A scientist who deals with biostatistics, for example, would not want to submit a grant to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation in Santa Monica, CA. That foundation is concerned primarily with the development of vaccines against breast cancer and other cancers. Such a scientist might want, instead, to contact a breast cancer research foundation on the east coast.
The Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors has recently undertaken research efforts that required the skills of someone with knowledge of biostatistics. The literature released by that program suggests that its focus in on statistics, especially statistics that relate to the prevention of breast cancer. In fact, the Cornell program stands apart as a breast cancer research foundation that emphasizes cancer prevention.
A grant writer for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation attended a grant writing class at UCLA. Another student in that same class went in search of a breast cancer foundation. That student wanted to look for funds in support of breast cancer research then taking place in Long Beach, CA. Long Beach Memorial Hospital had a separate building, where scientists from the Hospital conducted medical research.
One of the physicians had developed the seed of an idea for a breast cancer research program. He had hired a research associate to examine cells from various breast cancer patients. He wanted to analyze those cells using flow cytometry, but that would require additional grant money. He envisioned an expanded breast cancer program at the Hospital.
That physician happened to have a research associate who wanted to learn how to write a grant. His research associate attended the grant writing class at UCLA. She learned how to locate the appropriate breast cancer foundation. She learned how to write a grant, a grant that could seek funds for the use of flow cytometry in a breast cancer program.
The research associate later gave her sample grant to the physician hoping to get funds for flow cytometry studies. Much to her chagrin, she had to end her employment for medical reasons. Thus she never learned what breast cancer foundation, if any, agreed to provide the Long Beach Hospital with the desired research money.
That research associate did not, however, abandon her interest in breast cancer. In fact, she is now writing a column about breast cancer for the web site www.open4health.com. Maybe someday, someone from a breast cancer foundation will take the time to read the information that is provided to the public in one of those columns.