The Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) is the leading organization in Israel dedicated to supporting outstanding cancer researchers. Since its establishment in 1975, ICRF has awarded more than 2,700 grants, totaling over $87 million, to exceptional cancer researchers working in leading research institutions, universities, and hospitals across Israel. Its overarching mission is to transform cancer into a manageable chronic disease—and ultimately to eradicate it—by funding groundbreaking research.

One particularly fascinating research project currently funded by ICRF is led by Professor Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, head of the Cancer Research and Nanomedicine Laboratory and director of the Cancer Biology Research Center at Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Medicine. Her research focuses on deciphering the mechanisms behind interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment, and identifying novel molecular targets that could disrupt tumor-host communication. In other words, her team explores how cancer cells interact with blood vessels, the immune system, connective tissue, and other surrounding elements—and how these interactions enable tumors to grow and spread. Understanding and disrupting this communication may slow or even prevent the progression of cancer.

One of the major breakthroughs in Satchi-Fainaro’s work lies in the development of models that more accurately mimic clinical conditions. Currently, only about 5% of clinical trials succeed. Satchi-Fainaro believes this low success rate is largely due to the inadequacy of preclinical models, rather than the failure of the drugs themselves.
She explains:
“The models we use today don’t sufficiently mimic what actually happens in the human body. That’s why we created tools that allow for 3D printing of tumors. When we receive a tumor removed in surgery, we can now 3D print miniature replicas and test multiple drugs on each, helping us identify the most effective personalized treatment for that patient—often within just two weeks.”

Her lab is also exploring the repurposing of existing drugs. Traditional 2D cell cultures grown on plastic plates differ significantly from the complex tumor microenvironment in the human body. As a result, some drugs that perform well in 2D models fail in clinical trials, while others dismissed early on may actually prove powerful in 3D environments, which better reflect real biological conditions.

Satchi-Fainaro highlights a key example:
“We identified a protein inhibitor that showed up in every brain tumor sample (GBM) we tested—but not in the brains of healthy individuals. On plastic dishes, the cancer cells continued growing even with the inhibitor. But in our 3D tumor models, the inhibitor actually suppressed tumor growth and cell spread. This discovery suggests that many drugs previously abandoned might be highly effective—if only tested in the right model.”

Her research received a 7-year grant from ICRF, with part of the funding—$150,000 over three years—provided by the Idan and Batia Ofer Family Foundation. Satchi-Fainaro emphasizes the unique importance of philanthropic support:
“There are many philanthropic causes—each valuable—but cancer research is particularly challenging. It requires deep understanding and long-term commitment. We may not see results for 10 or even 20 years, but when breakthroughs do come, they can change lives and impact future generations. ICRF has been operating long enough to witness this—treatments being used today were funded 20 or 30 years ago. That’s the beauty and power of these kinds of donations.”