Our History
Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) was founded in 1975 by Dr. Daniel G. Miller and a group of American and Canadian physicians, scientists, and philanthropists, who recognized the extraordinary scientific achievements and unique global impact of science in Israel.
During a visit to Israel in the early 1970s, Dr. Miller observed the growing exodus of talented scientists caused by limited research funding and noted the opportunity to help retain them through meaningful financial support. Their vision was to help strengthen Israel’s position as a global leader in cancer research, supporting scientists whose discoveries continue to advance and further the research field.
For over 50 years, ICRF has helped transform bold cancer research into discoveries making a difference worldwide by funding the best and brightest scientists in Israel. ICRF-funded scientists have driven game-changing innovations that have shaped today’s cancer research landscape and will continue to lead innovations in the detection, treatment, and pursuit of cures for this devastating disease.
See how ICRF’s researchers have revolutionized cancer research.
1975 – ICRF was founded to support talented Israeli cancer researchers.
1977 – The first five cancer research grants valued at $25,000 were awarded to researchers at Tel Aviv University, Beilinson Hospital, Hadassah Medical School, the Weizmann Institute, and the Israel Institute for Biological Research.
1980 – The ICRF Scientific Advisory Board and the ICRF Scientific Review Panels are formally organized to set procedures to ensure the selection of the highest quality cancer research for ICRF sponsorship.
1982 – ICRF surpassed the $1 million milestone in funding for cancer research.
1987 – ICRF-funded researcher Moshe Oren helped uncover the role of p53 as a critical tumor suppressor gene, a landmark discovery that transformed scientists’ understanding of how cancer develops and how tumor growth can be prevented.
1988 – $5 million in cancer research funding has been invested in Israeli scientists by ICRF.
1995 – Doxil®, the first liposomal chemotherapy drug designed to deliver treatment directly to tumors while reducing toxicity was developed by ICRF-funded researcher Alberto Gabizon. The breakthrough therapy became an important treatment for ovarian cancer, AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma, and other cancers.
1999 – Dr. Yair Reisner of the Weizmann Institute and his team develop a novel bone marrow transplant technique for leukemia patients utilizing a marrow donor with only three immune markers in common with the patient instead of the normally required six, thus expanding the available donor pool for treatment.
1999 – Dr. Tsvee Lapidot and his research team uncover key elements of the mechanism responsible for stem cell migration from circulating blood to the bone marrow that can further improve the success rate of bone marrow transplantation.
1999 – ICRF-funded scientist Howard Cedar received the prestigious Israel Prize in Biology for pioneering discoveries in gene regulation, expression, and DNA replication that advanced the understanding of cancer and human genetics.
2001 – Research by ICRF grantee Eli Canaani contributed to the development of Gleevec®, the first targeted cancer therapy designed to attack chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells while sparing healthy tissue. The breakthrough transformed CML from a fatal disease into a manageable condition.
2001 – Dr. Ephrat Levy-Lahad of the Shaare Zedek Medical Center made the discovery that a minor mutation in the RAD51 Gene increases the risk of breast cancer in women with the BRCA2 gene mutation.
2003 – Research by ICRF-funded scientists Aaron Ciechanover and Avram Hershko led to the development and FDA approval of Velcade®, a drug used to target the ubiquitin system, now used to treat multiple myeloma.
2004 – Drs. Ciechanover and Hersko went on to win the Nobel Prize in sciences for their discovery of the ubiquitin system.
2011 – Dr. Yosef Shiloh of Tel Aviv University was awarded with the prestigious Israel Prize in Life Sciences.
2014 – ICRF has officially awarded over 2,000 grants and surpassed $50 million in funding for cancer research.
2016 – ICRF and City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, CA partnered through a generous grant from the Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation to establish the Jackie and Bruce Barron Cancer Research Scholars’ Program to foster collaborative cancer research between ICRF-funded scientists in Israel and US researchers.
2019 – Researchers from Bar-Ilan University and Harvard Medical School, including ICRF-funded scientist Professor Erez Levanon uncovered a mechanism – by ceasing the function of ADAR1, an enzyme that edits or cuts RNA in tumor cells – in which the immune system can be utilized to destroy cancer cells, particularly in the cases of lung cancer and melanoma.
2020 – Collaborations continue to expand with Conquer Cancer, Alan B. Slifka Foundation, and the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation to help fund cutting-edge cancer research projects.
2020 – Former ICRF grantee, Gideon Rechavi, MD, PhD, receives the 2020 Israel Prize for Medical Science.
2021 – A team of Israeli researchers, led by Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, printed the world’s first 3D living malignant brain tumor. This discovery will help accelerate the discovery of new treatments and personalized medicine for patients globally.
2021 – A new study from Tel Aviv University researchers, led by Professor Neta Erez, discovered changes in healthy lung tissue that indicate preparation to receive metastases. This is an encouraging finding that enables preventive diagnosis and prophylactic treatment before lethal metastases occur.
2025 – Prof. Yinon Ben-Neriah was awarded with the Israel Prize for Medical Research for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of cancer research including the development of anti-cancer drugs, the creation of anti-inflammatory agents to cancer inhibitors, and more.
2025 – In 2025, ICRF marked a major milestone surpassing $100 million in total lifetime funding while continuing to invest aggressively in the next generation of cancer research.
2025 – ICRF’s 50-year legacy was celebrated with visits and engagement at Israeli institutions. A group of ICRF leaders and board members met with scientists, toured their labs, and saw firsthand how much your generous support matters.
