2013 ANNUAL REPORT The Dawn of the Third Revolution in Medicine Begins With You
2013 OVERVIEW Our Goal: We work out of a sincere desire to improve the Human Condition. Our current focus is the application of Systems Engineering to the development of Targeted, Effective and Efficient tools and methods needed for a more methodical and personalized treatment and cure for Cancer. A Brief Note from Our President: We at the KressWorks Foundation hope you had a joyous Holiday Season and send you best wishes for the New Year. Thanks to your support, and the hard work of The KressWorks Foundation personnel and its partners, 2013 has been a remarkable year. In 2013 we had presented an ambitious set of goals for the year and the future. In summary, our goals were to develop a better understanding of Cancer from a whole body perspective down through the cellular and molecular level. Then, to reconstitute that understanding in a mathematical form for use in computer modeling and simulation. We had assumed this would take a number of years. By focusing our efforts on one form of Cancer (Ewing’s Sarcoma), repurposing and modifying existing technology, and creative partnering; we have been able accomplish a significant portion of our goals in 2013. This has all been done through the application of 100% of your contributions to our Research. Major accomplishments for 2013 include: The design of a new, Systematic Treatment Methodology (STM) for Cancer (and other diseases). The formation of an alliance with Rosa & Co. LLC to develop a Ewing's Sarcoma Disease Progression Computer Model (DPM ‐ an essential part of the STM). Rosa's staff has unparalleled professional experience in applying modeling and simulation to accelerate drug development and virtually all therapeutic areas, including oncology. Their experience in the field of Quantitative Systems Pharmacology will support development of Targeted, Effective and Efficient tools and methods needed for a more methodical and personalized treatment and cure for Cancer. Rosa’s and KressWorks’ 90% completion of the first phase of Ewing’s Sarcoma DPM development. The addition of a Technical Advisory Board (TAB). This provides us with reliable access to crucial expertise not currently found in our Governing Board but necessary for our success. While a large amount of work remains to be done, we are quite excited about the progress to date and the prospects for future advancements. We look forward to 2014 and beyond as an accelerating continuance of our 2013 work with a corresponding level of successful accomplishment, limited only by our ability to secure necessary funding. We thank you all for your support that made our amazing advances of 2013 possible. We look forward to your continuing support in 2014 that will provide us with the resources to accelerate our progress and truly “Make Our Mark on Cancer”. James W Kress, PhD President Page 2 of 7
2013 MAJOR PROJECTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS RESEARCH 1. To be efficient, we have chosen to focus on the Pediatric Cancer Ewing’s Sarcoma as our initial target. a. It primarily affects humans between the ages of 12 and 25. b. Ewing’s is a rare cancer (250 new cases each year in the US, over 1,000 world‐wide) and is considered an Orphan Disease. c. It was the cause of the death of Dr. Kress’ sister and is a continuing threat to his family. 2. Through reuse and modification of existing Systems Biology and Engineering methods, we have been able to: a. Develop a Systematic Treatment Methodology (STM). The STM is a combination of Systems Engineering mathematical computer modeling and clinical measurements, which will provide a Targeted, Effective and Efficient methodology for treating Ewing’s Sarcoma. b. The methodology can be applied to other cancers and many other diseases. Here is a flow‐chart overview of the Systematic Treatment Methodology (STM): c. The critical component in implementing the STM is the Disease Progression Model (DPM) shown in gold in the flow chart. Page 3 of 7
3. The DPM is the quantitative, mathematical computer model which accounts for the progress of a disease in terms of measurable quantities. a. The necessary first step in the development of the DPM is to graphically identify the essential chemical, physical and biological processes and their interactions required for disease simulation. This result is called a PhysioMap. b. Working together, Rosa & Co., Dr. Elizabeth Lawlor M.D. (of the University of Michigan), and KressWorks have the first PhysioMap for Ewing’s Sarcoma cancer 90% complete. It should be completed in early 2014. c. The PhysioMap has been organized using the Hallmarks of Cancer. The Hallmarks of Cancer provide the focus necessary to best understand how cancer affects the cells and the patient. d. Dr. Lawlor’s participation has been invaluable in the development of the PhysioMap. 4. A snapshot of the 90% complete PhysioMap of the chemical, physical and biological interactions in a Ewing’s Cancer cell illustrates the complexity associated with this cancer. The Ewing’s cancer protein (EWS‐FLI1) is in red. We can see it has a wide spread effect. Page 4 of 7
