Peg Fisher-Jullie Fight for Life Research Award

Focus: Lung cancer research, with specific emphasis on EGFR mutations and overcoming resistance to treatments

Geographic Scope: National (United States)

Background: Named in honor of Peg Fisher-Jullie, a stage 4 lung cancer survivor who was diagnosed in 2017 with stage 1B non-small cell lung cancer and later developed EGFR-positive stage 4 lung cancer. After biomarker testing revealed her EGFR mutation, targeted therapies helped reduce her tumors and extend her quality of life. Peg and her husband Jerry established this award to ensure other patients would have access to new treatments.

Eligibility:

• Researchers working on lung cancer translational research
• Projects should focus on novel approaches to treatment and early detection
• Open to researchers at academic medical centers and research institutions

Research Focus Areas:

• EGFR mutations in lung cancer
• Immune system approaches to cancer treatment
• Overcoming resistance to existing therapeutics
• Biomarker research
• Early detection methods

Recent Recipients:

• 2025: Dr. B.J. (Byungji) Kim, University of Texas at Austin - "Reprogramming Immunity in Hard-to-Treat Lung Cancers"
• 2023: Dr. Anastasios Dimou, Mayo Clinic - "BiTE to target EGFR peptide: HLA class I complexes in EGFR mutant lung cancers"
• 2021: Dr. Kipp Weiskopf, Whitehead Institute - Focus on macrophage interactions with EGFR mutant lung cancer cells