Dedicated to Early Detection

Canary Foundation is the world's first non-profit organization dedicated solely to the funding, discovery and development of tests for early cancer detection. We have assembled teams of cancer researchers recognized by their peers as leaders in their disciplines from across multiple institutions to attack the problem of early detection in a new, collaborative, action-oriented manner with the foremost objective of translating research into clinical applications.

Leaders in Collaborative Science

Although the early detection of cancer in all its forms is within sight, reaching the end goal requires successful completion of large and complex projects involving numerous collaborators at several institutions. It is our belief that technologies have evolved and matured to the point that today we have the opportunity to fundamentally change the way we deal with cancer. We are on the verge of practical biomarker discovery and its application to early detection of cancer.

Most major achievements like the Human Genome Project and the Internet have come about through collaborations across multiple disciplines. Canary Foundation supports efforts by collaborators who are willing to share results and to standardize their approaches where appropriate. At Canary each cancer program has a multi-institutional team of leading clinicians and researchers with complimentary strengths. For example, the Ovarian Program has a team leader who is a gynecological oncologist practicing at Swedish Hospital, team members with proteomics and ovarian cancer expertise from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, imaging and DNA microarray expertise from Stanford University who work with immuno-assay experts from the British Columbia Cancer Agency.

Focused and Managed Research

Canary Foundation supports focused, measurable research and development projects with goals and milestones that are clearly aligned with the overall objective of detecting the disease at its earliest stage. Canary Foundation provides scientific program management to make sure that all funded research activities are on track and that any obstacles are rapidly addressed and overcome. This close level of research monitoring helps ensure an unusually rapid pace of research and is very different from most grant environments where reviews are typically done at a cursory level annually. Canary progress reviews are accomplished through monthly conference calls, quarterly meetings and our annual early detection symposium.

Canary facilitates rapid progress and productive collaborations by providing means to share data, tools and biospecimens across various labs and institutions. We have a dedicated internal website as well as standardized tools for sharing scientific data. One such tool is Computational Proteomics Analysis System (CPAS), an open source proteomics data analysis and data management platform that Canary funding has helped to support in its development and dissemination across numerous labs in the country.

Best-in-class Talent

Canary Foundation is led and inspired by Don Listwin who is applying his results-oriented approach honed as a technology executive in the for-profit world to the immense benefit of early cancer detection. The science team includes leaders in the fields of proteomics, imaging, genomics, epigenomics, oncology and subject matter specialists in ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and lung cancer from the best universities, hospitals, and research institutions in the world.

100% of Donations goes to Research

All fundraising and administration costs are covered by operating grants underwritten by foundations and corporations.