishing the International LMS Research Roundtable, and fostering patient-researcher collaborations across institutions such as the Broad Institute and Dana-Farber.
NLSF has partnered with the TRACER Initiative at Fred Hutch, most prominently through “The TRACER Project,” which utilizes patient-derived LMS models to identify promising therapies via drug repurposing and functional screening. Through this collaboration, NLSF empowers discovery-driven approaches to rare cancer treatment, enabling TRACER to leverage LMS tissue resources and accelerate translational research for patients with this aggressive sarcoma.
The Myoepithelial Carcinoma Project (CureMEC)
The Myoepithelial Carcinoma Project (CureMEC) is a patient-driven nonprofit committed to accelerating research for myoepithelial carcinoma (MEC), an ultra-rare and understudied cancer. Through a close partnership with cureMEC, the TRACER team is working to deeply characterize MEC preclinical models and evaluate FDA-approved therapies in MEC cell lines and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Together, this collaboration reflects a shared commitment to bringing patients, advocates, and scientists together to uncover new therapeutic opportunities and move discoveries toward real clinical impact.
