Philly Fights Cancer

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About Philly Fights Cancer: From Home Honoree Barbara Netter

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Barbara Netter is a visionary philanthropist who has made a profound impact on science and medicine. Together, with her late husband Edward, they founded the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT), whose mission is to fund cell and gene therapy research to empower pioneering and innovative basic and translational scientists.

More than 15 years ago, ACGT supported Drs. Carl June, Bruce Levine, and David Porter at Penn whose breakthrough study of patients receiving engineered “CAR” T cells to attack and eliminate their cancer cells changed the world. This work led to the first-ever FDA-approved gene therapy to treat cancer and sparked the ImmunoRevolution in cancer. With the Netter’s generosity, Dr. Levine became the inaugural Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy at the Perelman School of Medicine.

Mrs. Netter’s generosity continues at Penn’s Pancreatic Cancer Research Center where she empowers the center’s mission to translate scientific discovery into clinical trial options for patients with this disease – providing hope at all stages. As Mrs. Netter will note in her comments tonight, there has never been such a time of great hope and promise for patients with pancreatic cancer. Philly Fights Cancer honors her with pride.

Mrs. Netter is a graduate of New York University, worked at Pelham Family Services, Pelham, NY as a counselor and psychotherapist for twenty years before forming a private practice, attended the Family Institute of Westchester and received her M.S. from Iona College, New Rochelle, NY. Mrs. Netter is also well-recognized for her service to the community through civic and cultural institutions along the East Coast, including the Netter Center for Community Partnerships at Penn.

Philly Fights Cancer is proud to honor Mrs. Netter for her incredible philanthropy at Philly Fights Cancer: From Home on Saturday, October 24th.

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Barbara Netter is a visionary philanthropist who has made a profound impact on science and medicine. Together, with her late husband Edward, they founded the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT), whose mission is to fund cell and gene therapy research to empower pioneering and innovative basic and translational scientists.

More than 15 years ago, ACGT supported Drs. Carl June, Bruce Levine, and David Porter at Penn whose breakthrough study of patients receiving engineered “CAR” T cells to attack and eliminate their cancer cells changed the world. This work led to the first-ever FDA-approved gene therapy to treat cancer and sparked the ImmunoRevolution in cancer. With the Netter’s generosity, Dr. Levine became the inaugural Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy at the Perelman School of Medicine.

Mrs. Netter’s generosity continues at Penn’s Pancreatic Cancer Research Center where she empowers the center’s mission to translate scientific discovery into clinical trial options for patients with this disease – providing hope at all stages. As Mrs. Netter will note in her comments tonight, there has never been such a time of great hope and promise for patients with pancreatic cancer. Philly Fights Cancer honors her with pride.

Mrs. Netter is a graduate of New York University, worked at Pelham Family Services, Pelham, NY as a counselor and psychotherapist for twenty years before forming a private practice, attended the Family Institute of Westchester and received her M.S. from Iona College, New Rochelle, NY. Mrs. Netter is also well-recognized for her service to the community through civic and cultural institutions along the East Coast, including the Netter Center for Community Partnerships at Penn.

Philly Fights Cancer is proud to honor Mrs. Netter for her incredible philanthropy at Philly Fights Cancer: From Home on Saturday, October 24th.