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Why we ride

You make a difference!

When you make the commitment to becoming an Empire State Ride road warrior, you’re making an impact on the future of cancer research and saving lives. The funds raised by our riders support cutting-edge cancer research at America’s first cancer center dedicated to research, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. We’re proud to say that for every dollar donated to cancer research, Roswell Park is now able to leverage an additional $23 from external grants toward that research. This is thanks to the support of ESR and the hard work of Roswell Park researchers.

Here are three innovative breakthroughs made possible, in part, by the funds raised through Empire State Ride.

Pioneering treatment

Roswell Park is on the cutting edge of cancer treatments. Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD, Deputy Director is a pioneering cancer researcher who helped bring about the first FDA-approved cellular therapies to incorporate adoptive cell transfer: CAR T-cell therapy.

Under Dr. Brentjens’ leadership, Roswell Park is leading research and clinical trials in immunotherapy treatments that are the latest advancements in cancer care. Support of ESR brings these brilliant contributions to cancer patients and empowers researchers to imagine new ways to treat and prevent cancers.

Two men look through microscopes at Roswell Park

Clinical trials

One of the latest clinical trials Roswell Park is leading is SurVaxM, an innovative brain cancer vaccine. This unique immunotherapy treatment created at Roswell Park will soon impact cancer patients across the country, using the body’s own immune system to fight the harmful cells. The adult clinical trial for SurVaxM has advanced into phase 2B for newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients and is now being offered to more than 250 patients in 15 centers in the U.S. and China. Kids battling brain cancers will also have a chance to see how SurVaxM can help them through a phase 1 trial, which began in early 2022, in partnership with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium.

Response to therapy

Response to Therapy is a routine blood test — combined with a novel technology developed at Roswell Park — that could be all it takes to give doctors and patients real-time updates on treatment. It can become part of a survivor’s annual routine check-up with their primary care physician to test for cancer recurrence. A phase 1 study, funded in part by donations, is already underway at Roswell Park.
Woman in lab coat uses a pipette

Car-T

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Dr. Gudkov and a woman in a lab coat examine petri dishes

International collaboration

When you make a gift to support Roswell Park through ESR, you’re ultimately making a worldwide impact. Through regional, national and global collaboration, the funds that come to Roswell Park go into efforts that will change the way we prevent, diagnose and treat cancers of all kinds everywhere. After all, we’re all on the same side in the fight against cancer.

Roswell Park Alliance Foundation logo

Funds raised through the Empire State Ride are managed by the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization which manages all donations made to Roswell Park. The Foundation ensures that every donation is put to the best possible use. It’s earned the highest possible rating on Charity Navigator for seven consecutive years.

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You Make a Difference

When you make the commitment to becoming an Empire State Ride road warrior, you’re making an impact on the future of cancer research and saving lives. The funds raised by our riders support cutting-edge cancer research at America’s first cancer center dedicated to research, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

We’re proud to say that for every dollar donated to cancer research, Roswell Park is now able to leverage an additional $23 from external grants toward that research. This is thanks to the support of ESR and the hard work of Roswell Park researchers.

Button More on cancer research funding

Here are three innovative breakthroughs made possible, in part, by the funds raised through Empire State Ride.

Pioneering Treatment

Roswell Park is on the cutting edge of cancer treatments. Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD, Deputy Director is a pioneering cancer researcher who helped bring about the first FDA-approved cellular therapies to incorporate adoptive cell transfer: CAR T-cell therapy. Under Dr. Brentjens’ leadership, Roswell Park is leading research and clinical trials in immunotherapy treatments that are the latest advancements in cancer care. Support of ESR brings these brilliant contributions to cancer patients and empowers them to imagine new ways to treat and prevent cancers.

Clinical Trials

One of the latest clinical trials Roswell Park is leading is SurVaxM, an innovative brain cancer vaccine. This unique immunotherapy treatment created at Roswell Park will soon impact cancer patients across the country, using the body’s own immune system to fight the harmful cells. The adult clinical trial for SurVaxM has advanced into phase 2B for newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients and is now being offered to more than 250 patients in 15 centers in the U.S. and China. Kids battling brain cancers will also have a chance to see how SurVaxM can help them through a phase 1 trial, which began in early 2022, in partnership with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium.  

Response to Therapy

Response to Therapy is a routine blood test — combined with a novel technology developed at Roswell Park — that could be all it takes to give doctors and patients real-time updates on treatment. It can become part of a survivor’s annual routine check-up with their primary care physician to test for cancer recurrence. A phase 1 study, funded in part by donations, is already underway at Roswell Park.

Button Watch the videos (Matt – Jenna said we can actually just put the videos on this page vs sending them to the blog.)

International Collaboration

When you make a gift to support Roswell Park through ESR, you’re ultimately making a worldwide impact. Through regional, national and global collaboration, the funds that come to Roswell Park go into efforts that will change the way we prevent, diagnose and treat cancers of all kinds everywhere. After all, we’re all on the same side in the fight against cancer.

How ESR impacts cancer research across the globe


About Roswell Park Alliance Foundation

Funds raised through the Empire State Ride are managed by the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization which manages all donations made to Roswell Park. The Foundation ensures that every donation is put to the best possible use. It’s earned the highest possible rating on Charity Navigator for seven consecutive years.

Read more:

How ESR impacts cancer research across the nation (and the globe) – Empire State Ride

You make a difference!

When you make the commitment to become an Empire State Ride road warrior, you’re making an impact on the future of cancer research and saving lives. The funds raised by our riders support cutting-edge cancer research at America’s first cancer center dedicated to research, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

A woman smiles at the Victory Bell inside Roswell Park
Two men look through microscopes at Roswell Park

Clinical trials.

When clinical trials identify effective treatments, these treatments will eventually become the new standard of care that will be offered to future patients. One of the latest clinical trials Roswell Park is leading is SurVaxM, an innovative brain cancer vaccine.

This trial is bringing hope to individuals battling some of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. This unique immunotherapy treatment created at Roswell Park will soon impact cancer patients across the country, using the body’s own immune system to fight the harmful cells.

The adult clinical trial for SurVaxM has advanced into phase 2B for newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients. The randomized, multicenter trial is being offered to over 250 patients in 15 centers in the U.S. and China.

Kids battling brain cancers will also have a chance to see how SurVaxM can help them. Roswell Park is partnering with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, which will expand the current trial to reach cancer centers across the U.S. and Canada. Through this phase 1 trial, which began in early 2022, pediatric patients will have a chance to take advantage of this vaccine which had previously only been available in Buffalo.

Two Roswell scientists perform a laboratory procedure to study cell stress