5. We can zoom in to show the level of detail being used for characterization of these processes: Fundraising 1. We had a very successful, first fundraising event at Jeff Cauley Ferrari on February 21, 2013. 2. 2013 fundraising from individuals and corporation totaled over $66,000 for the year. Governance 1. David Brown, President of Mobility Transportation Systems located in Canton, MI, joined our Board of Directors. 2. The KressWorks Foundation has adopted an “Indirect Cost Policy”. This was done to ensure the money provided by donors and used in contracted projects is spent only on KressWorks related projects. 3. We have added a Technical Advisory Board (TAB). This provides us with reliable access to expertise not currently found in our Governing Board. The current members of the TAB, and their areas of expertise, are: a. Dr. Sorin Draghici (Professor of Systems Biology at Wayne State University) provides universally acknowledged expertise in Systems Biology and related disciplines. b. Dr. Adri van Duin (Professor at Penn State University), provides world class expertise in Kinetics, chemical reaction network and mechanism analysis, and the Atomistic and Molecular computer simulations of chemical reaction systems as well as methodology development. c. Dr. Alex Granovsky (Head of the Firefly Project in Moscow, Russia) provides premier expertise in applications of Quantum Mechanics methods to bimolecular systems as well as unique capabilities in methodology, algorithm and software development and application. We appreciate and highly value the time and information these generous experts have, and will be, providing. Page 5 of 7
2013 FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2013 DONORS Our sincere thanks and appreciation go to our 2013 Donors who made what we accomplished possible: CATEGORY DONATION RANGE DONOR(S) Diamond $500,001 + Emerald $100,001 to $500,000 Platinum $25,001 to $100,000 Jim Kress & Henriette Eles Gold $10,001 to $25,000 Mobility Transportation (Dave and Geri Brown) Silver $5,001 to $10,000 Ruby $1,001 to $5,000 David & Lynda Dennis Opal $501 to $1,000 Jeff Cauley, Mike Hensley, Spectrum Human Services, Blake Wilms, Paulson’s Construction (Paul McClorey) Amethyst $251 to $500 Franklin& Franklin, Auto Accessories U.S.A., Inc., Mat & Diane Dunaskiss, Pat Manno, Sandi Riggs, Joe and Mary Giachino, Magill and Rumsey, P.C. Bronze up to $250 Guardian Angel (Mr. & Mrs. Sam Kassab), John & Lisa Cornack, Jean Gottschalk, John & Jayme Resnik, Sherri Turner, Steven and Teri Furr, Frances Martin‐Falanga, Barbara & Cameron Miller, Terry Moffatt, Cassell & Associates, Dan DelZoppo, Larry & Sandy Petroskey, Nicholas Vehar, Karen Drebes, Irene Calder Berkoff, Robert and Margaret Hader, Matt, Val & Katie Kress, Lois Shulman, Robert Wolfe, Muriel Bouchard Page 6 of 7
2014 MAJOR PROJECTS AND GOALS: RESEARCH 1. Complete and refine the Ewing’s Sarcoma PhysioMap. 2. Initiate the construction and validation of the PhysioPD Model to complete the Disease Progression Model. 3. Initiate a joint project with Dr. Sorin Draghici, using the PhysioMap and PhysioPD model, to analyze Ewing’s Sarcoma Pathways to understand how Ewing’s adapts to current and potential treatments. This will facilitate effective implementation of the STM. 4. Initiate a joint project with Dr. Adri van Duin to investigate the atomistic and molecular level causal factor details for Ewing’s Sarcoma. FUNDRAISING 1. Secure the services of a professional Fundraiser and Event Planner 2. Develop a better fundraising strategy, especially addressing Major Gift Programs 3. Secure the money necessary to complete 2014 Research Goals GOVERNANCE 1. Complete populating the TAB with a MD/PhD Clinician/ Scientist, a Molecular Biologist, and a Medicinal Chemist. The Dawn of the Third Revolution in Medicine Begins With You Please Donate either by check or at the link provided on our website (http://www.kressworks.org). Your generosity is appreciated and will be put to good use. Page 7 of 7
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